Three Mercedes drivers up for the 2010 title
The DTM heads to Shanghai this weekend for the final round of the season, with the drivers championship still undecided. Any one of three drivers can clinch the prize but the two main protagonists, Bruno Spengler and Paul Di Resta have been the nearly men of the series over the last few years.
Spengler has finished runner up twice, in 2006 and 2007, while Di Resta was second in 2008 and third last season. However 2010 looks like the year that one of these men can finally break their DTM championship duck. For Spengler it would be the fulfilment of the potential that has been talked about since he arrived in DTM in 2005.
“I can hardly wait to line up on the starting grid in Shanghai. I could win the title there in my own right, and I’ll be doing everything I can to achieve that. I’m expecting an exciting race, which is likely to be very physically demanding,” said Spengler.
For Di Resta it would be the perfect platform from which to launch his Formula 1 career if, as expected, he moves to Force India for 2011.
“Bruno’s lead is now just three points, and that’s not very much in the DTM. The layout of the circuit means it’s going to be a hard and physically demanding race, and overtaking should be possible at certain points,” said Di Resta.
Three points separate the two men but there is a chance that a former champion can reclaim the title if the aforementioned pair bottle it. Gary Paffett, champion of 2005, is nine points adrift of the lead and so needs to win to stand any chance of claiming a second crown.
“I’m nine points behind Bruno and in theory it’s still possible for me to win the championship – I’ll be doing everything I can to make that happen,” said Paffett.
As well as victory he needs Spengler to fail to score and Di Resta to finish sixth or lower. As unlikely as this seems, anything can happen in motorsport; the climax of this season’s Formula One championship in Abu Dhabi is proof of that.
It’s not just the unpredictability of motorsport that gives Paffett more than a mathematical possibility but his experience of winning the title and the fact that he has nothing to lose. While Spengler and Di Resta will be wary of making an error that causes 2010 to be another year of missed opportunities, Paffett knows that he can only add to his reputation this weekend. If he takes the victory and results go his way, he becomes a two time DTM champion, if he doesn’t win it, then it’s not a major surprise and he still has a solid season, not to mention a previous championship under his belt.
If the two leaders are to be focussed on as the realistic competitors then it’s hard to choose a champion. Spengler has led for most of the season and has been extremely consistent, failing to score points on just one occasion. Of the nine point scoring finishes, eight of them have been podiums. Di Resta has won more races than anyone else this season and when he’s got himself out in front, he’s produced some pretty dominant performances such as in front of his home crowd at Brands Hatch. Unlike Spengler he’s finished every race, though twice he has found himself outside of the point paying positions.
It’s going to be very tight but given Spengler’s small advantage at the top as well as his consistent finishing record, he must go into the decider as the favourite. However, if Di Resta can get himself into a comfortable lead, he knows Spengler has to finish second to deny him the title. If it’s an incident packed race then Paffett could well come into play. One thing that is guaranteed though, is it should be a fascinating finale in what has been an excellent season.
Text by Tom Surgay
