Team Wimmer Werk Motorsport’s Eric Scalvini claimed a resounding lights-to-flag victory in the opening TCR Germany race of the weekend at the Hockenheimring, comfortably beating points leader Luca Engstler.
Scalvini had earlier claimed pole position for the first race of the day with an effort which was over four tenths faster than his Hyundai rival, and the Italian continued his strong form into race one on Saturday.
Making a strong start from pole, Scalvini quickly opened up a lead of almost three seconds over the chasing Team Engstler driver, before his advantage was wiped out by a safety car phase on lap five, after Robin Jahr made contact with René Kircher at the hairpin in a move which earned him a drive-through penalty.
Kircher’s car had to be recovered under a two-lap safety car pause, and when racing resumed on lap seven, Scalvini quickly reopened his advantage and eventually won the race by just under three seconds from Engstler.
In finishing second, Engstler ensured he has finished all races this year on the podium, whilst the Honda of Dominik Fugel completed the rostrum, having completed a pass on the Hyundai of Martin Andersen for the place at Turn 7 on the fourth lap.
Andersen eventually drifted back from the Honda of Fugel, having tried to pass Marcel Fugel for the place at the mid-stage of the race. He eventually gained the place when Fugel retired on lap ten after suddenly slowing heading onto the back straight.
Austrian Nico Gruber brought his Hyundai home in fifth, ahead of Lithuanian in sixth.
Roland Hertner claimed seventh in his Hyundai having made ground late in the race when Philipp Regensperger, who had qualified in fourth and run in seventh for much of the race, dropped back and ultimately pitted two laps from the end.
Peter Gross brought the sole Audi in the field home in eighth, whilst the top ten was completed by Jahr, after serving his penalty, and the CUPRA of Christian Voithofer in tenth.
Race two is scheduled to take place at 13:30 CEST (12:30 BST) on Sunday.
Race result
| POS | NO | CL | NAT | DRIVER | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | BEST | GD |
| 1 | 6 |  |
Eric SCALVINI | Wimmer Werk Motorsport | CUPRA Leon Competición TCR | 17 | 17 LAPS | 1:49.325 | 1 | |
| 2 | 8 |  |
Luca ENGSTLER | Hyundai Team Engstler | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 17 | 2.877 | 1:49.976 | 2 | |
| 3 | 88 | |
Dominik FUGEL | Honda ADAC Sachsen | Honda Civic Type-R FK8 TCR | 17 | 3.600 | 1:49.673 | 9 | |
| 4 | 19 |  |
Martin ANDERSEN | Hyundai Team Engstler | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 17 | 9.060 | 1:50.501 | 3 | |
| 5 | 97 |  |
Nicolas GRUBER | Hyundai Team Engstler | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 17 | 17.594 | 1:50.586 | 6 | |
| 6 | 27 |  |
Jonas KARKLYS | NordPass | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 17 | 18.427 | 1:50.822 | 7 | |
| 7 | 9 | |
Roland HERTNER | Hyundai Team Engstler | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 17 | 22.604 | 1:51.295 | 11 | |
| 8 | 5 | |
Peter GROSS | Wimmer Werk Motorsport | Audi RS3 LMS TCR | 17 | 23.810 | 1:51.632 | 12 | |
| 9 | 22 | |
Robin JAHR | ROJA Motorsport by ASL Lichtblau | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 17 | 38.954 | 1:51.437 | 8 | |
| 10 | 99 | |
Christian VOITHOFER | Wimmer Werk Motorsport | CUPRA Leon Competición TCR | 17 | 45.184 | 1:52.694 | 10 | |
| 11 | 56 | |
Günter BENNINGER | Wimmer Werk Motorsport | CUPRA Leon Competición TCR | 17 | 48.751 | 1:52.861 | 15 | |
| 12 | 17 |  |
Albert LEGUTKO | Albert Legutko Racing | Honda Civic Type-R FK2 TCR | 15 | + 2 LAPS | 1:54.497 | 13 | |
| R | 33 | |
Philipp REGENSPERGER | Lubner Motorsport | Opel Astra TCR | 14 | DNF | 1:51.354 | 4 | |
| R | 55 | |
Marcel FUGEL | Honda ADAC Sachsen | Honda Civic Type-R FK8 TCR | 9 | DNF | 1:50.659 | 5 | |
| R | 80 | |
René KIRCHER | Volkswagen Team Oettinger | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 3 | DNF | 1:50.796 | 14 |