Polestar Cyan Racing’s Thed Björk helped his 2017 FIA World Touring Car Championship title assault by taking victory in the opening race at the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
The Swede was able to make good use of the speed of the S60 TC1 during the first three-lap encounter, which was particularly evident on the Dottinger Höhe, where he passed team mate Nestor Girolami for the lead on the second lap to move him up to second in the standings.
Sébeastien Loeb Racing’s Mehdi Bennani took the runner-up spot and the WTCC Trophy win for top independent driver, with Rob Huff taking the final podium spot passing fellow Brit Tom Chilton.
Campos Racing’s Esteban Guerrieri completed the top five in his Chevrolet Cruze TC1, having initially started on the front row alongside Girolami, and was in the wars with Chilton early on.
Nicky Catsburg made it two Volvos into the top six, as the Dutchman was fighting with Castrol Honda Racing’s Norbert Michelisz on the final lap, with the Hungarian opting to hold back following Tiago Monteiro’s right front puncture.
The current championship leader suffered a right front puncture heading into Metzgefeld on the final lap, amidst a four-way scrap for sixth place. After hitting the barrier with the right front of his Civic Type-R, the Portuguese driver was able to slowly guide his car back to the pits.
Pole sitter Girolami was less fortunate, having the same type of tyre failure later on in the lap, which caused the Argentinian to crash out, meaning he will not take further part in the race weekend, due to extensive damage to his car.
Tom Coronel took eighth, ahead of France’s Yann Erlacher, who started 12th, and made a great start by getting past the Honda of Ryo Michigami on the first pass through the Grand Prix loop.
John Filippi completed the top ten in his Citröen C-Elyseé, ahead of Michigami and RC Motorsport’s Kevin Gleason, whilst the Zengo Motorsport pair of Aurélien Panis and Daniel Nagy finished ahead of Monteiro, who was the last of the confirmed finishers.
The main race gets underway at 1245 local time, lasting for three laps around the iconic Nürburgring Nordschleife.
Race result
| POS | NO | CL | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | BEST | GD |
| 1 | 62 | Thed BJÖRK |  |
Polestar Cyan Racing | Volvo S60 Polestar | 3 | 3 LAPS | 8:47.565 | 6 | |
| 2 | 25 | T | Mehdi BENNANI |  |
Sébastien Loeb Racing | Citroën C-Elysée WTCC | 3 | 2.538 | 8:48.536 | 3 |
| 3 | 12 | T | Rob HUFF |  |
ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport | Citroën C-Elysée WTCC | 3 | 3.096 | 8:47.386 | 8 |
| 4 | 3 | T | Tom CHILTON | |
Sébastien Loeb Racing | Citroën C-Elysée WTCC | 3 | 3.732 | 8:47.063 | 5 |
| 5 | 86 | T | Esteban GUERRIERI |  |
Campos Racing | Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1 | 3 | 8.487 | 8:50.838 | 2 |
| 6 | 63 | Nicky CATSBURG |  |
Polestar Cyan Racing | Volvo S60 Polestar | 3 | 8.910 | 8:50.055 | 9 | |
| 7 | 5 | Norbert MICHELISZ |  |
Honda Racing Team JAS | Honda Civic WTCC | 3 | 16.496 | 8:50.436 | 10 | |
| 8 | 9 | T | Tom CORONEL | |
ROAL Motorsport | Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1 | 3 | 16.796 | 8:51.233 | 4 |
| 9 | 68 | T | Yann EHRLACHER |  |
RC Motorsport | LADA Vesta WTCC | 3 | 19.481 | 8:52.450 | 12 |
| 10 | 27 | T | John FILIPPI | |
Sébastien Loeb Racing | Citroën C-Elysée WTCC | 3 | 22.889 | 8:54.699 | 13 |
| 11 | 34 | Ryo MICHIGAMI |  |
Honda Racing Team JAS | Honda Civic WTCC | 3 | 23.380 | 8:54.618 | 11 | |
| 12 | 24 | T | Kevin GLEASON |  |
RC Motorsport | LADA Vesta WTCC | 3 | 24.118 | 8:53.242 | 14 |
| 13 | 8 | T | Aurélien PANIS | |
Zengő Motorsport Kft | Honda Civic WTCC | 3 | 34.158 | 8:57.221 | 15 |
| 14 | 99 | T | Dániel NAGY | |
Zengő Motorsport Kft | Honda Civic WTCC | 3 | 35.457 | 8:58.409 | 16 |
| 15 | 18 | Tiago MONTEIRO |  |
Honda Racing Team JAS | Honda Civic WTCC | 3 | 5:14.304 | 8:50.314 | 7 | |
| 16 | 61 | Néstor GIROLAMI | |
Polestar Cyan Racing | Volvo S60 Polestar | 2 | 1 Lp. | 8:49.109 | 1 |