Audi’s Nico Miller stormed his way to a third victory in as many races to maintain his unbeaten start to the 2020 DTM season at the Lausitzring on Saturday.
After out-dragging Audi Abt Sportsline team-mate Robin Frijns from the front row of the grid, Muller held off the threat from the Dutchman in the initial stages of the race.
Muller lost time during a slow zone period, caused by the stricken Audi Team Phoenix car of Loic Duval, but had enough in hand to finish clear of the chasing Sheldon Van der Linde.
Having battled his way past Frijns earlier in the race, Van der Linde secured his maiden podium finish in the DTM and also BMW’s first of the season.
Frijns resisted two-time champion Marco Wittmann to take another podium and preserve second in the standings, albeit already 37 points behind the dominant Muller.
Timo Glock finished a lonely fifth place behind his Team RMG team-mate after getting stuck in the pack in the early stages of the race.
Audi Team WRT’s Ferdinand Habsburg scored his best finish in the series with sixth, winning the battle against the vastly more experienced Jamie Green in the latter stages of the race.
Reigning series champion Rene Rast managed to recover from an opening lap trip across the grass in Turn 2 to pass the chequered flag in seventh place, followed by Green in eighth.
Phillip Eng and Mike Rockenfeller went to battle in the final laps of the race, but it would be Eng who would pip Rockenfeller to the finish line by just 0.148s to round out the top 10..
Ex-F1 driver Robert Kubica classified in 13th position in his ART-run BMW, having survived a clash with fellow rookie Fabio Scherer, who went on to finish 15th and last.
The second race of the weekend is scheduled for Sunday August 16 at 13:30 local time.
