Ekström turns disaster into pole

Mattias Ekström has taken pole position for tomorrow’s race at the Lausitzring, where the second round of this years DTM is being held. The Swede outpaced the two Mercedes’ of Gary Paffett and Paul di Resta, who will be starting from second and third respectively.

At the beginning of qualifying all of the works Audi drivers, except for Timo Scheider, came out late. At the point they did get out, it started to rain on their outlap. The drivers struggled for grip and couldn’t get near the times the Mercedes drivers had already set.

Even after changing to rain tires Ekström, Tomczyk and Kristensen struggled to get inside the top 14 that would go through to the second part of the session. At the end of the first part of qualifying only Ekström managed to improve to 14th, allowing him to continue his search for pole position.

And he managed to get that, after he made it into the fourth part of qualifying. He was quicker than Paffett and Di Resta in that session, as Mike Rockenfeller didn’t get the chance to improve on fourth place, as he finished the third part of qualifying in the gravel trap.

Ralf Schumacher and Johannes Seidlitz didn’t participate in qualifying. Schumacher had engine trouble and hopes to be able to start tomorrow. Seidlitz destroyed his car in this mornings practise session and won’t be starting tomorrow’s race.