Defending DTM champion Bruno Spengler finished second in the DTM race at England's Brands Hatch in a BMW Team Schnitzer M3 DTM. Audi’s Michael Rockenfeller, who started from the pole, won after leading most of the race. DTM rookie Marco Wittman finished fourth in the Team MTEK M3, and Joey Hand finished fifth in a Team RBM M3. It was the best DTM finish to date for both racers.
BMW Team RMG’s Martin Tomczyk took the pole for the race, but he was moved to the back of the pack when his car was found to be underweight. His demotion moved Team RBM’s Augusto Farfus up to second on the grid, just ahead of Hand and Spengler.
Farfus ran a close second to Rockenfeller until his car stopped on course after his second pit stop. His exit moved Spengler up to second, ahead of Mercedes’ Gary Paffett and Robert Wickens. Paffett finished third on the track, but was penalized for speeding under yellow, dropping him to sixth in the final standings and giving Wickens his first DTM podium finish.
Tomczyk, who moved up to challenge for points by mid-race, was spun by another car. He finished thirteenth, just behind Dirk Werner in his Team Schnitzer M3. Timo Glock and Andy Priaulx were both caught in incidents, and both were penalized for speeding under yellow. They finished fourteenth and nineteenth.
Tomcyzk and Farfus left for the Nürburgring just after the race to run Team Schubert Z4s in the 24-hour race, which runs from Sunday to Monday this year.
After the Brands Hatch race Spengler is second to Rockenfeller in drivers’ points, BMW Team Schnitzer leads team points, and BMW leads the manufacturers’ championship.
The series runs again on the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria on June 2.—Brian S. Morgan
