Zandvoort DTM: Mattias Ekstrom ends Audi's winless streak

The Swede became the first driver to win under 2014's sporting regulations after starting on the harder tyre.

The key to his win was the third of four safety car periods, which appeared just a lap after Ekstrom had made the switch from the harder compound Hankooks to the softer option tyres.

With the field bunched up, he was in prime position to pick his way through to the front - which is exactly what he did, taking over the lead from Marco Wittmann on lap 33 and never looking back.

"It's a long time ago since we had a trophy," he said.

"A lot of people might say it was lucky and I know to win a race you need some luck. Still there is no shadow on the performance; it was very good.

"To win the race is quite nice when you haven't done it for a very long time."

BMW rounded out the podium with Wittmann and Martin Tomczyk finishing second and third respectively, both having also timed their stops around the safety cars to perfection, and let down only the by the fact that they were on the slower tyre for the second stint.

What was good for one Audi in Ekstrom was terrible for another in Rockenfeller.

After a decent battle with Wittmann early in the race, the polesitter managed to establish a decent lead as the race approached middle distance. Then, his strategy completely unravelled when two separate caution periods left him first on the road, but way behind on completed stops.

He finally stopped on lap 32, filtering back through the field as those who had stopped stormed past. He wound up 16th.

Edoardo Mortara had much better luck, finishing fourth thanks to making his stop at exactly the right time, literally seconds before the second safety car came out on lap 18, having come from the last row of the grid.

Fifth and sixth were Christian Vietoris in the new-specification Mercedes, and BMW's Maxime Martin. The pair started 16th (Martin) and 17th (Vietoris), but found themselves on soft tyres and with track position just like Ekstrom did late in the race.

Pascal Wehrlein, Daniel Juncadella, Robert Wickens and Timo Scheider completed the points-paying positions.

The race saw five drivers fail to make the finish, with Tambay and Paffett both finding the wall at Mastersbocht, while Paul di Resta was turned around at Tarzan by Antonio Felix da Costa.

Augusto Farfus's race ended when he was spun by Juncadella at Hans Ernst Bocht, before Nico Muller - who had been in contention for a podium before being caught out with safety cars like Rockenfeller - hit the barriers on the exit of Tarzan.

RESULTS - 43 LAPS:

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS: