Boosted by his first win on the season on the day before, Mattias Ekström posted the fastest time in third free practice at Spielberg on Sunday.

In total, all six Audi drivers were classified within the top nine. The DTM points’ leader secured first place at the Red Bull Ring with a lap time of 1m22.059s. Next up were his fellow Audi drivers Mike Rockenfeller (1m22.101s) and Jamie Green (1m22.284s), the latter having been fastest in the first two free practice sessions.

“This was as good as I could do. The car was good. It was very crisp this morning, the cars had a lot of grip, but temperatures will be higher in qualifying. Let’s see if I can end up in front then as well,” Ekström said.

Gary Paffett was the best-placed Mercedes-AMG driver in fourth with a time of 1m22.287s. Local hero Lucas Auer was sixth (1m22.374s). “As usual, free practice is irrelevant and doesn’t say a lot. My goal in qualifying has to be a top ten position,” the Austrian said.

Once again, the BMWs were well down the order. Marco Wittmann was the best of them in eleventh place with a time of 1m22.923s. Edoardo Mortara ended up last. Due to a fuel pressure problem, the Mercedes-AMG driver could only complete five laps.

The starting grid positions will be determined in qualifying from 12.00 hrs onwards.

The Red Bull Ring in Spielberg seems to suit Jamie Green: after two fastest times in the free practice sessions, the Audi driver also secured pole position in qualifying for the race on Saturday.

With a lap time of 1m21.973s, the Brit claimed the best starting grid position for the 15^th DTM race of the season.

For Green, it is the twelfth pole position in his DTM career and the first of the current season. Last year, things went well at Spielberg for Green, too: he was on pole position for the race on Sunday. With Nico Müller and Mattias Ekström, two further Audi drivers followed in second and third place.

"I am very happy." Said Green "A pole position always is a nice feeling."

"This year, we get three points on top of that. That is a nice bonus. Let’s wait and see what the race will bring."

The best-placed BMW driver on the grid, Marco Wittmann will be lining up in fourth position. Robert Wickens was the fastest Mercedes-AMG driver in qualifying, he ended up seventh. Austrian Lucas Auer, the fiercest rival of DTM points’ leader Ekström, was classified twelfth, 0,558 seconds down on Green’s fastest time.

The race at Spielberg on Saturday starts at 14.45 hrs. The first German TV channel ARD is broadcasting live from Styria from 14.30 hrs onwards.

Audi driver Mattias Ekström made a step towards winning the title in the DTM race at the Red Bull Ring on Saturday: in the 15^th race of the season, the Swede scored his first win of this year and extended his lead in the drivers’ standings to 28 points.

“We have been fighting long enough for this first victory and I came close on three occasions where I finishes second each time. In these great conditions, one can really enjoy this win,” Ekström commented after the race.

His employer Audi also had reason to be happy: the brand from Ingolstadt had a clean sweep of the podium with Jamie Green in second and Nico Müller im third place.

In front of the beautiful backdrop in the hills in Styria, Mercedes-AMG driver Robert Wickens finished fourth, fifth place went to defending champion Marco Wittmann with his BMW M4 DTM.

Until four laps before the end of the race, everything looked set for a victory for Jamie Green. The Brit, who had started from pole position, led the field for most of the race. Only on lap 36, Ekström was able to overtake his fellow Audi driver. “Mattias was slightly faster than I,” the second-placed commented. “Of course, I wanted to win. It just wasn’t enough, but I am happy.”

Robert Wickens already laid the foundation for his fourth place at the start. From seventh on the grid, he moved up to fourth and defended this position against Marco Wittmann until the finish. In contact during the opening stages of the race, the Canadian damaged his car and was worried whether he would be making it to the finish in a point-scoring position at all.

“That really was a tough race today,” the Mercedes driver said. “After the pit stop, the gap to Wittmann was slightly bigger and I had some space to breathe."

"That it was still enough to finish fourth is good.” For Marco Wittmann, fifth place on Saturday was the maximum.

“I had a good battle with Robert and some opportunities to overtake, but eventually, it still didn’t work out,” Wittmann said.

In the DTM drivers’ standings, Ekström extended his lead with his 23^rd career win. The Swede is now in first place with 162 points from Green (134), who moved up into second in the championship.

Lucas Auer, who only finished eighth in his home race, is third with 131 points from Wittmann (125) and René Rast (124).

The Audi driver spun after a collision, dropped back to last and remained without points. Prior to the race, Rast was still third in the drivers’ standings.

The second race at Spielberg will start on Sunday at 15.15 hrs. ARD is broadcasting the third-to-last race of the season from 15.00 hrs onwards. In qualifying (from 11.55 hrs live on ONE), the starting grid positions for the race will be determined.

The brand with the four rings dominated proceedings in Saturday’s second free practice at Spielberg.

At the Red Bull Ring, four Audi drivers came out on top. With a time of 1m22.137s, Jamie Green was fastest, followed by René Rast (1m22.178s), Mattias Ekström (1m22.249s) and Mike Rockenfeller (1m22.321s).

“The car was very good to drive, I have no complaints. Now we have to get  a perfect lap in during qualifying,” DTM points’ leader Mattias Ekström showed himself happy.

Edoardo Mortara was the best-placed Mercedes-AMG driver in fifth with a time of 1m22.393s from local hero Lucas Auer (1m22.425s).

None of the BMW drivers managed to make it into the top ten, defending champion Marco Wittmann was the best of them in eleventh place. However, with his time of 1m22.847s, he was already 0.710 seconds down on Green.

After Friday, Green again was the fastest driver in the field on Saturday morning. “The start of free practice was delayed due to the fog. It was cold. The car handled well, I was happy with the balance."

"Now, I am concentrating on qualifying,” Green said. In the DTM drivers’ standings, he is fifth with 113 points."