Why the DTM is still a three-way fight

With just four rounds of the 2013 DTM remaining, the battle for the championship is unfolding just as series bosses would have hoped.

For the first time since BMW's return to the championship at the start of last year, all three competing manufacturers have drivers well in the title hunt.

But whereas 2005 title winner Gary Paffett and defending champion Bruno Spengler are providing Mercedes and BMW respectively with cause for optimism, it is Audi man Mike Rockenfeller well and truly in the pound seats.

And you can watch the battle unfold in front of your very eyes as AUTOSPORT.com streams live coverage of the race on Sunday.

Rockenfeller's handling of the soft tyres has salvaged his chances in several races © XPB

MIKE ROCKENFELLER (Phoenix Racing Audi RS5)
Championship position: 1
Points: 94

Being moved out of Audi's number one team, Abt Sportsline, and into Ernst Moser's Phoenix team has worked supremely well for 'Rocky' in much the same way that it did for Martin Tomczyk in his 2011 title-winning season.

Key to Rockenfeller's record of scoring points in every race so far this season has been his ability to turn often lowly grid positions to his advantage by stopping early and fitting soft 'option' tyres for a series of staggeringly long middle stints.

The result has been that 14th, 13th and 21st spots on the Hockenheim, Spielberg and Norisring grids became eighth, fourth and fifth-placed finishes, adding to two wins and a second from substantially higher starting positions that have enabled more conventional strategies.

Aiding the German further is that Audi decided during the summer break to install him as its nominated 'championship' driver, gaining him the support of the rest of the RS5-mounted brigade for the remainder of the season.

As a result, he will have the luxury of knowing that even Mattias Ekstrom - clearly the most consistently quick driver over the past two race weekends - will play a supporting role, as was proven in Russia last time out.

HE SAYS: "Everybody dreams of being the champion. But for me I still look at the situation as having four races to go and we saw last year how things can change. From the start of the year I was focused on trying to win the championship and nothing has changed for me. I just have to keep scoring points."

The reigning champion has lost out in race incidents recently © XPB

BRUNO SPENGLER (Schnitzer Motorsport BMW M3)
Championship position: 2
Points: 67

All was looking good for the Canadian after a dominant display at Spielberg that brought him to the head of the championship despite a pretty anonymous opening two races (in which he still managed sixth and second places).

But things haven't run quite so sweetly for the man that ended eight years of hurt last year by taking his maiden DTM crown, a point emphasised by a bruising encounter at Lausitz that left him driving with a damaged car for most of the race, and then again at Moscow when Rockenfeller's team-mate Miguel Molina took him off during the early stages.

Last year's Nurburgring race was when Spengler really started eating into what had been as much as a 40-point deficit to Paffett, with as dominant a Sunday performance as was seen in 2012.

It's worth remember too that Spengler is aiming for a fourth Nurburgring victory in the DTM and probably starts this weekend as the favourite for the top spot.

HE SAYS: "It's a long season and nothing is decided yet. I have been many times leading the championship and finishing second at the end, and also now catching and catching and then winning last year. You have to take each race as it comes and try to maximise your results."

Paffett's points tally does not reflect the strength of his form © XPB

GARY PAFFETT (HWA Mercedes C-coupe)
Championship position: 3
Points: 57

While Paffett's 37-point deficit to Rockenfeller might paint the picture that he has never truly been on the pace of the Audi man this year, the reality is somewhat different.

But for being harshly demoted from third to sixth at Brands Hatch for a minor yellow-flag infringement, and then losing a certain podium at the Norisring after a late collision with Edoardo Mortara, the Brit would be 22 points closer in the standings.

That alone would put him second in the points and with an opportunity to take over at the top of the table should Rockenfeller encounter some bad luck any time soon.

Helping the 2005 champion in his quest will be the knowledge that his roster of young Mercedes team-mates, led by Christian Vietoris and Robert Wickens, have mostly figured at or near the front in every race this year, and can play a key strategic role in Mercedes' masterplan.

HE SAYS: "We all know the Nurburgring from the years and years of coming here, and that's why I'm convinced we can rediscover the form we've been showing in previous races. I'm third in the championship and I firmly believe that the results in the last few races have not ruled me out of contention."

This weekend's DTM race at the Nurburgring will be streamed live on AUTOSPORT.com. To see the title fight continue between Mike Rockenfeller, Bruno Spengler and Gary Paffett, log on from 12:15 UK time on Sunday.