DTM: Molina wins, Wehrlein closes on title

Audi's Miguel Molina claimed his first DTM victory at the Nurburgring, as Mercedes Formula 1 reserve Pascal Wehrlein put one hand on the title.

Molina was never troubled from pole position, building a three-second buffer in the early stages. While Paul di Resta was on his tail following the mandatory pit stops, he romped away again to win by 7.5s.

The Spaniard becomes the 12th different winner this season, as Mercedes' di Resta and BMW's Bruno Spengler ensured all three brands appeared on the podium.

Tom Blomqvist was a lonely fourth, ahead of championship leader Wehrlein, who was in the thick of the action.

After qualifying ninth, Wehrlein moved up to sixth early, and took fifth from Augusto Farfus with a move at the final corner. However, a slow pit stop and further delay to avoid an unsafe release meant Wehrlein lost places to Maximilian Gotz, Daniel Juncadella and Farfus. He eventually got back past Farfus with a forceful move around the outside of the chicane, just before Mike Rockenfeller became the final driver to pit at the halfway mark.

Rockenfeller emerged between the pair and with the aid of DRS, was all over the back of Wehrlein's Mercedes. Reinforcements were summoned in the form of stablemates Juncadella and Gotz, who gradually sacrificed their own races to let Wehrlein past and slot in ahead of Rockenfeller.

In the end, Wehrlein did enough to finish fifth, with Gotz keeping Rockenfeller at bay and Farfus eighth.

Mattias Ekstrom was out of the points in 11th and Edoardo Mortara failed to finish, meaning Wehrlein will head to Hockenheim's season finale with a 37-point advantage and 50 on offer.

Ekstrom was part of a pack contesting the final points. From the rear of the grid – and having missed Saturday's race while BMW investigated a powertrain vibration – Martin Tomczyk won the battle, ahead of Juncadella, Ekstrom and Adrien Tambay.

Mortara retired after contact from Timo Glock at Turn 3, as they fought within the same spirited pack.

From third on the grid, Jamie Green stalled, dropped to last and eventually finished 17th, ending his chances of winning the title. Green's sluggish start was followed by another first-lap incident, with Robert Wickens and Timo Scheider coming together at Turn 1.

Gary Paffett was then turned around at Turn 4 by Marco Wittmann, but ultimately retired with engine problems, despite a new unit being fitted after his primary unit failed during the Sunday morning warm-up.

RESULTS - 43 LAPS:

Originally on Autosport.com