First qualifying of the DTM at the Norisring was a real thriller. During the final stages, there were position changes in the lead almost every second. Even a slight drizzle setting in at the 2.3 kilometres long street circuit in Nuremberg didn’t affect the drivers.
Maxime Martin had the best nerves: with his BMW M4 DTM, he posted the fastest time of 47.472 seconds and thus secured his third pole position in the DTM.
DTM points’ leader René Rast was only five thousandths of a second slower with jos Audi RS 5 DTM.
BMW locks out the second row of the grid with Bruno Spengler (47.493 seconds) and Tom Blomqvist (47.527 seconds). Classified fifth, Lucas Auer ended up as the best-placed Mercedes-AMG driver in qualifying. With 47.584 seconds, the Austrian was just over a tenth of a second down on the fastest time.
“So far, we haven’t been really strong. I am happy that the car is strong jere in qualifying.” Said Martin
“For us, that is a big step ahead. I am confident for the race. It will be a long battle and I will try to win.”
The free practice sessions at the Norisring were already entertaining, but in qualifying, the DTM field was even closer together. The times of all 18 DTM drivers were within 0.651 seconds.
The seventh race of the 2017 DTM season gets underway at 13.25 hrs. The race distance is 55 minutes plus one lap. The first German TV channel ARD is broadcasting live from the Norisring from 13.10 hrs onwards.