However, with Schneider determined not to let Audi manoeuvre their drivers into ideal positions, the German attempted to scupper their plans by getting his C-Class ahead of Kristensen, a tense move that was defined by the Le Mans legend hitting his rival, only for the collision to damage his A4, with Schneider seemingly unaffected.
It was a move that arguably gives the title to Schneider, the German going on to have a battle with Mattias Ekstrom, the Swede finding a way past initially but losing advantage through the pit stops and falling back to fourth place. Kristensen meanwhile was slipping back out of contention with his damaged car.
Ekstrom's hopes of a podium however were dashed when he was punished with a drive-through penalty for a rough move on Schneider for second place, even if an eventual fourth place was testament to his pace around the Spanish circuit.
Up at the front though it had been easy for Tomczyk, leading from start to finish to cross the line two seconds ahead of Schneider, who had rapidly closed the gap despite an off-track moment on the penultimate lap. Frentzen and Ekstrom capped off a strong day for Audi in third and fourth, even if they will be bitterly disappointed to see their last hope for the title end the race in ninth place and out of the points.
Between them, Bruno Spengler battled up from his dismal 19th on the grid to claim fifth, while there was joy for Frank Stippler and Daniel La Rosa, the duo in their respective year-old Audi's and Mercedes' claiming their first points of the season in sixth and seventh. Alex Margaritis rounded out the points scorers in eighth.
Jean Alesi meanwhile has been given a £7,000 fine for apparently brake testing fellow former
F1 racer Mika Hakkinen, the Frenchman criticised by officials for putting the Finn in a ‘dangerous position'.
