Audi Sport Team Rosberg’s René Rast claimed an important victory in his DTM title fight after dominating the Sunday race at the Lausitzring to claim his fifth win of the season and over turn the misfortunate retirement in Saturday’s race.
The 2017 champion is on course to claim his second title, and after beating closest rival Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline’s Nico Müller has extended his championship lead to 20 points.
The race also saw Audi claim the first to fifth place, as well as secure the Manufacturers’ title with four races to go. Rast was quick to praise Audi Sport.
“It shows how strong we are over the whole year,” described Rast, “Four races before the end of the season and we’ve won the Manufacturers’ title.
“It shows how much effort and how much work everyone put in over the winter.
“Audi Sport did an amazing job in the last three years building very strong cars, and this is just proof that we are the best this year.
“It’s something special.”
However, the 15-time race winner did not feel completely comfortable towards the latter stages of the race, and admitted he was nervous that something might go wrong after the team failed to find the reason he retired from the lead of race one.
“I’m not sure we actually found the problem,” admitted Rast, “The mechanics worked till three or four this morning and replaced everything.
“I had a good margin over Nico and then you start thinking what will go wrong,” explained the championship leader, “Is the safety car coming? Is the tyres lasting? Is the car lasting?
“Those kind of things are coming into your head. You have to remind yourself to focus.”
With only two race weekends remaining, at the Nürburgring and the second round at Hockenheim, it looks like the title fight will go all the way down to the final race.