Audi’s Nico Müller returned to the top of the times in the second DTM free practice session at the Nürburgring sprint circuit, edging out first practice pace-setter Jamie Green by just 0.040 seconds.
Championship leader Müller headed an Audi 1-2-3 at the top of the times, although it was a much closer session which saw the entire field covered by less than a second.
Team Phoenix’s Mike Rockenfeller was third quickest, 0.061 seconds back, meaning one car from each of Audi’s factory-backed teams occupied a place in the top three.
Team RBM’s Philipp Eng was the leading BMW driver in fourth, the Austrian the only other driver within a tenth of a second of the pace in a tight session.
Reigning champion René Rast was fifth fastest, ahead of title rival Robin Frijns in sixth.
WRT’s Fabio Scherer was an impressive seventh quickest, in one of the Swiss rookie’s best sessions to-date in the DTM.
BMW’s Marco Wittmann, WRT Audi’s Ferdinand von Habsburg and Audi’s Loïc Duval completed the top ten.
Session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 51 | Nico MÜLLER |  |
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | 19 | 1:19.943 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 53 | Jamie GREEN |  |
Audi Sport Team Rosberg | Audi RS5 DTM | 20 | 1:19.983 | 0.040 |
| 3 | 99 | Mike ROCKENFELLER |  |
Audi Sport Team Phoenix | Audi RS5 DTM | 21 | 1:20.004 | 0.061 |
| 4 | 25 | Philipp ENG |  |
BMW Team RBM | BMW M4 DTM | 19 | 1:20.029 | 0.086 |
| 5 | 33 | René RAST | |
Audi Sport Team Rosberg | Audi RS5 DTM | 22 | 1:20.111 | 0.168 |
| 6 | 4 | Robin FRIJNS |  |
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | 20 | 1:20.208 | 0.265 |
| 7 | 13 | Fabio SCHERER | |
Audi Sport Team WRT | Audi RS5 DTM | 18 | 1:20.292 | 0.349 |
| 8 | 11 | Marco WITTMANN | |
BMW Team RMG | BMW M4 DTM | 18 | 1:20.318 | 0.375 |
| 9 | 62 | Ferdinand VON HABSBURG | |
Audi Sport Team WRT | Audi RS5 DTM | 20 | 1:20.334 | 0.391 |
| 10 | 28 | Loïc DUVAL |  |
Audi Sport Team Phoenix | Audi RS5 DTM | 20 | 1:20.401 | 0.458 |
| 11 | 31 | Sheldon VAN DER LINDE |  |
BMW Team RBM | BMW M4 DTM | 18 | 1:20.403 | 0.460 |
| 12 | 16 | Timo GLOCK | |
BMW Team RMG | BMW M4 DTM | 17 | 1:20.429 | 0.486 |
| 13 | 8 | Robert KUBICA |  |
BMW Team ART | Audi RS5 DTM | 20 | 1:20.490 | 0.547 |
| 14 | 27 | Jonathan ABERDEIN | |
BMW Team RMR | BMW M4 DTM | 19 | 1:20.506 | 0.563 |
| 15 | 10 | Harrison NEWEY | |
Audi Sport Team WRT | Audi RS5 DTM | 20 | 1:20.676 | 0.733 |
| 16 | 22 | Lucas AUER | |
BMW Team RMR | BMW M4 DTM | 19 | 1:20.743 | 0.800 |