BMW’s Timo Glock was the fastest driver in first practice for the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters at a damp and drying Nürburgring, posting the fastest time of 1:27.454 in a frantic end to the hour-long session.
However Glock’s time was still 4.2 seconds off the fastest lap set in 2013, when Christian Vietoris was fastest of all in qualifying.
The times tumbled in the closing minutes of the session, with numerous drivers topping the times in the closing few minutes of the session. In the end, the vast majority of the field went below the 1:30s, with times tumbling by more than three seconds as drivers switched to slick tyres.
Mercedes’ Robert Wickens was second fastest, with the Canadian having been regularly at the top of the timesheets during the final 15 minutes of the session.
Third was Pascal Wehrlein, with the Mercedes driver being the only other driver within a second of Glock’s pace, such was the speed at which the times were dropping at the end of the session.
Gary Paffett and Vietoris made sure that Mercedes continued to show strong pace in the damp and changeable conditions, posting the fourth and fifth fastest times having both enjoyed spells at the top of the times.
Nico Müller in sixth was the top Audi driver, with the Swiss 1.343 seconds off the pace.
Championship leader Marco Wittmann was one of a select few drivers not to improve their time on their final lap, ending the session down in 13 position.
Second practice takes place at 10:10 CEST (09:10 BST).
Top ten times
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 17 | Timo GLOCK |  |
BMW Team MTEK | BMW M4 DTM | 27 | 1:27.454 | |
| 2 | 12 | Robert WICKENS |  |
FREE MAN’S WORLD AMG Mercedes | DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé | 29 | 1:27.712 | 0.258 |
| 3 | 25 | Pascal WEHRLEIN | |
gooix AMG Mercedes | DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé | 27 | 1:28.321 | 0.867 |
| 4 | 11 | Gary PAFFETT |  |
EURONICS AMG Mercedes | DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé | 31 | 1:28.691 | 1.237 |
| 5 | 5 | Christian VIETORIS | |
Original-Teile AMG Mercedes | DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé | 34 | 1:28.693 | 1.239 |
| 6 | 22 | Nico MÜLLER |  |
Audi Sport Team Rosberg | Audi RS5 DTM | 31 | 1:28.797 | 1.343 |
| 7 | 6 | Paul di RESTA | |
AMG Mercedes | DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé | 32 | 1:28.830 | 1.376 |
| 8 | 18 | António Félix da COSTA |  |
BMW Team MTEK | BMW M4 DTM | 31 | 1:28.882 | 1.428 |
| 9 | 8 | Miguel MOLINA |  |
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | 27 | 1:28.981 | 1.527 |
| 10 | 24 | Maxime MARTIN |  |
BMW Team RMG | BMW M4 DTM | 23 | 1:28.990 | 1.536 |