Even with just three Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters races under his belt, works driver René Rast has impressed many with his performance in the RS5 DTM, which also resulted in his first points finish on the penultimate day of the season in Hockenheim.
When asked by TouringCars.net, as to whether he would consider a seat in the series with the Ingolstadt marque, he showed considerable interest.
“Of course, why not! It’s a cool championship. I like challenges, which is the case with us all being racing drivers,” said the German, who was drafted in to replace newly-crowned FIA World Rallycross champion, Mattias Ekström, who missed his first race weekend in 15 years.
Rast expained to TouringCars.net that there was a good harmony with the car, along with a return to Ernst Moser’s Team Phoenix, who have worked with the squad in sportscars.
The 29-year-old was called up when Adrien Tambay suffered a wrist injury at Zandvoort, when the Frenchman was battling with Maximilian Götz, and was able to show some good signs of potential.
However, now that he has been given a chance over an entire race weekend, he looked back on how good and bad results can end up.
“Yes it was. Until this morning (Sunday 16th October), it was a good feeling in FP3 with P4, so I’ve always been close within the top ten.
“But in qualifying, the car still felt really good, and felt I had made an improvement and did a good lap. Suddenly I was finishing in P23, and I didn’t know why, which was quite confusing.
“They told me it’s like that all season, and no-one knows why, so it’s pretty hard. But it’s pretty good to be able to score points and be up there with the rest of them.”
With any 2017 line-ups yet to be decided, along with Timo Scheider departing the championship at the end of this season, Rast’s performance could put him into contention.