René Rast celebrates “incredible achievement” with first career podium

René Rast repaid Audi Sports’s faith in him after giving him a full time seat for 2017, scoring his first podium in the DTM after just six races.

The German driver was the best qualifier for the Ingolstadt-based manufacturer, after qualifying fourth for the race. Rast had a scrap with BMW’s Timo Glock in the initial stages, delaying his compulsory pit stop until there were just 18 minutes left in the race. The strategy allowed the number 33 RS 5 DTM to be fast in the final stages of the race, recovering ground and overtaking Maxime Martin for the final podium spot on the last lap.

“Obviously it’s a mega day for me,” René Rast said. “It’s something that I had dreamed of for quite a long time. I’ve followed DTM for a number of years now, and I had hoped to be here one day on the podium. Today is the day. I cannot describe the feeling I have after all the work I have put in this project. Being here now is just a big relief.”

Head of Audi Sport Dieter Gass was very happy to see that signing Rast has paid off quickly for the marque. “I’m tremendously happy for René who delivered a podium here. He previously showed a superb performance in qualifying and then went onto taking the podium.”

Three other Audi cars finished in the points; Mike Rockenfeller, Mattias Ekström and Jamie Green, the latter recovering from last on the grid after losing his qualifying times. Nico Müller had been running in eighth position, but a brake problem forced him to retire with just over ten minutes to go.

“Today, we have to settle for having put four cars in the points. Tomorrow, we’re going to attack again”, added Gass.