Photo: Daimler AG
After a very tough qualifying session, with variable weather conditions and a five-place grid penalty, Gary Paffett's 100th race in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) at Oschersleben wasn't exactly what he and his fans had hoped for.
In the third qualifying session he had secured seventh fastest time, but, after he and Mercedes-Benz driven Daniel Juncadella had run their cars fitted with tires that were deemed illegal, the race stewards issued each of them with a five-place grid penalty for infringement of the rules.
Starting from 12th position, Paffett did the best he could do and moved up six places, finishing sixth, also becoming the only Mercedes-AMG driver to finish in points.
“Too bad that I was only in twelfth place on the grid as a result of my penalty. I drove a strong race and kept seeing Mike Rockenfeller and Augusto Farfus as they ducked out of sight at the end of the straights. Audi were very strong today but not invincible. Unfortunately, we lost the race yesterday in qualifying. We were not too far behind in terms of pace and were just unlucky on Saturday. Everyone knows how closely contested and how evenly matched the field is in the DTM, and moving forwards is not easy from a low starting position. Had I been in seventh place on the grid, then I would have had a better chance of being among the front-runners at the finish. Now we’ll have to try to qualify well up the field again for the next race at Zandvoort. We will then be in contention for a place among the leaders once more.”
The Oschersleben race was won by Augusto Farfus (BMW), who now has 91 points and is second in the driver's championship, behind Mike Rockenfeller from Audi, who is well ahead with 124 points. AMG drivers Christian Vietoris (71 points) and Nurburgring-winner Robert Wickens (70 points) are placed third and fourth in the driver's standings.
The good news so far is that the Stihl/AMG Mercedes teams is currently still leading the DTM team standings with 141 points. The next race in the 2013 DTM season will take place between 28 and 29 September and Zandvoort, in the Netherlands, so maybe Paffett will have better luck then.
Starting from 12th position, Paffett did the best he could do and moved up six places, finishing sixth, also becoming the only Mercedes-AMG driver to finish in points.
“Too bad that I was only in twelfth place on the grid as a result of my penalty. I drove a strong race and kept seeing Mike Rockenfeller and Augusto Farfus as they ducked out of sight at the end of the straights. Audi were very strong today but not invincible. Unfortunately, we lost the race yesterday in qualifying. We were not too far behind in terms of pace and were just unlucky on Saturday. Everyone knows how closely contested and how evenly matched the field is in the DTM, and moving forwards is not easy from a low starting position. Had I been in seventh place on the grid, then I would have had a better chance of being among the front-runners at the finish. Now we’ll have to try to qualify well up the field again for the next race at Zandvoort. We will then be in contention for a place among the leaders once more.”
The Oschersleben race was won by Augusto Farfus (BMW), who now has 91 points and is second in the driver's championship, behind Mike Rockenfeller from Audi, who is well ahead with 124 points. AMG drivers Christian Vietoris (71 points) and Nurburgring-winner Robert Wickens (70 points) are placed third and fourth in the driver's standings.
The good news so far is that the Stihl/AMG Mercedes teams is currently still leading the DTM team standings with 141 points. The next race in the 2013 DTM season will take place between 28 and 29 September and Zandvoort, in the Netherlands, so maybe Paffett will have better luck then.
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