The final free practice session for the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters at Misano saw defending champion René Rast fastest, ahead of the final qualifying session of the weekend.
The Audi Sport driver posted a 1:28.528 around the 4.226-km circuit, just 0.007 seconds ahead of yesterday’s race winner Paul Di Resta, with the top three being completed by France’s Loïc Duval, who was only a further 0.041 seconds adrift.
Nico Müller was fourth fastest, ahead of a very happy Alex Zanardi, who was exactly 0.400 seconds behind pace setter Rast.
Jamie Green was the fourth Audi Sport driver that ended up in the top ten, with the Briton sixth quickest, whilst Mike Rockenfeller and Robin Frijns showed the Ingolstadt marque’s pace, finishing behind the Briton and putting all Audis in the top ten.
Joel Eriksson was the next best placed of the BMW contingent in ninth, 0.123 seconds off Zanardi in fifth, whilst Edoardo Mortara completed the top ten.
Philipp Eng was 11th fastest, leading a trio of BMW drivers, with Timo Glock and Bruno Spengler in tow, whilst points leader Gary Paffett was all the way down the order in 14th place.
Daniel Juncadella, whose Mercedes suffered electrical issues in yesterday’s race, finished behind the 2005 champion in 14th, ahead of Marco Wittmann.
Augusto Farfus, Pascal Wehrlein and Lucas Auer completed the finishing order after the conclusion of the 30-minute session, as rainfall hit the circuit in the latter part.
Qualifying for the second night race in DTM history at Misano takes place at 2000 CEST (BST + 1 hour), lasting for 20 minutes.
Session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 33 | René RAST |  |
Audi Sport Team Rosberg | Audi RS5 DTM | 17 | 1:28.528 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 3 | Paul DI RESTA |  |
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport REMUS | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 14 | 1:28.535 | 0.007 |
| 3 | 28 | Loïc DUVAL |  |
Audi Sport Team Phoenix | Audi RS5 DTM | 15 | 1:28.576 | 0.048 |
| 4 | 51 | Nico MÜLLER |  |
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | 18 | 1:28.892 | 0.364 |
| 5 | 12 | Alessandro ZANARDI |  |
BMW Team RMR | BMW M4 DTM | 17 | 1:28.928 | 0.400 |
| 6 | 53 | Jamie GREEN | |
Audi Sport Team Rosberg | Audi RS5 DTM | 16 | 1:28.943 | 0.415 |
| 7 | 99 | Mike ROCKENFELLER | |
Audi Sport Team Phoenix | Audi RS5 DTM | 17 | 1:28.951 | 0.423 |
| 8 | 4 | Robin FRIJNS |  |
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | 15 | 1:29.015 | 0.487 |
| 9 | 47 | Joel ERIKSSON |  |
BMW Team RBM | BMW M4 DTM | 14 | 1:29.051 | 0.523 |
| 10 | 48 | Edoardo MORTARA | |
SILBERPFEIL Energy Mercedes-AMG Motorsport | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 15 | 1:29.092 | 0.564 |
| 11 | 25 | Philipp ENG |  |
BMW Team RMR | BMW M4 DTM | 13 | 1:29.163 | 0.635 |
| 12 | 16 | Timo GLOCK | |
BMW Team RMR | BMW M4 DTM | 13 | 1:29.242 | 0.714 |
| 13 | 7 | Bruno SPENGLER |  |
BMW Team RBM | BMW M4 DTM | 15 | 1:29.331 | 0.803 |
| 14 | 2 | Gary PAFFETT | |
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport PETRONAS | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 15 | 1:29.338 | 0.810 |
| 15 | 23 | Daniel JUNCADELLA |  |
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport REMUS | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 15 | 1:29.407 | 0.879 |
| 16 | 11 | Marco WITTMANN | |
BMW Team RMG | BMW M4 DTM | 13 | 1:29.527 | 0.999 |
| 17 | 15 | Augusto FARFUS |  |
BMW Team RMG | BMW M4 DTM | 15 | 1:29.562 | 1.034 |
| 18 | 94 | Pascal WEHRLEIN | |
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport PETRONAS | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 15 | 1:29.683 | 1.155 |
| 19 | 22 | Lucas AUER | |
SILBERPFEIL Energy Mercedes-AMG Motorsport | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 15 | 1:29.969 | 1.441 |