Paul Di Resta got a pole to chequered flag win for the second race at Hockenheim. He won from Timo Glock and Augusto Farfus and takes the lead of the championship.
Starting from pole position ahead of Augusto Farfus and Gary Paffett, Paul Di Resta had a blasting start while Farfus went wide at T1. At turn 3, Antonio Felix Da Costa collided with Esteban Ocon, the Frenchman who unpurposely took Bruno Spengler and Jamie Green out with him. This made the safety car go out on track, reducing the gap Paul Di Resta had already managed to build on Maxime Martin.
Safety car in after two laps and the fight between Martin, Paffett and Farfus started again, allowing Paul Di Resta to build a comfortable gap again. Paffett eventually managed to overtake Martin for P2.
In the middle of the field, the action gathered between Götz and Ekström often touching and colliding, allowing Rockenfeller to gain a position during the fight while Molina and Auer spun. Da Costa however, started to have a puncture which had him retired.
Just before the pitting window opens, Farfus overtook Martin for P3, the Belgian driver pitting the lap afterwards with Glock, Tomczyk and Rockenfeller. On the next lap, it’s time to pit for Paffett and Wickens who almost collided in the pits, which gave Paffett a drive through penalty for unsafe release. When Di Resta stoped on the next lap, his advantage was considerably reduced after a problem with the tyres in the pits and he got back on track less than one second ahead of Paffett before the British driver served his penalty, getting out in P11.
In the meantime, Ekström retired and Glock overtook Martin for P4 as Molina, in P3, had not pitted yet. Paffett pushed his way up in the order, overtaking Wittmann and Müller within two laps.
Last to pit, Molina did not have the opportunity to has he spun after a late enter in the pitlane, causing him to retire the car. Paffett continued making his way up as on lap 30, he was already P6 after overtaking Blomqvist. Juncadella went off in the gravel and had to retire, causing a slow zone which was not respected by Vietoris who received a drive through penalty.
In the last laps of the race, Glock overtook Farfus for P2 and Paffett overtook Wickens for P5, the British driver driving really well on a track he knows like the back of his hand. Despite the huge pressure he put on Martin in the last lap, he did not eventually overtake the Belgian driver.
Paul Di Resta took his first win since his come-back in DTM and is followed by BMW team mates Timo Glock and Augusto Farfus. The Scottish driver also claims the lead of the championship ahead of Robert Wickens before the next round of DTM at Red Bull Ring in two weeks.
