In a repeat of the previous evening, changeable weather conditions played a decisive role on Sunday evening. After another rainy qualifying session, at which the Audi Sport Team Phoenix driver Loïc Duval scored the first pole position in his DTM career, the race started on a damp track. However, unlike at Saturday’s race, the track did not dry up this time. This was due to a heavy downpour early on in the race, just after almost all competitors had switched from wet tires to slicks.
When the race director deployed the safety car after Lucas Auer slid from the track in his Mercedes-Benz, the weather gamble ultimately proved advantageous for the five drivers who at this stage had not yet come in to the pits: Joel Eriksson (BMW), Edoardo Mortara (Mercedes-Benz), the two Audi pilots René Rast and Robin Frijns as well as guest driver Alessandro Zanardi (BMW). Thanks to the safety car phase, they gained a lap and concluded the race in the first five positions.
After securing his first podium result on Saturday, DTM newcomer Robin Frijns from the Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline followed up with another strong result clinching fourth place on Sunday. Holding 55 points, the Dutchman is now the second-best Audi driver in the points after defending champion René Rast.
Scoring positions eight, nine, and ten respectively, Jamie Green, Mike Rockenfeller and Nico Müller ensured that all six Audi drivers finished in the points. With 50 points, the Audi crew eclipsed the best result of 2018 set the previous day (42 points).
In just 14 days, the next DTM doubleheader will be contested at the Nürburgring. The Eifel is also famous for its wild weather conditions.
This is what the ABT pilots say about the Misano race:
Robin Frijns (Aral Ultimate Audi RS 5 DTM #4) 2nd / 4th
“The weekend was really good. I earned a lot of points, I scored my first podium result on Saturday and finished Sunday’s race on fourth. The pace in the first race was fast, and I didn’t feel so great on Sunday. Luck was on my side, in this case, particularly when it came to tire choice when rain set in – unlike the previous race at Brands Hatch, where we were fast but went home empty-handed.”
Nico Müller (Castrol EDGE Audi RS 5 DTM #51) 5th / 10th
“Chaotic doesn’t even begin to describe this weekend. Unfortunately, things just didn’t quite come together. It’s somewhat frustrating, because in fact anything could have been possible on such a weekend. On Saturday, I was within striking distance of the podium, but I wasn’t in the right position at the restart. On Sunday I fought for the pole, but when the track began to dry up my tire pressure was too high. In the race I came into the pits twice, which was one time too many. Still, I earned decent points, but at the moment the frustration outweighs the lost chance.”