BMW driver Timo Glock secured his first ever DTM win following a rain-soaked season finale at the Hockenheimring in Baden-Württemberg.
Starting from fourth, the former formula One pilot connected with Augusto Farfus on the first lap, which saw the Brazilian spin off the track and Glock step up the pace to pass fellow BMW drivers Dirk Werner and Andy Priaulx and into second place behind Bruno Spengler. When Spengler pitted, Glock took the lead, but the performance of the day came from Roberto Merhi.
From 21st on the grid, the Mercedes Junior driver was investigated for a jump start before being called in for a drive-through penalty. Amazingly, he cut through the field, climbing to fourth place and then second when Daniel Juncadella spun Mattias Ekstrom on lap 28. Briefly taking the lead when Glock pitted a lap after him (lap 31), Merhi struggled to find grip following his second mandatory stop and Glock overtook young Spaniard in the hairpin just six laps from the end where the pair maintained their positions. Meanwhile, Bruno Spengler secured the third step of the podium for a BMW one-three while fighting off an advancing Mattias Ekstrom, who gave Audi its best result of the day.
2013 drivers’ champion Mike Rockenfeller had a disappointing weekend after starting from ninth and finishing a lowly 16th, but Miguel Molina’s fifth was enough to secured the crucial points in the battle for the team classification for Audi Sport Team Phoenix, while BMW top the manufacturers’ standings with 369 points ahead of Audi (347) and Mercedes-Benz (266).
DTM Hockenheim results
1. T Glock MTEK BMW 1h16m44.053s
2. R Merhi HWA Mercedes +2.787s
3. B Spengler Schnitzer BMW +10.120s
4. M Ekstrom Abt Audi +11.365s
5. M Molina Phoenix Audi +15.619s
6. A Priaulx RMG BMW +20.922s
7. C Vietoris HWA Mercedes +30.466s
8. D Werner Schnitzer BMW +31.276s
9. G Paffett HWA Mercedes +37.027s
10. D Juncadella Mucke Mercedes +37.246s
11. A Farfus RBM BMW +44.516s
12. J Green Abt Audi +44.811s
13. T Scheider Abt Audi +45.503s
14. A Tambay Abt Audi +48.966s
15. E Mortara Rosberg Audi +1m06.528s
16. M Rockenfeller Phoenix Audi +1m14.060s
17. P Wehrlein Mucke Mercedes +1m19.961s
18. R Wickens HWA Mercedes +1m34.478s
19. M Tomczyk RMG BMW +1m59.697s
20. J Hand RBM BMW -1 lap
21. M Wittmann MTEK BMW -4 laps
[Source: DTM]