Gary Paffett targeting victory on 100th DTM start

Mercedes’ Gary Paffett is targeting victory in Oschersleben where he will make his 100th DTM start.

The 2005 DTM champion still has a mathematical chance of winning this year’s DTM championship, but following a point-free run last time out at the Nürburgring, Paffett conceded to Autosport that the title will be difficult after he dropped to sixth in the standings; 49 points behind series’ leader, Mike Rockenfeller.

“I’ll never concede my chances until the maths say I can’t win the championship, [and] I’ll keep pushing as hard as I can, but given the position I’m in points-wise, it’s not looking very likely.”

However, Paffett, a double Oschersleben winner, is still aiming for a strong run in the final three races of the season with victory this weekend.

“I’ve now put the disappointment of the Nürburgring behind me, and hopefully, the Nürburgring used up the rest of my bad luck quota for this season.

“Maybe fortune will smile on me again.

“I’d like to start this process over the weekend at Oschersleben [as] I’ve already won on two occasions there and would be very happy if I could celebrate my 100th DTM race with a third win there.

“That would be a perfect way to round off the anniversary and a great start to a hopefully successful run-in to the season finale.”

In addition to his 100 starts, Paffett also has the most victories of the current DTM grid with 20 wins.

This puts him third on the all time winners list, behind former Mercedes drivers, Klaus Ludwig, with 36 wins, and Bernd Schneider, on 43 wins.