The penultimate weekend of the 2018 DTM Series at the Red Bull Ring got underway with the first practice session.
Lucas Auer, was quickest by almost half a second as he prepares for his home race ahead of Jamie Green and Pascal Wehrlein.
Audi‘s Mike Rockenfeller got the action underway by being the first to head out onto the track.
Having dominated the Austrian round last year, Audi will be keen to repeat the feat this year especially off the back of René Rast‘s dominance last time out at the Nürburgring.
After a few laps, adjusting to the circuit drivers began pumping in their fast laps with Robin Frijns going quickest before Wehrlein and Green before surpassed him.
Wehrlein returned to the head of the standings, with Nico Müller sneaking in ahead of Green.
Green once again got the better of Wehrlein in his Audi to go a tenth clear.
It was the German once again at the top, until Gary Paffett, Müller and Rast all displaced him.
As the session ramped up the top spot was constantly changing hands, with home favourite Auer surging to the front after a quick flurry.
In his first ever DTM session, Sebastién Ogier was getting to grips in his Mercedes rather than going for out-and-out pace.
Half way into the session, Edoardo Mortara was stationary in the pits having not yet set a time.
With ten minutes remaining on the clock, Mortara left the pits and joined the track action.
In the final minutes of the session, there were no significant improvement in the times as Mortara finally put a time on the charts.
With no improvements, Auer ended the session quickest from Green. Wehrlein was third in his Mercedes.
Dani Juncadella was fourth with Rast in fifth.
Championship leader Gary Paffett was sixth, with Müller seventh ahead of Paul di Resta.
Loïc Duval and Rockenfeller completed the top ten.
Augusto Farfus was the best placed BMW in twelfth place.
The second practice session of the weekend takes place tomorrow morning at 8.30 local time, ahead of the first qualifying and race sessions of the weekend.
2018 DTM Series Results: Red Bull Ring – Free Practice One
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