Audi team orders forced Alexandre Premat to give up what would have been his first DTM win.
Premat actually let team mate Martin Tomcyk pass him twice, the final time coming mere metres before the line on the final lap.
Audi dominated the weekend, turning a 1-2-3-4-5 result in qualifying to 1-2-3-4 in the race.
But the one Audi they really needed to score points was delayed by a problematic pit stop.
Mattias Ekstrom was leading the race comfortably when he made his first pit stop on lap 15 – but a fumbled left-rear tyre change cost him the lead – and he fell back further when the wheel gave him problems during his second stint.
That left Martin Tomcyk and Alexandre Premat disputing the lead. Premat moved ahead of Tomcyk via the pit stops when he pitted one lap earlier as the two were stuck behind Paul di Resta’s Mercedes.
He let Tomcyk pass him, only to seemingly re-pass him for the win on lap 33. But a call came in from the Audi pit, and Premat let Tomcyk take the win.
It wasn’t the only fix Audi made on the last lap – Timo Scheider had to give up third place to Mattias Ekstrom, who had battled past Bruno Spengler on the same lap.
Spengler was the highest of the Mercedes finishers but slipped back from third to fifth late in the race on worn rubber.
Sixth was Christian Abt (who had also let Ekstrom pass) despite a controversial collision with Spengler in the pits.
Another Mercedes driver in trouble was di Resta, who had two collisions with Tom Kristensen. The first, at Tarzan on the first lap, effectively destroyed race, as he was pushed out and down to last.
Later he tried to lunge past Kristensen at the same corner, but the Dane pushed him brusquely aside, smoke pouring off the two cars.
Championship standings
1. Mattias Ekstrom 38
2. Martin Tomcyk 30
3. Bruno SPengler 26
4. Bernd Schneider 25.5
=5. Paul di Resta 22
=5. Mika Hakkinen 22
7. Gary Paffett 16.5
8. Alexandre Premat 13
9. Timo Scheider 12
10. Jamie Green 10.5
11. Daniel la Rosa 10
=12. Mike Rockenfeller 9
=12. Alexandros Margaritis 9
14. Tom Kristensen 5
15. Christian Abt 4
16. Mathias Lauda 1
