Rene Rast qualified first for Saturday’s DTM race at the Red Bull Ring, but due to a three-place grid penalty incurred at Spa, he will start the race from fourth on the grid.
Instead, winner last time out, Nick Cassidy, will start on pole at the Austrian circuit. Ironically, it was Cassidy who Rast was fighting for position with at Spa, before the two made contact, with the German receiving a penalty for his actions as a result.
Rast set a 1:27.698 to go fastest on his final flying lap, beating out the Kiwi by 0.102, who had previously set his fastest lap and was on course to take pole outright, before Rast pipped him. But due to Rast’s penalty, he’ll start on pole anyway.
With Rast dropping down to fourth, Nico Muller, third-fastest in qualifying, will move up to the front row and start in second, alongside Cassidy. Ricardo Feller will start third, while Rast will be fourth on the grid as he looks to outscore his championship rival, Sheldon van der Linde, who will start 17th.
Cassidy Red Bull AlphaTauri AF Corse teammate, Felipe Fraga, will start fifth. Mirko Bortolotti, still in the running for the championship but needing a good result, qualified sixth. Alongside him will be Arjun Maini in seventh, with Lucas Auer, third in the championship, eighth on the grid.
Maximilian Gotz and Maro Engel round out the grid’s top 10 starters, in ninth and tenth respectively.
The race will start at 12:30 UK time.
