Gary Paffett continued a strong performance for Mercedes during second free practice at Eurospeedway Lausitz, posting the best lap time of a 1:37.681 during the 30-minute session.
The 2005 champion was 0.272 seconds ahead of fellow Stuttgart stablemate Paul Di Resta, with current points leader Timo Glock being the best of the BMW drivers in third.
Audi Sport rookie Robin Frijns showed good pace around the Brandeburg-based circuit, as the Dutchman was fourth, a mere 0.007 seconds off Glock.
Lucas Auer made it three Mercedes in the top five, as the Austrian was close to bettering Frijns’ time.
Two-time champion Marco Wittmann was sixth quickest, ahead of Philipp Eng, who was 0.566 seconds off the pace.
Edoardo Mortara was faster than defending champion Rene Rast, with the Italian taking eighth spot, whilst Spain’s Daniel Juncadella rounded out the top ten.
Despite having posted the slowest time, 2013 champion Mike Rockenfeller has been investigated, due to work having been carried out by his engineers on the car in the pit exit lane.
Qualifying gets underway for the first race of the weekend at 11.10 local time, lasting for 20 minutes.
Session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 2 | Gary PAFFETT |  |
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport PETRONAS | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 15 | 1:37.681 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 3 | Paul DI RESTA | |
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport REMUS | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 13 | 1:37.953 | 0.272 |
| 3 | 16 | Timo GLOCK |  |
BMW Team RMG | BMW M4 DTM | 12 | 1:38.043 | 0.362 |
| 4 | 4 | Robin FRIJNS |  |
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | 15 | 1:38.050 | 0.369 |
| 5 | 22 | Lucas AUER |  |
SILBERPFEIL Energy Mercedes-AMG Motorsport | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 14 | 1:38.055 | 0.374 |
| 6 | 11 | Marco WITTMANN | |
BMW Team RMG | BMW M4 DTM | 13 | 1:38.094 | 0.413 |
| 7 | 25 | Philipp ENG | |
BMW Team RMR | BMW M4 DTM | 13 | 1:38.247 | 0.566 |
| 8 | 48 | Edoardo MORTARA |  |
SILBERPFEIL Energy Mercedes-AMG Motorsport | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 15 | 1:38.341 | 0.660 |
| 9 | 33 | René RAST | |
Audi Sport Team Rosberg | Audi RS5 DTM | 15 | 1:38.389 | 0.708 |
| 10 | 23 | Daniel JUNCADELLA |  |
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport REMUS | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 14 | 1:38.439 | 0.758 |
| 11 | 7 | Bruno SPENGLER |  |
BMW Team RBM | BMW M4 DTM | 12 | 1:38.461 | 0.780 |
| 12 | 15 | Augusto FARFUS |  |
BMW Team RMG | BMW M4 DTM | 15 | 1:38.541 | 0.860 |
| 13 | 51 | Nico MÜLLER |  |
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | 15 | 1:38.657 | 0.976 |
| 14 | 94 | Pascal WEHRLEIN | |
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport PETRONAS | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 14 | 1:38.672 | 0.991 |
| 15 | 28 | Loïc DUVAL |  |
Audi Sport Team Phoenix | Audi RS5 DTM | 16 | 1:38.681 | 1.000 |
| 16 | 53 | Jamie GREEN | |
Audi Sport Team Rosberg | Audi RS5 DTM | 16 | 1:38.710 | 1.029 |
| 17 | 47 | Joel ERIKSSON |  |
BMW Team RBM | BMW M4 DTM | 12 | 1:38.898 | 1.217 |
| 18 | 99 | Mike ROCKENFELLER | |
Audi Sport Team Phoenix | Audi RS5 DTM | 16 | 1:38.899 | 1.218 |