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Official release: BMW Motorsport continues to enjoy success in the DTM: following his victory at the Lausitzring a fortnight ago, Bruno Spengler of BMW Team Schnitzer was once again celebrating on the podium at the end of the race in Brands Hatch.

After 97 laps, the 28-year-old crossed the finish line in second place at the wheel of the BMW Bank M3 DTM. Victory in the third race of ten this season went to Mercedes driver Gary Paffett, who took the chequered flag 2.7 seconds ahead of Spengler.

Spengler was not the only BMW driver to add to his points tally at the 1.929-kilometre “Brands Hatch Circuit”. Martin Tomczyk (BMW M Performance Parts M3 DTM) finished fourth – his best result of the season – and leaves Great Britain with another 12 points to his name. Tomczyk also clocked the fastest lap of the race (42.138 seconds) on lap 57.

Augusto Farfus, at the wheel of the Castrol EDGE BMW M3 DTM, came home in 11th. Joey Hand (SAMSUNG BMW M3 DTM) was 13th and Dirk Werner followed in 16th in his E-POSTBRIEF BMW M3 DTM. Andy Priaulx, racing in front of his home crowd in the Crowne Plaza Hotels BMW M3 DTM, was forced to retire early on in the race.

Spengler got off to a flyer from third place on the grid and immediately moved into second, before settling in to be within striking distance of Paffett throughout the entire race. With the race drawing to a close, however, the Canadian was forced to start looking over his shoulder. The front splitter of the BMW Bank M3 DTM was damaged on the kerb in turn one, preventing Spengler from pushing his car to the limit over the final few laps. Third-placed Audi driver Mike Rockenfeller was closing the gap with every lap, but Spengler was able to hold on to second. Tomczyk dropped two positions at the start, but quickly moved back into fifth thanks to overtaking manoeuvres against Mattias Ekström and Adrien Tambay. The BMW Team RMG driver gained another position over the course of the race, courtesy of a good strategy and quick pit stops.

The result sees Spengler climb to second place in the DTM drivers’ standings on 43 points, behind Gary Paffett (68). Tomczyk now has 18 points in seventh, followed in eighth and ninth by Farfus (15) and Priaulx (8).