Mercedes factory driver Auer had looked set to score a first victory of a 2023 season that he began by injuring his back at Daytona, the Austrian taking the lead from polesitter Ricardo Feller on lap seven.
But Grasser driver Paul showed rapid speed after putting on a new set of wet tyres late in the race, snatching the top spot from his Winward rival with 15 minutes to go.
The result made Paul the eighth different driver to win a race in as many races this season, and secured a clean sweep of victories for Lamborghini at the Nurburgring following SSR driver Mirko Bortolotti’s own maiden success on Saturday.
At the start of the race, Abt Audi’s Feller led the field from pole position, while reigning Sheldon van der Linde dropped down the order to promote Winward duo David Schumacher and Auer to second and third positions.
Feller then went on to establish a comfortable lead up front, with his slick tyres working perfectly on a track that was mostly dry, save for some damp patches at sector 1.
But as rain began to hit the track, Feller started to fall into the clutches of the chasing pack, with Auer charging past the Swiss having already overtaken his team-mate Schumacher for second.
Feller and other drivers who were on slicks waited until the pit window opened after 20 minutes of racing to switch to wets, elevating those who had started on the grooved Pirelli tyres.
One of the biggest gainers was Paul, drafted in to replace Mick Wishofer on a one-off basis at Grasser. Starting 13th, the ADAC GT Masters podium finisher quickly made his way up the field before passing the similarly wet-shod cars of Laurin Heinrich (Bernhard Porsche) and Schumacher to snatch second position behind Auer.
Auer, Paul and Heinrich elected to go long in the first stint and their strategy paid dividends when a FCY was deployed to recover the stranded Lamborghini of Alessio Deledda, who spun at Turn 1 after being caught out by the Emil Frey Ferrari of Jack Aitken that had just exited the pits.
Source: Autosport