Mattias Ekstrom claimed pole position for the DTM race at the Nurburgring after taking full advantage of running last in the final shootout following a rain shower.
The typical Eifel weather conditions struck at the beginning of the fourth and final session. Having been quickest in Q3, Ekstrom was the last of the top four to run and therefore benefited from the rain having eased off.
The Swede was 3.180 seconds quicker than Jamie Green, with Mike Rockenfeller third and Bruno Spengler fourth.
“I am very, very happy,” said Ekstrom. “At Abt, we are used to success and we were really annoyed by the results so far this season. Today, everything was spot-on, that is perfect. One also needs luck, because bad luck doesn't get you any further.”
Green was pleased with second on the grid. “Conditions today were really difficult,” he said. “Timing for the lap was crucial. I am very happy with second place, it gives me all the opportunities for the race.”
Series rookie Edoardo Mortara was fifth, continuing his impressive run of late in his older-spec Audi. He was the quickest of those not to make it through to Q4, ahead of fellow Audi pilots Miguel Molina, Martin Tomczyk and Timo Scheider.
Of those knocked out in Q2, Renger van der Zande was the fastest in ninth, ahead of David Coulthard, Christian Vietoris and Filipe Albuquerque. Gary Paffett was a high profile casualty, only managing 13th place ahead of Susie Stoddart.
Paffett came close to being knocked out in Q1, much of which was held under showery conditions. Fortunately enough for him it dried up enough at the end to lift him into fourth having been dead last for much of the session. The four that missed out were Oliver Jarvis, Rahel Frey, Ralf Schumacher and Maro Engel.
