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Qualifying report

Spielberg DTM: Wittmann heads Blomqvist in first qualifying

Marco Wittmann and Tom Blomqvist delivered a BMW front-row lockout for the first DTM race at Spielberg, split by 0.019s at the chequered flag.

Marco Wittmann, BMW Team RMG, BMW M4 DTM

Marco Wittmann, BMW Team RMG, BMW M4 DTM

Alexander Trienitz

Mike Rockenfeller's weekend benchmark from practice - a mid-1m23s - was surpassed in virtually no time, with Timo Glock posting a slight improvement before fellow BMW driver Blomqvist produced a mammoth 1m22.814s lap on his second attempt.

However, the Anglo-Swede's lap also did not last, BMW's 2014 champion Wittmann going even quicker at 1m22.795s.

The duo's efforts, unchallenged during the first half of the session, were reflective of the early dominance of the Bayern-based marque, all eight BMW drivers fitting into the top 10 at one point - a stark contrast from 2011, when BMW took only 11 points away from Spielberg.

Audi did pick up the pace shortly before the halfway in this session, Adrien Tambay moving up to third and Edoardo Mortara slotting in right behind.

After a mid-session lull, Blomqvist produced another strong lap, but ended up 0.025s off his best time - his teammate and rival Wittmann likewise narrowly missing out on a better laptime.

As such, the status quo would be maintained at the chequered flag, Wittmann and Blomqvist making up the front row, with an all-Audi row two of Tambay and Mortara.

Glock took fifth, ahead of BMW stablemates Maxime Martin and Antonio Felix da Costa.

It was an impressive eighth for top Mercedes driver and championship leader Paul di Resta, the Scotsman followed by Martin Tomczyk and Mattias Ekstrom.

Qualifying results

Pos. Driver Team Time Gap
1 Marco Wittmann BMW 1:22.795  
2 Tom Blomqvist BMW 1:22.814 0.019
3 Adrien Tambay Audi 1:22.903 0.108
4 Edoardo Mortara Audi 1:22.932 0.137
5 Timo Glock BMW 1:22.937 0.142
6 Maxime Martin BMW 1:22.957 0.162
7 Antonio Felix da Costa BMW 1:22.997 0.202
8 Paul di Resta Mercedes 1:22.998 0.203
9 Martin Tomczyk BMW 1:23.000 0.205
10 Mattias Ekstrom Audi 1:23.005 0.210
11 Augusto Farfus BMW 1:23.062 0.267
12 Maximilian Gotz Mercedes 1:23.085 0.290
13 Robert Wickens Mercedes 1:23.128 0.333
14 Bruno Spengler BMW 1:23.150 0.355
15 Nico Muller Audi 1:23.218 0.423
16 Dani Juncadella Mercedes 1:23.223 0.428
17 Mike Rockenfeller Audi 1:23.242 0.447
18 Jamie Green Audi 1:23.244 0.449
19 Timo Scheider Audi 1:23.265 0.470
20 Lucas Auer Mercedes 1:23.368 0.573
21 Miguel Molina Audi 1:23.379 0.584
22 Esteban Ocon Mercedes 1:23.416 0.621
23 Gary Paffett Mercedes 1:23.459 0.664
24 Christian Vietoris Mercedes 1:23.534 0.739

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