Nico Müller put aside his recent pace concerns to top the second DTM practice session at the Hockenheimring, edging out Jamie Green by less than a tenth of a second as Audi drivers claimed the top three times.
Müller, currently second in the drivers’ standings 19 points behind chief rival Rast, lapped the German circuit around three tenths faster than the quickest time in first practice.
The Swiss racer actually improved his own time by around seven tenths from his earlier effort, as he came out on top in the half hour session where drivers test their one lap pace.
Green was second, marginally ahead of championship leader Rast in third, with the German still less than a tenth slower than Müller.
BMW drivers performed better in the late afternoon sun, with Timo Glock the best of the M4 drivers in fourth, just under half a second off the pace, ahead of Sheldon van der Linde in fifth.
Marco Wittmann made it three BMW drivers in a row in sixth, whilst the day’s earlier pace-setter Mike Rockenfeller was seventh fastest.
Championship outsider robin Frijns was eighth, whilst the top ten was completed by Audi’s Loïc Duval and WRT’s Ferdinand von Habsburg.
Qualifying for race one gets underway at 10:30 CET (09:30 GMT) on Saturday morning.
Session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 51 | Nico MÜLLER |  |
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | 19 | 1:29.218 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 53 | Jamie GREEN |  |
Audi Sport Team Rosberg | Audi RS5 DTM | 18 | 1:29.298 | 0.080 |
| 3 | 33 | René RAST |  |
Audi Sport Team Rosberg | Audi RS5 DTM | 19 | 1:29.314 | 0.096 |
| 4 | 16 | Timo GLOCK | |
BMW Team RMG | BMW M4 DTM | 16 | 1:29.706 | 0.488 |
| 5 | 31 | Sheldon VAN DER LINDE |  |
BMW Team RBM | BMW M4 DTM | 18 | 1:29.843 | 0.625 |
| 6 | 11 | Marco WITTMANN | |
BMW Team RMG | BMW M4 DTM | 16 | 1:29.985 | 0.767 |
| 7 | 99 | Mike ROCKENFELLER | |
Audi Sport Team Phoenix | Audi RS5 DTM | 19 | 1:29.996 | 0.778 |
| 8 | 4 | Robin FRIJNS |  |
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | 19 | 1:30.014 | 0.796 |
| 9 | 28 | Loïc DUVAL |  |
Audi Sport Team Phoenix | Audi RS5 DTM | 19 | 1:30.088 | 0.870 |
| 10 | 62 | Ferdinand VON HABSBURG |  |
Audi Sport Team WRT | Audi RS5 DTM | 17 | 1:30.163 | 0.945 |
| 11 | 13 | Fabio SCHERER | |
Audi Sport Team WRT | Audi RS5 DTM | 18 | 1:30.206 | 0.988 |
| 12 | 22 | Lucas AUER | |
BMW Team RMR | BMW M4 DTM | 16 | 1:30.243 | 1.025 |
| 13 | 27 | Jonathan ABERDEIN | |
BMW Team RMR | BMW M4 DTM | 17 | 1:30.246 | 1.028 |
| 14 | 8 | Robert KUBICA |  |
BMW Team ART | Audi RS5 DTM | 18 | 1:30.454 | 1.236 |
| 15 | 25 | Philipp ENG | |
BMW Team RBM | BMW M4 DTM | 17 | 1:30.506 | 1.288 |
| 16 | 10 | Harrison NEWEY | |
Audi Sport Team WRT | Audi RS5 DTM | 18 | 1:30.732 | 1.514 |