Maro Engel has finally managed to capitalize the confidence that Mercedes-AMG has put on him this 2017 season in the DTM, with victory in the last race of the weekend at Moscow Raceway. Ekström and Spengler complete the podium.
Bruno Spengler started from pole position, the BMW was able to maintain the position despite the attacks of Mattias Ekström. Already on lap one Marco Wittmann, Loïc Duval, Maro Engel and Tom Blomqvist complete their mandatory pit stop.
They 4 were the great beneficiaries of a later safety car after 5 laps, due to the retirement of Maxime Martin who saw how his brakes were burning.
The race would restart 4 laps later, in a very clean restart in which Maro Engel passed Duval and Ekström did the same thing with Spengler for race leadership. Swedish driver would be able to keep the position also after the pit stops.
Who would be the last one to join the pits was Nico Müller, in order to help Ekström to catch the leaders, a fact that would eventually happen. At the latests laps with tires in better condition than his rivals, Ekström overtook Blomqvist, Duval and Wittmann to get the second position despite crossing the finish line just some tenths of a second behind Engel.
The German gets his first victory in the DTM in a very intelligent race where he has been patient and has not taken unnecessary risks with Müller slow-pace. Bruno Spengler completed the podium, who like Ekström, had a great comeback in the final part of the race passing Blomqvist, Green and Wittmann.
René Rast winner in yesterday’s race, achieved a meritorious fourth position after many laps of battle and overtakes on the limit.
However the German loses the championship lead with Ekström who has one more point than his Audi team-mate. Both are distanced in the leadership of the driver’s standings with Lucas Auer being third with 16 points less than Ekström. Jamie Green is fourth with 26 points less.
Results:
1 Engel 2 Ekström 3 Spengler 4 Rast 5 Green 6 Wittmann 7 Rockenfeller 8 Blomqvist 9 Auer 10 Wickens 11 Paffet 12 Mortara 13 Farfus 14 Glock 15 Duval 16 Müller
DNF: Di Resta, Martin