Drivers championship over for Mercedes

Mercedes’ hopes of having one of their drivers named Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters champion for the first time since Bernd Schneider in 2006, were dealt a lethal blow at Catalunya.

The Mercedes teams and drivers could only watch as Audi locked out the podium, with Timo Scheider on the top step.

Scheider has stretched out a large points lead, rendering any chance of Gary Paffett making it to the top of the standings almost mathematically impossible.

Mercedes struggled in the free practice session, with Ralf Schumacher setting the best time for the marque, down in 5th place.

Qualifying showed some positives, as Paul di Resta, who comprehensively dominated the Brands Hatch meeting, claimed second on the grid.

Paffett, the best placed Mercedes driver in the championship set the fourth fastest time, offering him some hope for the race itself.

At the end of Sunday’s race, Paffett was the highest placed Mercedes driver in the running, having finished where he started, in 4th. However, it was Scheider who drove his Audi from 5th to 1st off the line, and held the lead until the flag who was the star driver in Spain. In claiming his second race victory of the season, he put shrank Paffett’s dreams of a second DTM title.

Speaking after the race Paffett explained that the speed of the car was a factor in not making the progress he had hoped for.

“We had expected to fight for victory, but our speed today was just not good enough. A better result than fourth was not possible”, said the 2005 DTM series champion.

Hockenheim aside, Bruno Spengler has been consistently within the top six all season, and he again showed well, finishing 5th behind Paffett. He had started in eight place, and was pleased with his performance on the day.

“I improved from eighth on the grid to fifth which is ok; more was not possible today. We had a good strategy and I had a free track most of the time; and I thank my team for this”, said Spengler.

After a show of immense pace at Brands Hatch, di Resta was hoping for a repeat weekend, and after qualifying that seemed likely.

However, after seeing Scheider take the lead by the first corner, di Resta was helpless as problems with the setup of the car affected his race performance.

Speaking after the race, di Resta said “I started well but Timo Scheider started even better, so I lost one place. We had problems with the balance of the car and therefore my speed was not quite as good as that of the two leaders and I eventually dropped to seventh place”.

Schumacher had qualified 11th, but after having to change an engine in his Trilux AMG Mercedes C-Class between the warm-up and the race, he was forced to start from the back of the grid.

By the end he had made his way to 13th, after some impressive driving through the race.

“My race was quite OK, but when you start from the back of the grid it’s hard to move up. Every time I was racing in clean air my pace was good and therefore I am still satisfied”.

He also took time to show his gratitude for the performance of his team, “I thank my team for the quick engine change between warm-up and race”, added Schumacher.

The Vice President of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, Norbert Haug, succinctly summed up the relatively disappointing weekend for Mercedes with “Certainly not our best race”.

Despite the fact Mercedes and Audi have four race victories apiece in the 2009 season, Audi have been more consistent in finishing well in the points, which has ended Mercedes’ hopes of the drivers title.

Haug reflected on this, “The championship battle is over. Nevertheless we want to deliver two good races and to enthuse the spectators”.