Race two DTM pole for Audi's Rast at Assen, Wittmann has nightmare

Rast trailed Audi stable-mate Robin Frijns after the first qualifying runs, helped by the Rosberg Audi driver getting blocked twice by the BMWs of Sheldon van der Linde and Saturday race winner Marco Wittmann.

Both drivers remain under investigation for blocking, with Wittmann enduring a disastrous qualifying session less than 24 hours after victory.

Wittmann was unable to produce a flying lap due to a turbo problem, before blocking Rast and a rapid repair job by his RMG BMW crew meant he was able to re-join the session in the final minute, but he could not cross the line to begin a timed lap before the session ended.

Rast was also given a further boost in his run to pole when the second runs began, as provisional polesitter Frijns came to a stop in the pitlane and was unable to head back out.

That meant Rast's 1m24.849s lap was good enough for pole by just 0.132s after WRT Audi driver Jonathan Aberdein surprised by placing his customer RS5 DTM on the front row of the grid.

Aberdein's run shuffled Audi's Mike Rockenfeller, Nico Muller and Frijns down to third, fourth and fifth respectively.

Van der Linde was the best-placed BMW in sixth ahead of Loic Duval, the Audi driver having held third after the first qualifying runs.

BMW's Philipp Eng felt he needed to do some more "homework" to get the most out of his M4 DTM at Assen and qualified eighth ahead of stable-mate Timo Glock and WRT Audi's Pietro Fittipaldi.

Daniel Juncadella placed 14th behind Joel Eriksson, Bruno Spengler and Jamie Green to lead the R-Motorsport Aston Martin contingent.

Paul di Resta was 15th and led fellow Aston Martin drivers Ferdinand Habsburg and Jake Dennis, with Wittmann lining up last in 18th.

Qualifying result