Maro Engel claimed victory from the back row of the grid during a thrilling DTM race at the Moscow Raceway, as he resisted late pressure from Mattias Ekström.
Engel started from 17th place, ahead only of Tom Blomqvist, and elected to make his mandatory pit stop at the end of the opening lap, a decision which proved crucial for his win.
Engel – along with reigning champion Marco Wittmann – profited when the Safety Car was deployed, due to Maxime Martin suffering a brake failure, meaning they circulated outside the top 10, but effectively having gained a free stop.
Engel jumped Loic Duval and Wittmann during the laps after restart, while up front Ekström muscled his way past pole sitter and early leader Bruno Spengler.
Ekström pitted mid-distance and came out at the foot of the top 10, with a sizeable deficit to the group of drivers who had stopped early.
However, Engel and Wittmann were baulked by the yet-to-pit Nico Muller, enabling Ekström to surge onto the back of the group.
Ekström overhauled Duval and Blomqvist – who pitted on the opening lap – before sizing up Wittmann, as Muller finally ducked into the pit lane for his stop.
Ekström eventually found a way through Wittmann along the pit straight and sliced into Engel’s advantage up front, but fell just 0.3s short of denying the Mercedes driver a maiden win.
Spengler ultimately came home in third place after profiting in a frantic battle for the position, with René Rast and Jamie Green close behind, as Wittmann dropped to sixth.
Mike Rockenfeller took seventh, ahead of Blomqvist, who had initially taken pole position only to be excluded for failing to provide a sufficient fuel sample, while Lucas Auer and Robert Wickens completed the top 10.
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