Paffett on pole for Premiere
Briton Gary Paffett will start from pole in Sunday’s first round of the DTM at Hockenheim, after edging out Audi driver Martin Tomczyk by 0.076. Despite Audi topping both free practice sessions, Mercedes man Paffett claimed the first pole of the year, as the three pointed star placed three machines in the top four shoot out.
Bruno Spengler and Jamie Green were the other Mercedes drivers to make it into the fourth session, with the duo taking third and fourth on the grid respectively, behind Paffett and Tomczyk.
Despite running a 2008-spec machine, Green was quickest in session three allowing him to run last in the final session, but he was unable to again outpace the other drivers, with Paffett recording a 1:33.214 lap to take the top spot.
Audi trio Matthias Ekstrom, Oliver Jarvis and Mike Rockenfeller, and Mercedes’ Paul Di Resta complete the top eight. Reigning Champion Timo Scheider qualified down in ninth after being eliminated in the second session, while Miguel Molina was the best of the DTM debutants in 13th position.
Mercedes new boy Franky Cheng ended up one place further back in 14th, with ex-Formula One driver David Coulthard qualifying on the back row of the grid in 17th, one place behind fellow former Grand Prix winner Ralf Schumacher.
Audi drivers topped both of the opening two sessions of qualifying, with Tomczyk setting the pace in part one, before Rockenfeller went quickest in the second, but ultimately it was Paffett and Mercedes who came out on top.
