Two-time champion Marco Wittmann was fastest at the Red Bull Ring in the second free practice session for the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters this morning, as the Team RMG set the pace with a 1:35.072.
The Furze-based driver was just 0.022 seconds ahead of Audi’s Robin Frijns, who showed good pace during the 20-minute session amidst the Styrian countryside.
Timo Glock was the only other BMW driver that made it into the top ten, with the German 0.160 seconds off stablemate Wittmann.
Defending champion Rene Rast and Team Phoenix’s Mick Rockenfeller made it three cars from Ingolstadt in the top five, who were separated by only 0.236 seconds at the 4.318-km circuit.
Gary Paffett, who came into this weekend just two points ahead of countryman Paul Di Resta, was sixth fastest, ahead of Stuttgart stablemate Daniel Juncadella.
Nico Mueller was behind the pair in eighth place, ahead of Pascal Wehrlein, who ends his association with Mercedes at the end of the season, and home hero Lucas Auer, who completed the top ten.
Di Resta was 0.792 seconds behind the pace of Wittmann down in 11th place, whilst Edoardo Mortara a further 0.127 seconds adrift.
Loic Duval was 13th, ahead of the other Austrian driver racing on home soil, Philipp Eng, whilst Bruno Spengler rounded out the top fifteen.
Augusto Farfus, who was 16th fastest, was investigated for a pit lane unsafe release, with both Wehrlein and Di Resta also under the eye of the stewards for slow zone infringements.
The Brazilian was fined 3,000 Euros after the practice session, as a result of a wheel not being fully secured.
Joel Eriksson was the lowest placed of the Munich contingent down in 17th place, ahead of Jamie Green, whilst guest driver and five-time World Rally champion Sebastian Ogier showing good promise for his weekend in 19th, only 1.976 seconds off the pace.
Qualifying for the 17th race of the 2018 campaign gets underway at 1035 CEST (BST + 1 hour), lasting for 20 minutes.
Session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 11 | Marco WITTMANN |  |
BMW Team RMG | BMW M4 DTM | 18 | 1:35.072 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 4 | Robin FRIJNS |  |
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | 19 | 1:35.094 | 0.022 |
| 3 | 16 | Timo GLOCK | |
BMW Team RMR | BMW M4 DTM | 18 | 1:35.232 | 0.160 |
| 4 | 33 | René RAST | |
Audi Sport Team Rosberg | Audi RS5 DTM | 17 | 1:35.299 | 0.227 |
| 5 | 99 | Mike ROCKENFELLER | |
Audi Sport Team Phoenix | Audi RS5 DTM | 19 | 1:35.308 | 0.236 |
| 6 | 2 | Gary PAFFETT |  |
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport PETRONAS | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 19 | 1:35.336 | 0.264 |
| 7 | 23 | Daniel JUNCADELLA |  |
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport REMUS | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 18 | 1:35.522 | 0.450 |
| 8 | 51 | Nico MÜLLER |  |
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | 16 | 1:35.648 | 0.576 |
| 9 | 94 | Pascal WEHRLEIN | |
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport PETRONAS | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 18 | 1:35.677 | 0.605 |
| 10 | 22 | Lucas AUER |  |
SILBERPFEIL Energy Mercedes-AMG Motorsport | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 18 | 1:35.738 | 0.666 |
| 11 | 3 | Paul DI RESTA | |
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport REMUS | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 17 | 1:35.864 | 0.792 |
| 12 | 48 | Edoardo MORTARA |  |
SILBERPFEIL Energy Mercedes-AMG Motorsport | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 16 | 1:35.991 | 0.919 |
| 13 | 28 | Loïc DUVAL |  |
Audi Sport Team Phoenix | Audi RS5 DTM | 18 | 1:35.996 | 0.924 |
| 14 | 25 | Philipp ENG | |
BMW Team RMR | BMW M4 DTM | 18 | 1:36.034 | 0.962 |
| 15 | 7 | Bruno SPENGLER |  |
BMW Team RBM | BMW M4 DTM | 18 | 1:36.055 | 0.983 |
| 16 | 15 | Augusto FARFUS |  |
BMW Team RMG | BMW M4 DTM | 17 | 1:36.096 | 1.024 |
| 17 | 47 | Joel ERIKSSON |  |
BMW Team RBM | BMW M4 DTM | 18 | 1:36.356 | 1.284 |
| 18 | 53 | Jamie GREEN | |
Audi Sport Team Rosberg | Audi RS5 DTM | 17 | 1:36.836 | 1.764 |
| 19 | 17 | Sébastien OGIER | |
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport REMUS | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 18 | 1:37.048 | 1.976 |