Mortara leads first DTM session of '15

Edoardo Mortara pipped Audi teammate Mattias Ekstrom after the checkered flag to lead the opening DTM practice session of the season at a wet Hockenheim.

BMW's Timo Glock set the early pace, before the Abt Audis of Mortara and Ekstrom took turns at the head of the field inside the first 20 minutes. The Italian, fifth in last season's standings, reclaimed the ascendency with a 1m50.382s lap that looked set to remain the benchmark. However, as the checkered flag flew, Ekstrom improved to a 1m50.296s, only for Mortara to log a 1m50.182s and retake top spot just moments later.

Despite light rain that is forecast to persist all weekend, the session went largely without incident, the only stoppage when Daniel Juncadella ran out of road at Sachs Kurve. The session resumed with 12 minutes remaining, and Robert Wickens improved to a 1m50.409s inside the final five to take third and be the best of the Mercedes drivers.

Another late improver, BMW's reigning champion Marco Wittman, was fourth, ensuring all three brands were represented inside the top four.

Miguel Molina and Glock rounded out the top six, while Gary Paffett had been inside the top six for DTM newcomer ART, before falling to 10th in the final minutes. His teammate Lucas Auer, though, didn't appear at all during the 45 minutes due to a transmission problem, after his Mercedes ground to a halt during the shakedown session four hours earlier.

Fellow rookie Tom Blomqvist was 22nd of the 23 drivers to record times, 3.836 seconds off the pace as he drove a DTM car in the wet for the first time.

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Originally on Autosport.com