October 25th, 2009
Paffett wins the finale - Scheider is DTM champion
DTM
Hockenheim. Briton Gary Paffett Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz) has won the tenth DTM season round at the Hockenheimring Baden-W?rttemberg. After 39 laps at the 4.574 kilometres long circuit, he crossed the finish line in first place with his AMG Mercedes C-Class. For Paffett, it was the 14th DTM race win of his career and the fourth victory of the season. Timo Scheider (Audi) has successfully defended his DTM title: finishing second in the season finale at Hockenheim was enough for the German to win the drivers? title again. Third place in the final round of the season at Hockenheim went to Paul Di Resta (Mercedes-Benz), Alexandre Pr?mat (Audi) finished fourth. The Frenchman was the best-placed driver with a year-old car. The final point-scoring positions were taken by Jamie Green (Mercedes-Benz), Oliver Jarvis (Audi), Bruno Spengler (Mercedes-Benz) and Markus Winkelhock (Audi). An extensive press release will follow shortly.
The race in detail
Spectators during the race weekend: 155,000
Air temperature: 20.2 ?C
Asphalt temperature: 18.8?C
Start Ekstr?m takes the lead, Scheider on the outside alongside Paffett.
Lap 1 Paffett collides with Ekstr?m and takes the lead. Kristensen, Tomczyk spin. Di Resta drops back.
Lap 2 Paffett is leading from Ekstr?m, Scheider, Jarvis, Di Resta, Winkelhock. Tomczyk retires. Ekstr?m attack Paffett for the lead at the hairpin. Contact all the way. Schumacher spins. He has lost the bonnet of his car - retires.
Lap 3 Ekstr?m overtakes Paffett at the hairpin and is now the new race leader.
Lap 4 Ekstr?m reports a cooling problem. Ekstr?m into the pits. Paffett takes the lead. Ekstr?m retires.
Lap 7 Paffett is 0.4 seconds ahead of Scheider. Then Di Resta, Winkelhock, Jarvis, Pr?mat, Spengler, Green, Lauda and Engel.
Lap 8 Jarvis overtakes Winkelhock and is now fourth.
Lap 9 Lauda, Rockenfeller, Legge, Bakkerud into the pits.
Lap 10 Spengler, Engel into the pits.
Lap 11 Winkelhock, Kostka into the pits.
Lap 12 Battle between Kristensen and Stoddart for eighth. Jarvis, Seidlitz into the pits.
Lap 13 Paffett into the pits. Battle between Rockenfeller and Engel. The left front door of Christian Bakkerud's car is coming loose.
Lap 15 Scheider, Di Resta into the pits.
Lap 16 Scheider remains in front of Di Resta. At the hairpin, Scheider gets past Kristensen. At the Sachskurve, Di Resta overtakes Kristensen. Green into the pits.
Lap 17 Stoddart into the pits.
Lap 18 Only Pr?mat and Kristensen have yet to complete their first stop. Spengler comes in for the second stop.
Lap 19 Pr?mat, Kristensen in for their first stops.
Lap 20 Race order after the first stops: Pr?mat, Paffett, Scheider, Di Resta, Kristensen, Winkelhock, Jarvis, Green, Rockenfeller and Engel. Winkelhock, Jarvis into the pits.
Lap 21 Stoddart into the pits.
Lap 22 Di Resta, Engel into the pits.
Lap 23 Legge and Bakkerud into the pits.
Lap 24 Paffett into the pits.
Lap 25 Scheider, Green, Seidlitz into the pits.
Lap 26 Pr?mat, Lauda into the pits.
Lap 27 Kristensen into the pits.
Lap 28 Order after the pit stops: Paffett is leading from Scheider, Di Resta, Kristensen, Pr?mat, Spengler, Winkelhock, Jarvis, Green and Rockenfeller.
Lap 29 Legge into the pits - retires.
Lap 31 Jarvis and Green past Winkelhock for sixth.
Lap 31 Massive crash of Susie Stoddart at first corner. Safety car.
Lap 34 Stoddart is being taken to the medical centre for a check-up.
Lap 36 Restart. No position changes. Paffett remains in the lead from Scheider, Di Resta, Pr?mat, Spengler, Jarvis, Green, Winkelhock, Rockenfeller, Engel.
Lap 37 Jarvis and Green overtake Spengler, Green also past Jarvis and he is now fifth.
Lap 38 Kristensen being pushed around by Lauda at the hairpin.
Lap 39 Final lap. Paffett wins the race, but second place is enough for Scheider to successfully defend his title. Lauda gets a 30 seconds' penalty.
