Di Resta takes win and championship lead

Paul Di Resta moved to the top of the DTM standings by taking his third win in a row at Hockenheim. The Scot moves three points clear of previous leader Bruno Spengler, who was one of a number of drivers to retire as just nine cars made it to the finish, with Di Resta coming through from fifth on the grid to head home Timo Scheider and Mike Rockenfeller.

The race also ended any slim hopes Audi had of lifting the DTM title, with Mattias Ekström retiring after seven laps thanks to damage from a lap one accident, which claimed a number of the runners.

With races at Adria and Shanghai left, only Di Resta, Spengler or Gary Paffett can now win the title. One of the former two is the most likely destination for the silverware, particularly thanks to Di Resta’s impressive recent form, which has seen him win at Brands Hatch, Oscherleben and now Hockenheim in consecutive rounds.

Scheider led from pole initially and was soon leading the field behind the safety car after Spengler made a mistake at Turn Four, sending Miguel Molina into the path of the field with the Spaniard, Ralf Schumacher, Katherine Legge and Markus Winkelhock all being forced out on the spot as other cars sustained damage.

Coulthard and Cheng returned to the pits to retire while Ekström pitted twice under safety car conditions to try and repair his damaged Audi. With racing back underway the Swede pitted for a third and final time on lap seven, retiring thanks to damage to his right rear side.

From the re-start Scheider led from Rockenfeller and Paffett, but the drama and retirements hadn’t finished. First as cars began to take their first pit stops Green and Premat came together in the pitlane, earning the Brit a drive through penalty for his role in the incident in being released in front of Premat’s Audi.

Premat then went off at the Sachskurve with damaged suspension, returning to the pits to retire, where he was soon joined by Spengler, also suffering damaged suspension, possibly as a result of his role in the lap one melee.

While Scheider and the other front runners pitted, Di Resta, who had been in fourth after passing Premat on lap one, ran longer. When he eventually stopped, Scheider was briefly promoted back into the lead for a handful of laps before the reigning champion took his second stop, handing the lead back to Di Resta who built enough of a lead he could take his second stop and still emerge at the head of affairs.

Rejoining ahead of Scheider Di Resta gradually stretched his lead out to win by 10.5 seconds from the Audi man, with Rockenfeller holding onto the final spot on the podium.

Behind Paffett, Martin Tomczyk and Oliver Jarvis enjoyed a close battle over the closing stages, but Paffett held on to take a handful of championship points that keep him just in touch with Di Resta and Spengler.

Susie Stoddart and the penalised Green completed the runners on the lead lap, with Maro Engel the last finisher, a lap down on the victorious Di Resta.

The Scot now leads Spengler by three points, with Paffett thirteen points further behind as Mercedes guarantee themselves their first DTM title since 2006.