Audi Sport Team Phoenix’s Loïc Duval set the fastest lap time in the first free practice session of the weekend at Assen ahead of the latest rounds of the DTM season.

The field took to the track tentatively as Assen is new to the calendar this season and most of the drivers don’t have previous experience at the Dutch track, although there were no incidents during the session. However, local hero – Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline’s Robin Frijns= – was advised via the radio to watch the track limits at Turn 1, the first of four high-speed right-handers.

Duval set a fastest lap time of 1:26.700, followed by fellow Audi drivers at Team Abt Sportsline’s Nico Müller and Frijns.

Timo Glock was the fastest driver for BMW Motorsport in fourth position, four-tenths off the pace, with team-mate at Team RMG Marco Wittmann next, albeit six-tenths behind Duval.

Team WRT’s Pietro Fittipaldi was sixth, followed by Daniel Juncadella, the fastest driver for R-Motorsport and the only Aston Martin Vantage DTM to make it into the top ten.

Jonathan Aberdein was eighth for Team WRT, over a second off the pace, with championship leader René Rast in ninth for Team Rosberg. Fellow Audi driver at Team Phoenix Mike Rockenfeller completed the top ten, 1.3 seconds off the pace.

The DTM field takes to the track again this afternoon at 16:15 CEST for the second free practice session.