Audi Sport Team Rosberg’s René Rast topped the first DTM practice session at the Nürburgring, with Audi locking out top seven positions.

The 2017 series champion returns to the circuit that saw him kickstart six consecutive race wins in the final three rounds of 2018.

Rast set the fastest time of 1 minute 20.438 seconds in the first 15 minutes of the session, and remained top as drivers turned their focus to long runs.

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Overcast skies left drivings fighting to generate temperature in their Hankook tyres, resulting in a number slipping off the track.

The tricky Turn 1 saw a number of drivers run wide, however no-one suffered any damage. With the current Class One-spec cars, the drivers are arriving at speeds higher than previous years.

Rast was over four tenths faster than Audi Sport Team Phoenix’s Mike Rockenfeller who finished the session second fastest.

The 2013 DTM champion was 0.010 seconds faster than Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline’s Nico Müller who in turn was just four thousandths faster than Audi Sport Team WRT’s Jonathan Aberdein.

The second Team Rosberg driver Jamie Green was fifth fastest, nearly eight tenths slower than his teammate, and was lucky to avoid a collision with BMW Team RMG’s Bruno Spengler after locking up into the first corner.

Audi Sport Team Phoenix’s Loïc Duval was sixth fastest with a time of 1 minute 21.313 seconds, ahead of Abt Sportsline’s Robin Frijns whow as 0.921 seconds slower than Rast.

BMW Team RMG’s Marco Wittmann was eighth fastest, and the best placed BMW driver, some nearly a second slower than the fastest time as the BMW brand look to again suffer a deficit to Audi.

Pietro Fittipaldi finished the session ninth fastest for Audi Sport Team WRT as R-Motorsport’s Paul Di Resta rounded out the top ten. The Scotsman’s fastest time of 1 minute 21.699 seconds was 1.261 seconds slower than Rast.

Practice two gets underway at 16:20 CEST (15:20 BST).

Session results