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Rast: DTM title "still unrealistic" despite Austria domination

DTM form man Rene Rast says the 2018 crown is "a bit more realistic" but "still unrealistic" after taking his third and fourth consecutive victories at the Red Bull Ring.

René Rast, Audi Sport Team Rosberg, Audi RS 5 DTM

René Rast, Audi Sport Team Rosberg, Audi RS 5 DTM

James Gasperotti / Motorsport Images

Rast broke the record of most consecutive victories in the modern-era DTM by winning four in a row, two at the Nurburgring and Red Bull Ring apiece.

Prior to his winning streak, Rast was ninth in the championship, 99 points adrift of the series leads, but he now heads to the Hockenheim season finale just 30 points behind Mercedes driver Paul di Resta.

The German feels that snatching the crown away from Mercedes pair di Resta and Gary Paffett is now a little bit more realistic, but admits that defending his 2017 title is still a long shot despite his recent form.

"At Hockenheim, depending on the weather, there may be some chaotic races, anything can happen, I'm confident I'll have another chance," said Rast.

"We can all be proud of what we've done so far. P3 [in the points] is already fixed, we could hardly have said that at the middle of the year, we had fulfilled the target, so to speak.

"Winning the championship was very unrealistic before the weekend in Spielberg, and now it has become a bit more realistic. Still unrealistic, but not quite as much as before.

"Four races ago, there were just under 100 [behind] - now there are 30. Who knows what's going to happen at Hockenheim, everything can happen, it just takes one chaotic race, then we're back in the game."

Rast added that both di Resta and Paffett will need to have a bad weekend at Hockenheim, and him a perfect one, to have any chance, with 56 points up for grabs at Hockenheim.

He must outscore di Resta by two points on the first day of the finale to remain in mathematical contention on Sunday.

"There are two opponents [di Resta and Paffett], both of them need a bad weekend," Rast admitted.

"I think we showed that we have the pace and the strategy to turn the tide on our own, we need the perfect weekend and we have to try to maximise everything, like in Spielberg.

"Then we have to hope for the race god to play a bit in the cards, just like yesterday, then anything is possible."

Podium: Race winner René Rast, Audi Sport Team Rosberg

Podium: Race winner René Rast, Audi Sport Team Rosberg

Photo by: James Gasperotti / LAT Images

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