Strategy compromises Gary Paffett at Zandvoort

Mercedes’ Gary Paffett feels he was compromised by his race-strategy at Zandvoort on a difficult weekend for the Stuttgart manufacturer.

Paffett qualified 12th and finished the race in ninth as the best Mercedes driver.

He believes the strategy of making his two compulsory stops early on in the 44-lap race, as well as his low grid position, prevented him from finishing any higher than ninth.

“It’s a disappointing result for me, but not much more was possible from grid position 12th,” Paffett said after the race. “We chose a very aggressive strategy with two pit stops early on because we knew that overtaking at this track would be quite tricky; especially without the help of DRS.

“This tactic worked well initially, and [it] helped me to move up a couple of positions, but unfortunately towards the end of my long final stint, I didn’t have enough grip to go on improving.

“With a better grid position, I could probably have been fighting for the top positions.”

The 2005 DTM champion also aims to be back at the sharp-end of the grid for the 2013 DTM’s final round at Hockenheim on October 20th.

“At the season finale in Hockenheim, which is a home race for us, I just hope to be back among the front-runners once again and end the season on a high note.”

Paffett currently lies joint fifth in the drivers’ standings with BMW’s Bruno Spengler on 67 points.