Jamie Green kept a cool head in difficult conditions on the Norisring. The Briton in his Hoffmann Group Audi RS 5 DTM of Audi Sport Team Rosberg had started in third place on slicks on a wet track. In the first corner, his rivals forced him to run wide, which caused him to drop to twelfth place. But in the course of 46 race laps, the Briton recovered to seventh place. As a result, Green increased his advantage in the standings from 6 to 23 point
A heavy rain shower shortly before the start of the DTM’s fifth race of the season forced the teams into a tire gamble. Seven Audi drivers decided to use slicks. Only Mike Rockenfeller started on rain tires. A third of their competitors opted for grooved tires as well. Consequently, the early stage was marked by many position changes. Green lost eight places when a pack forced him to run wide in turn one. Just a few meters behind him, a rival turned Miguel Molina around in an attack. In addition, the Spaniard received a drive-through penalty for jump starting. As a result, the two drivers who had taken the best grid positions of all Audi drivers, lost opportunities. Green’s time came on a drying track. “This was an eventful race,” said the Briton. “I started on slicks. That worked out pretty well, even though it obviously cost time. Unfortunately, the others forced me to run wide in turn one and I lost several places. But in the end, only the points count and I’m happy to have increased my advantage in the lead of the standings.”
Meanwhile Mike Rockenfeller in the Schaeffler Audi RS 5 DTM made up one position after the other at the beginning of the race. The 2013 Champion improved to sixth place on a wet track. On lap 15, however, the track had become so dry that he switched to slicks as well, causing the race driver from Audi Sport Team Phoenix to drop to 17th place. He saw the checkered flag in position 14.