Disappointment “sits deep” for Gary Paffett

Gary Paffett headed the DTM drivers’ championship from the first race of the season at Hockenheim, all the way to the final race of the year at the very same track only to lose the title by a mere three points to Bruno Spengler.
“My team has done brilliantly well this season in terms of performance and it is very unfortunate that we missed winning the championship title in the last race by four points,” said Paffett.

The Mercedes driver struggled in the second part of the season and scored zero points in the penultimate race at Valencia. But the pace was back for the final at Hockenheim where Paffett qualified second, only to be overtaken by title rival Spengler in the race.
“So in the immediate aftermath of the race, disappointment sits deep, of course, because from my point of view we deserved to win the championship title just as much as Bruno Spengler and BMW,” said Paffett.

Paffett had an impressive first half of the season where he was on the podium in the first three races with two victories. And the final race of the year looked at one stage like it could become the revenge for the Mercedes driver as he steadily closed in on Spengler. But Paffett’s tyres began to drop off in the final laps of the race, meaning that Spengler could secure his first ever DTM title.
“Congratulations to Bruno on his first DTM title! We will go on the attack again next year to take the championship,” said Paffett.