BMW Team RMR driver Philipp Eng set the fastest time in the second DTM free practice at Zolder with a lap time of 1 minute 22.476 seconds, but was only 0.039 seconds ahead of Audi Sport Team WRT rookie Jonathan Aberdein.
The Austrian topped the times for the majority of the dry session, and went almost half a second faster than Audi Sport Team Rosberg’s René Rast’s quickest in FP1.
It was another busy session with drivers completing longer runs to understand how the new Class One DTM cars change over a stint. The twisty, Belgian circuit contrasts greatly to the flat-out Hockenheim where the season started two weeks ago.
Eng’s time was less than four-hundredths faster than Aberdein. The rookie, who was quickest in the first and second sectors, is looking to put together another strong weekend for the Belgian Audi Sport Team WRT who are competing in their first DTM season.
Rast finished third, over a tenth back from Eng, ahead of local hero, and Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline driver Robin Frijns.
Eng’s teammate Timo Glock rounded out the top five, with a time of 1 minute 22.729 seconds.
Championship leader and BMW Team RMG driver Marco Wittmann was sixth, only 0.282 seconds off the pace, ahead of teammate Bruno Spengler.
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline driver Nico Müller was eighth, and the last driver within half a second of Eng.
Rookie Sheldon van der Linde, who is looking to build on a positive first weekend at Hockenheim, was ninth fastest ahead of BMW Team RBM teammate Joel Eriksson.
Daniel Juncadella was the fastest of the new Aston Martin Vantage DTM’s, lapping 1.247 seconds off Eng’s fastest in his R-Motorsport run machine.
Qualifying for race one gets underway tomorrow at 10:35 CEST (9:35 BST).
Session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 25 | Philipp ENG |  |
BMW Team RBM | BMW M4 DTM | 16 | 1:22.476 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 27 | Jonathan ABERDEIN |  |
Audi Sport Team WRT | Audi RS5 DTM | 18 | 1:22.515 | 0.039 |
| 3 | 33 | René RAST |  |
Audi Sport Team Rosberg | Audi RS5 DTM | 19 | 1:22.581 | 0.105 |
| 4 | 4 | Robin FRIJNS |  |
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | 16 | 1:22.641 | 0.165 |
| 5 | 16 | Timo GLOCK | |
BMW Team RMG | BMW M4 DTM | 14 | 1:22.729 | 0.253 |
| 6 | 11 | Marco WITTMANN | |
BMW Team RMG | BMW M4 DTM | 13 | 1:22.758 | 0.282 |
| 7 | 7 | Bruno SPENGLER |  |
BMW Team RMG | BMW M4 DTM | 16 | 1:22.817 | 0.341 |
| 8 | 51 | Nico MÜLLER |  |
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | 17 | 1:22.893 | 0.417 |
| 9 | 31 | Sheldon VAN DER LINDE | |
BMW Team RBM | BMW M4 DTM | 15 | 1:22.981 | 0.505 |
| 10 | 47 | Joel ERIKSSON |  |
BMW Team RBM | BMW M4 DTM | 17 | 1:23.084 | 0.608 |
| 11 | 28 | Loïc DUVAL |  |
Audi Sport Team Phoenix | Audi RS5 DTM | 22 | 1:23.290 | 0.814 |
| 12 | 53 | Jamie GREEN |  |
Audi Sport Team Rosberg | Audi RS5 DTM | 16 | 1:23.355 | 0.879 |
| 13 | 21 | Pietro FITTIPALDI |  |
Audi Sport Team WRT | Audi RS5 DTM | 20 | 1:23.363 | 0.887 |
| 14 | 99 | Mike ROCKENFELLER | |
Audi Sport Team Phoenix | Audi RS5 DTM | 21 | 1:23.643 | 1.167 |
| 15 | 23 | Daniel JUNCADELLA |  |
R-Motorsport | Aston Martin Vantage DTM | 17 | 1:23.723 | 1.247 |
| 16 | 76 | Jake DENNIS | |
R-Motorsport | Aston Martin Vantage DTM | 16 | 1:23.739 | 1.263 |
| 17 | 3 | Paul DI RESTA | |
R-Motorsport | Aston Martin Vantage DTM | 19 | 1:23.939 | 1.463 |
| 18 | 62 | Ferdinand VON HABSBURG | |
R-Motorsport | Aston Martin Vantage DTM | 13 | 1:25.830 | 3.354 |