Defending DTM champion René Rast secured his second race win of 2018 at the Nürburgring after starting from pole and resisting pressure a closing Bruno Spengler in the latter stages of the contest.
Rast, who took his first victory this season in race two at Zandvoort, appeared to have the race in control until the final five minutes when BMW Team RBM’s Spengler consistently decreased the lead gap to within a second at the line.
Championship contender Gary Paffett also held on after he came under attack from a charging Timo Glock in the final laps, with the former scoring a crucial podium as title rival Paul Di Resta failed to score points.
2010 DTM champion Di Resta was progressing after starting from eighth position, but his recovery was stunted after contact with Philip Eng which the latter received a drive-through for.
The gap from Paffett to Glock was just 0.415s at the line, despite the BMW Team RMR driver’s best efforts including an unsuccessful challenge into the NGK-Shicane.
Marco Wittmann scored fifth to make it three BMWs in the top five, while Mike Rockenfeller progressed late in the race to sixth after opting stay out and pit later than most of his opposition.
Pascal Wehrlein crossed the line in seventh, ahead of Audi Sport Team Phoenix’s Loïc Duval, while Augusto Farfus dropped down the order to ninth in the second phase of the race after using all his DRS laps before his stop.
Nico Müller rounded out the top ten, while championship leader Paul Di Resta finished last in 18th, unable to challenge in the race after the contact with Eng.
This, doubled with Paffett’s podium means his points lead has been reduced to just seven points, with Edoardo Mortara failing to close his deficit to the leaders with his 13th position in race one.
The next DTM action of the weekend starts with the third free practice session tomorrow at 07:30 BST, with Q2 starting at 10:15 BST and the second race of the weekend scheduled to get underway at 12:30 BST.
Race result
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | BEST | GD |
| 1 | 33 | René RAST |  |
Audi Sport Team Rosberg | Audi RS5 DTM | 40 | 57:14.769 | 1:23.768 | 1 |
| 2 | 7 | Bruno SPENGLER |  |
BMW Team RBM | BMW M4 DTM | 40 | 0.862 | 1:24.050 | 3 |
| 3 | 2 | Gary PAFFETT |  |
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport PETRONAS | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 40 | 6.862 | 1:23.858 | 2 |
| 4 | 16 | Timo GLOCK | |
BMW Team RMR | BMW M4 DTM | 40 | 7.277 | 1:24.048 | 12 |
| 5 | 11 | Marco WITTMANN | |
BMW Team RMG | BMW M4 DTM | 40 | 10.048 | 1:24.280 | 5 |
| 6 | 99 | Mike ROCKENFELLER | |
Audi Sport Team Phoenix | Audi RS5 DTM | 40 | 23.208 | 1:24.067 | 11 |
| 7 | 94 | Pascal WEHRLEIN | |
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport PETRONAS | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 40 | 26.827 | 1:24.596 | 9 |
| 8 | 28 | Loïc DUVAL |  |
Audi Sport Team Phoenix | Audi RS5 DTM | 40 | 27.401 | 1:24.342 | 17 |
| 9 | 15 | Augusto FARFUS |  |
BMW Team RMG | BMW M4 DTM | 40 | 35.685 | 1:24.583 | 10 |
| 10 | 51 | Nico MÜLLER |  |
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | 40 | 36.243 | 1:24.689 | 16 |
| 11 | 22 | Lucas AUER |  |
SILBERPFEIL Energy Mercedes-AMG Motorsport | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 40 | 40.143 | 1:24.428 | 4 |
| 12 | 47 | Joel ERIKSSON |  |
BMW Team RBM | BMW M4 DTM | 40 | 43.488 | 1:24.595 | 13 |
| 13 | 48 | Edoardo MORTARA |  |
SILBERPFEIL Energy Mercedes-AMG Motorsport | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 40 | 43.664 | 1:25.166 | 15 |
| 14 | 53 | Jamie GREEN | |
Audi Sport Team Rosberg | Audi RS5 DTM | 40 | 45.384 | 1:24.478 | 14 |
| 15 | 23 | Daniel JUNCADELLA |  |
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport REMUS | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 40 | 47.909 | 1:24.482 | 7 |
| 16 | 25 | Philipp ENG | |
BMW Team RMR | BMW M4 DTM | 40 | 54.210 | 1:24.314 | 6 |
| 17 | 4 | Robin FRIJNS |  |
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | 40 | 56.215 | 1:24.616 | 18 |
| 18 | 3 | Paul DI RESTA | |
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport REMUS | Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM | 40 | 1:04.040 | 1:24.487 | 8 |