29th April, 2012
Paffett wins Hockenheim DTM season opener
DTM
Hockenheim. Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz) is the first race winner of the new DTM season. The Brit won the 40 laps opening round at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg in a dominant way. For Paffett, it was his 18th DTM career win. Behind him, his fellow Mercedes-Benz driver Jamie Green crossed the finish line in second place, 4.7 seconds down. Mattias Ekström (Audi) completed the podium in third place. Behind Christian Vietoris (Mercedes-Benz) and Mike Rockenfeller (Audi) in fourth and fifth place, Andy Priaulx ended up sixth as the best-placed BMW driver in the DTM comeback. A full press release with quotes will follow shortly.
The race at a glance
Spectators during the race weekend: 142.00
Air temperature: 23,5 °C
Track temperature: 31,3 °C
Start Ekström takes the lead from Green and Mortara.
Lap 1 Rockenfeller has moved up into fourth place. Scheider spins at the hairpin after collision with Schumacher. Order after lap 1: Ekström leads from Green, Mortara, Paffett, Rockenfeller, Werner, Priaulx, Schumacher, Tambay, Spengler.
Lap 2 Paffett past Mortara for third place. Priaulx has overtaken Werner and is now sixth.
Lap 3 Schumacher hits Werner, Werner spins. The bonnets of Spengler's and Tambay's cars are gone. Spengler into the pits, retires. Tambay also into the pits. He gets a new bonnet, but retires as well.
Lap 4 Tomczyk into the pits - retires.
Lap 5 Green has overtaken Ekström, who locks up under braking for turn 2 and runs wide, and is now leading, Paffett attacks Ekström and gets past as well. Schumacher gets a drive-through.
Lap 6 Green is leading from Paffett, Ekström, Mortara, Rockenfeller, Priaulx, Albuquerque. Schumacher comes in for his penalty.
Lap 7 Paffett closes up on Green as the latter almost misses his braking point for turn 2.
Lap 8 Scheider attacks Merhi for 13th. Scheider into the pits.
Lap 10 Vietoris overtakes Albuquerque and is now seventh. Vietoris, Albuquerque, Farfus, Frey into the pits for their first regular stops.
Lap 11 Priaulx, Molina, Schumacher into the pits.
Lap 12 Ekström, Mortara, Werner into the pits.
Lap 13 Green, Rockenfeller, Coulthard, Scheider into the pits. Scheider retires.
Lap 14 Mortara turns Hand around in the hairpin. Paffett into the pits.
Lap 15 Paffett and Green side by side all the way down the Parabolica, Paffett goes into the lead. Wickens, Wolff into the pits.
Lap 16 Merhi into the pits.
Lap 17 Drive-through for Edoardo Mortara for causing an avoidable collision. Drive-through for Robert Wickens for not respecting the pit lane speed limit.
Lap 19 Mortara comes into the pits for his penalty. Wickens also into the pits for his penalty. Hand into the pits.
Lap 21 Coulthard, Mortara, Frey into the pits.
Lap 22 Farfus, Schumacher, Wolff into the pits. Farfus goes out again without having stopped, he overshot his pit box.
Lap 23 Molina, Farfus into the pits.
Lap 24 Albuquerque, Merhi, Wickens into the pits. Molina battles with Coulthard for eleventh, side by side. Coulthard prevails.
Lap 25 Farfus drive through for exceeding the pit lane speed limit. Rockenfeller, Priaulx into the pits. Farfus also comes in for his penalty.
Lap 26 Vietoris into the pits.
Lap 27 Paffett, Ekström into the pits.
Lap 28 Green into the pits.
Lap 29 Green comes out of the pits behind Paffett. Frey spins, but continues.
Lap 30 All drivers having completed their stops, Paffett is leading from Green, Ekström, Rockenfeller, Vietoris, Priaulx, Coulthard, Molina, Schumacher, Albuquerque.
Lap 31 Vietoris attacks Rockenfeller for fourth.
Lap 32 Schumacher has overtaken Molina and is now eighth.
Lap 35 After several attempts, Vietoris has overtaken Rockenfeller and is now fourth. Duel between Coulthard and Schumacher for seventh, but Schumacher defends his position.
Lap 38 Priaulx closing up on fifth-placed Rockenfeller. Merhi into the pits - retires.
Lap 40 Paffett wins from Green, Ekström, Vietoris, Rockenfeller, Priaulx, Schumacher, Coulthard, Molina and Albuquerque.
