Audi stablemates and title contenders Mattias Ekström and Jamie Green have both received grid penalties for the final race of the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season at Hockenheim tomorrow.
Two-time series winner and current points leader Ekström will drop five positions after qualifying, while Green will start ten places below his qualifying position.
Green emerged victorious in race one earlier today after starting third on the grid, reducing his deficit to Ekström in the drivers championship to just nine points after the latter failed to score.
Championship leader Ekström received a warning for a move on Mercedes driver Maro Engel early in the race, which resulted in a five-place grid penalty as it was the Swede’s third reprimand of the season.
In similar fashion, Green was also reprimanded for running another driver off the road after his tight battle with erstwhile leader Timo Glock on lap six of the race.
The Briton was deemed to have forced Glock off the road exiting the Mercedes arena, and in doing so received his fifth warning of the season, translating into a ten-place grid penalty.
Speaking on the podium after winning the race, Green said: “I think the warnings are a little bit too harsh.
“You get so many warnings – I can’t remember if it is three or five – and then you get a grid penalty.
“Anyway, it was for forcing Timo off the track I guess, but in that situation I did actually let him back in front so I didn’t gain anything – so I think they’re sometimes a bit too harsh with those.”
Both drivers are still eligible to score points if they qualify in the top three positions tomorrow morning, but will be demoted their respective positions following that session.
The grid penalties may work in the favour of fellow Audi title contenders René Rast and Mike Rockenfeller, who are both still in with a shout of the 2017 title.
DTM rookie Rast sits 13 points behind Ekström, while 2013 champion Rockenfeller is 20 points adrift.
DTM on-track action resumes tomorrow morning in the third free practice session, which gets underway at 09:00 CEST, lasting 30 minutes.