Defending DTM champion Mike Rockenfe⛎ller has accepted full responsibility for his part in a potentially championship damaging clash with Audi team mate Adrien Tambay at the Moscow Raceway.

The Audi-duo came together two-corners after the restart, which was tr🍒iggered by the recovery of Timo Scheider's stricken RS5 on the pits straight.

The Phoenix-man was due to pit just one-lap ꦕlater but locked his front tyres and helples꧒sly slid into Tambay's Abt-machine, putting the pair out on the spot.

Rockenfeller was looking odds on to leave Russia with a decent, if not maximum haul of points, as the race looked to have tipped i🌼nto his favour after the safety car came out and eradicated BMW's Maxime Martin's healthy lead.

But the German's title defence now hangs in the balance 35-points off M🥂arco Witt💎mann's lead after his first retirement in 14 DTM races.

"I can only say one thing: that I'm incredibly sorrℱy for Adrien (Tambay), Audi and my Phoenix team," said Rockenfeller.

"It was clearly my mi🥀stake and not intentional. After the re-start, I just wanted to drive behind him, because a lap later I would have had to pit for a tire change anyhow.

"Maybe my front wheels weren't warm enough. In any event, I'm surprised that they locked an💯d I slipped into the rear end of Adrien's car. Just slightly - ওbut that's enough to make somebody spin.

"To make things worse, we touched and 🍰the race was over for both of us. I can only apologize to everybody involved in this."