DTM points leader van der Linde hit with 10-place grid penalty

Van der Linde had set the sixth-quickest time in qualifying earlier on Saturday morning, just over two tenths down on pole-sitter and championship rival Lucas Auer, but he will now take the start from 16th on the grid.

His team Schubert BMW was found to have broken a regulation that prevents teams from mounting tyres on the car between an hour and five minutes before the start of qualifying.

The outfit has a right to appeal the decision but it’s unclear if it will pursue with the option available to it as per DTM regulations and Article 15.1.5 of the FIA International Sporting Code.

Team Bernhard Porsche’s Thomas Preining and SSR Performance driver Dennis Olsen were also penalised for the same offence and will start the race from 18th and 27th respectively as per the updated grid issued by the DTM.

Team Bernhard lashed out at the penalty that could severely impact the title hopes of Preining, saying it had to practice pitstops in the limited time that was available and that the championship shouldn’t be decided through a grid drop.

It ‘pleaded’ that the grid penalty should be converted into a fine instead.

Mercedes driver Lucas Auer will line up on pole position at the Hockenheimring later this afternoon, with other leading championship contenders Mirko Bortolotti, Rene Rast, van der Linde and Preining set to take the start from third, seventh, 16th and 18th respectively.

Van der Linde leads the standings at 130 points going into the race, ahead of Auer (122), Rast (118), Preining (116) and Bortolotti (115). The quintet is separated by just 15 points with 55 still up for grabs this weekend.