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Paffett on pole in Turkey

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Mercedes-Benz dominated the Super-Pole for DTM’s inaugural race at Istanbul. Four Mercedes-Benz drivers secured the top-four positions on the grid for the 32-lap race (170.81 kilometres) on Sunday, with Gary Paffett (DaimlerChrysler Bank AMG-Mercedes) being the pole-sitter.

On his way to securing the pole, Paffett, the only challenger of championship leader Mattias Ekström (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline) in the battle for the 2005 title, succeeded in outqualifying his brand-mates Bernd Schneider, Bruno Spengler and Jamie Green by lapping the ‘Istanbul Park’ in 1:47.101 minutes. “I’m truly delighted with the result,” said Paffett. “I’m convinced that we are going to experience a thrilling race.”

Championship leader Ekström set the fifth fastest time, with the fastest of the Opel drivers, Manuel Reuter, qualifying sixth. Two-time Formula One World Champion Mika Häkkinen will be seventh on the grid for tomorrow’s race, with his AMG-Mercedes C-Class.

Currently, championship leader Ekström has a one-point lead over Paffett. Should Ekström win the Istanbul round with his championship rival failing to score, the Swede would have succeeded in early securing the 2005 DTM title, at Istanbul. Yet, this scenario doesn’t seem to be very probable, as both Ekström and Paffett scored points in each of the nine races contested so far. And in each of the latest five rounds, both even made it to the podium. Since four rounds, the championship lead was swapped from Paffett to Ekström and vice versa race by race, and since the beginning of August, the two championship contenders were never split by more than a point.

The race at the 5.338-kilometre circuit located close to Istanbul will start on Sunday at 14.00hrs CET (15.00hrs local time), with the live coverage of the German TV station ARD beginning at 13.45hrs CET.

Gary Paffett (Pole position, DaimlerChrysler Bank AMG-Mercedes): “I realised Bernd Schneider’s lap time and was aware that it would be difficult to outqualify him. Hence, I’m truly satisfied with the result of my lap. For us, the qualifying result is a very good one. Tomorrow, the battle for the title will make for a great race.”

Bernd Schneider: (2nd grid position, Vodafone AMG-Mercedes): “My car was just great. I made a minor mistake in the fourfold left-hander, but the rest of my lap was perfect. Should I have the chance of supporting Gary in tomorrow’s race I will do so – as this means