DTM

Edoardo Mortara Sweeps Saturday at the Norisring

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Credit: DTM Media

Edoardo Mortara took victory in the first DTM Series race at the Norisring from Gary Paffett and Marco Wittmann.

The Italian held off a charging Paffett to take his second DTM win with Mercedes.

In addition to this, Mortara has ended every session today in first place making the day very much his own.

With second place Paffett is now leading the championship standings by six points over Timo Glock.

Third place on the podium for Wittmann marks his best result, and subsequently his first podium, at his home race.

When the lights went out Mortara, maintained his lead as behind Philipp Eng lost second place to his team-mate Wittmann.

Eng then took the pitlane at the end of the lap with, Dani Juncadella, Nico Müller and Loïc Duval all following suit.

Having to start from the back after his crash in qualifying, reigning champion René Rast had a lot of ground to make up and opted to pit early however he rejoined the track amongst the leaders and had to jump out of their way.

Wittmann was the first of the leading pack to come in for his mandatory pitstop from second place as the drivers struggled with their tyres.

Mortara soon followed the German in pitting for fresh rubber and out back on track still ahead of the BMW.

Having pitted later than the two ahead of him, Paffett came out of the pits ahead of them but quickly found himself overtaken by them both.

Eng and Juncadella, joined this pack with Paffett having to defend from Eng behind him.

Further back, Glock and Nico Müller were ordered to switch positions after a collision between the pair.

Glock was soon back ahead of the Swiss driver.

Mortara, Wittmann and Paffett found themselves nose-to-tail as they dropped the chasing pack.

Mercedes’ Paul di Resta received a warning for more than one move whilst defending from team-mate Lucas Auer. 

Pascal Wehrlein overtakes Robin Frijns for what is first on track as the pair had not yet served their mandatory pitstops.

After a long battle Joel Eriksson found his way through on team-mate Glock.

Out front, Wehrlein came in for his mandatory stop and rejoined down in fifteenth place.

For what was now third on track, but would be second once Frijns had pitted from the lead, Paffett passed Wittmann and set about hunting down his team-mate.

Now on a charge di Resta passed Eng for what would end up being fourth place.

Paffett was on the rear of Mortara and seemed faster than the Italian but despite many attempts could not find a way through.

Frijns finally came in for his pitstop on the final lap to allow Mortara to assume his position in the lead of the race.

With Mortara defending heavily from Paffett, Wittmann was able to rejoin the pair having dropped back from them.

Mortara was able to hold on to take his second win with Mercedes, ahead of Paffett and Wittmann.

Di Resta claimed fourth ahead of Eng.

Bruno Spengler was sixth ahead of Auer, Juncadella, Eriksson with Glock rounding off the points paying positions.

It was another difficult day for Audi with none of their drivers finishing in the top ten, their best placed driver was Jamie Green in eleventh.

After his very late pitstop Frijns was twelfth ahead of Wehrlein and Augusto Farfus.

Mike Rockenfeller, Rast, Duval and Müller took the final four positions; with no drivers retiring from the race.

Free practice three gets underway at 8.30 tomorrow ahead of qualifying two at 11.10, with the racing action getting underway at 13.30.

2018 DTM Series Results: Norisring – Race One

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An NCTJ accredited Journalism Graduate covering DTM and the FIA Formula 3 Championship.
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