Gary Paffett (Mercedes) wins the first DTM race ran with the new technical regulation, Sunday in Hockenheim.
Mattias Ekström (Audi) set the pole position in qualifying, the Swede toped the time sheets ahead of Jamie Green’s Mercedes and Dirk Werner’s BMW, who set a great performance for his team’s return to DTM.
But Ekström was overtaken by Green, then by Gary Paffett who started from the sixth position on the grid.
Paffett pitted one lap after his teammate, and rejoined the track in first position. From then, the 2005 champion pulled away in front, and eventually took victory in the opening round of the season ahead of Green and Ekström.
The BMW were impressive in qualifying, but the newcomers struggled a little bit in the race. A poor start ruined Dirk Werner’s good qualifying result, and it was Andy Priaulx who was to be the best placed of the BMW drivers, with a sixth position at the end of the race.
Bruno Spengler’s race stopped after two laps. The Canadian driver, who started from ninth position on the grid, fighting with Ralf Schumacher, was taken out by the former F1 driver.
Robert Wickens, the other canadian entrant in Hockenheim, concluded his first DTM race in 14th position, after he started from 13th position on the grid.
Race classification:
1 - Gary Paffett (Mercedes C-Coupe) - HWA - 40 laps in 1h04min37.615s
2 - Jamie Green (Mercedes C-Coupe) - HWA + 4.709s
3 - Mattias Ekstrom (Audi A5) - Abt + 19.434s
4 - Christian Vietoris (Mercedes C-Coupe) - HWA + 25.774s
5 - Mike Rockenfeller (Audi A5) - Phoenix + 27.834s
6 - Andy Priaulx (BMW M3) - RBM + 28.435s
7 - Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes C-Coupe) - HWA + 39.948s
8 - David Coulthard (Mercedes C-Coupe) - Mucke + 43.306s
Etc.
Championship:
1. Paffett 25 points ; 2. Green 18; 3. Ekstrom 15; 4. Vietoris 12; 5. Rockenfeller 10; 6. Priaulx 8; 7. Schumacher 6; 8. Coulthard 4; 9. Molina 2; 10. Albuquerque 1.
Mattias Ekström (Audi) set the pole position in qualifying, the Swede toped the time sheets ahead of Jamie Green’s Mercedes and Dirk Werner’s BMW, who set a great performance for his team’s return to DTM.
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| First 2012 podium, winner Gary Paffett (Mercedes), Jamie Green (Mercedes) and Mattias Ekstrom (Audi). (Photo: DTM) |
But Ekström was overtaken by Green, then by Gary Paffett who started from the sixth position on the grid.
Paffett pitted one lap after his teammate, and rejoined the track in first position. From then, the 2005 champion pulled away in front, and eventually took victory in the opening round of the season ahead of Green and Ekström.
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| The two Mercedes C-Coupe and the Audi A5 of the podium. (Photo: DTM) |
The BMW were impressive in qualifying, but the newcomers struggled a little bit in the race. A poor start ruined Dirk Werner’s good qualifying result, and it was Andy Priaulx who was to be the best placed of the BMW drivers, with a sixth position at the end of the race.
Bruno Spengler’s race stopped after two laps. The Canadian driver, who started from ninth position on the grid, fighting with Ralf Schumacher, was taken out by the former F1 driver.
Robert Wickens, the other canadian entrant in Hockenheim, concluded his first DTM race in 14th position, after he started from 13th position on the grid.
Race classification:
1 - Gary Paffett (Mercedes C-Coupe) - HWA - 40 laps in 1h04min37.615s
2 - Jamie Green (Mercedes C-Coupe) - HWA + 4.709s
3 - Mattias Ekstrom (Audi A5) - Abt + 19.434s
4 - Christian Vietoris (Mercedes C-Coupe) - HWA + 25.774s
5 - Mike Rockenfeller (Audi A5) - Phoenix + 27.834s
6 - Andy Priaulx (BMW M3) - RBM + 28.435s
7 - Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes C-Coupe) - HWA + 39.948s
8 - David Coulthard (Mercedes C-Coupe) - Mucke + 43.306s
Etc.
Championship:
1. Paffett 25 points ; 2. Green 18; 3. Ekstrom 15; 4. Vietoris 12; 5. Rockenfeller 10; 6. Priaulx 8; 7. Schumacher 6; 8. Coulthard 4; 9. Molina 2; 10. Albuquerque 1.