Weekly Racing Roundup (7.16.18)

Audi Scores First DTM Win of Season at Zandvoort

Reigning champion Rene Rast gave Audi its first DTM win of the year in Race 2 at Zandvoort on Sunday as the season reached its halfway point.

The Audi Sport Team Rosberg driver opted to complete his mandatory pit stop at the end of the opening lap, a strategy which paid off to score him his fourth series win on his 30th start.

The safety car came out in the second half of the race after a collision between Jamie Green and Bruno Spengler but Rast was able to keep Race 1 winner Gary Paffett at bay throughout a close battle in the last 15 minutes.

Paffett extended his championship lead with second on Sunday and his third win of the season on Saturday.

The British driver started Race 1 from pole in his Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Petronas car and went on to lead a Mercedes-AMG sweep of the top four positions ahead of Paul Di Resta, Lucas Auer and Pascal Wehrlein.

Paffett leads Di Resta by 27 points in the standings heading into the second half of the season, which kicks off at Brands Hatch in August.

RESULTS: Zandvoort

Eversley Extends PWC TCR Points Lead with Portland Win

Ryan Eversley has increased his Pirelli World Challenge TCR points lead with a win at Portland International Raceway on Sunday.

He benefitted from a DNS for title rival and Race 1 winner Mark Wilkins in the second of two 40-minute races at the Oregon circuit. 

Eversley, driving the No. 43 RealTime Racing Honda Civic Type R TCR, moved into the lead heading into the first corner and defended from Michael Lewis on several occasions en route to his third win of the season.

He finished third on Saturday after Wilkins passed the Honda in traffic to lead a Bryan Herta Autosport 1-2.

BHA drivers Wilkins and Lewis have won five of the eight races so far this season with their pair of Hyundai i30 N TCRs.

RESULTS: Race 1; Race 2

News & Notes

***Trofeo Motorsport has become the rights holder for the Australian GT Championship, Australian Endurance Series and Australian GT Trophy Series, replacing Australian GT Sportscar Group Pty Ltd.

***Trofeo has been associated with the series since 2011 as a major sponsor and supplier of Pirelli tires. Championship Manager Ken Collier will continue in the same role.

***The GT4 European Series, British GT Championship and Blancpain GT Sports Club will all be in action at Spa this weekend as part of the SRO Speedweek event ahead of the Total 24 Hours of Spa.

***British GT regular Anna Walewska has founded a new team, ProTechnika Motorsport, which will make its race debut at Spa with a Mercedes-AMG GT4. Walewska will drive with Tom Canning in the Pro-Am class.

***Next Monday’s edition of the Weekly Racing Roundup will include reports from the SRO Speedweek as well as Michelin Le Mans Cup round at the Red Bull Ring.