Audi’s René Rast pipped Timo Glock to pole position in qualifying for the first DTM race at Zolder, with the reigning champion taking the top time by over three tenths of a second.
On a damp and drying circuit Rast left it until the very end of the session to claim pole position, although the German had little choice in the matter.
On his penultimate run, Rast posted best-of-all sector times in both the first and second sectors, before coming upon the slower BMW of Sheldon van der Linde near the end of the lap.
Forced to abort a quick lap and create space, Rast crossed the timing line with just enough time for one last attempt at pole.
In the end it was good enough for a comfortable pole, giving the German the top time by 0.346 seconds over Glock, who had been on top of the times for much of the final five minutes of the session.
Glock secured comfortably his best qualifying result of the year, the German having not started any of 2020’s races from either of the first two rows of the grid.
BMW’s upturn in form in the wet conditions comes after the Munich marque struggled significantly for pace in the dry on Friday, when it failed to get any cars in the top seven in the first session.
Robin Frijns was third fastest, just under half a second off the pace, despite the Dutchman having been quickest in the early part of qualifying, trading times with Rast and Mike Rockenfeller.
BMW’s Marco Wittmann claimed fourth, 0.517 seconds from pole, ahead of Audi’s Rockenfeller in fifth.
Van der Linde was sixth, the only other driver within a second of the pace, ahead of championship leader Nico Müller in seventh.
WRT’s Harrison Newey, BMW’s Lucas Auer and Audi’s Loïc Duval completed the top ten.
Race one is scheduled to get underway at 13:30 CEST (12:30 BST).
Qualifying results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 33 | René RAST |  |
Audi Sport Team Rosberg | Audi RS5 DTM | 14 | 1:28.987 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 16 | Timo GLOCK | |
BMW Team RMG | BMW M4 DTM | 13 | 1:29.333 | 0.346 |
| 3 | 4 | Robin FRIJNS |  |
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | 13 | 1:29.484 | 0.497 |
| 4 | 11 | Marco WITTMANN | |
BMW Team RMG | BMW M4 DTM | 13 | 1:29.504 | 0.517 |
| 5 | 99 | Mike ROCKENFELLER | |
Audi Sport Team Phoenix | Audi RS5 DTM | 13 | 1:29.700 | 0.713 |
| 6 | 31 | Sheldon VAN DER LINDE |  |
BMW Team RBM | BMW M4 DTM | 14 | 1:29.959 | 0.972 |
| 7 | 51 | Nico MÜLLER |  |
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | 12 | 1:30.039 | 1.052 |
| 8 | 10 | Harrison NEWEY |  |
Audi Sport Team WRT | Audi RS5 DTM | 13 | 1:30.043 | 1.056 |
| 9 | 22 | Lucas AUER |  |
BMW Team RMR | BMW M4 DTM | 13 | 1:30.437 | 1.450 |
| 10 | 28 | Loïc DUVAL |  |
Audi Sport Team Phoenix | Audi RS5 DTM | 13 | 1:30.652 | 1.665 |
| 11 | 25 | Philipp ENG | |
BMW Team RBM | BMW M4 DTM | 12 | 1:30.840 | 1.853 |
| 12 | 62 | Ferdinand VON HABSBURG | |
Audi Sport Team WRT | Audi RS5 DTM | 12 | 1:30.878 | 1.891 |
| 13 | 53 | Jamie GREEN | |
Audi Sport Team Rosberg | Audi RS5 DTM | 12 | 1:31.145 | 2.158 |
| 14 | 27 | Jonathan ABERDEIN | |
BMW Team RMR | BMW M4 DTM | 12 | 1:31.381 | 2.394 |
| 15 | 8 | Robert KUBICA |  |
BMW Team ART | Audi RS5 DTM | 13 | 1:31.416 | 2.429 |
| 16 | 13 | Fabio SCHERER | |
Audi Sport Team WRT | Audi RS5 DTM | 12 | 1:32.117 | 3.130 |