Audi factory driver Rene Rast joined Mazda Team Joest for at least part of their Hockenheim shakedown of their current Mazda RT24-P ahead of testing in the coming weeks with the updated version of Mazda’s DPi prototype.

Pictures tweeted by Rast’s manager Dennis Rostek (above) show his rapid client in Mazda race suit at Hockenheim with the Team Joest truck in the background though Rene is not included in a Mazda Team Joest ‘family’ photograph released later (below). Rast is understood to be in the mix as one of the team’s prospective endure additions with full season DTM commitments preventing a full season role in 2018.

Jonathan Bomarito and Tristan Nunez were both in the driving seat but Rast was on hand, and suited up, for the test too.

Multimatic’s in-depth programme to upgrade the original car is well advanced, Larry Holt telling DSC earlier this year that substantial work would be required upon to and potentially including a re-homologation of the car.

The Hockenheim test is the first for the Mazda and Joest combination that is set to return to competition with a full attack on the 2018 IMSA Championship.