Paffett claims pole for DTM opener

Date published : 24 Apr 2010 - 12:59:30

Gary Paffett will start from pole position for the DTM season opener at Hockenheim after narrowly beating Martin Tomczyk to the top spot in qualifying.The 2005 champion edged the Audi driver by just 0.076 seconds in the four-way pole position shoot-out, as Mercedes bounced back after Audis had topped both free practice sessions this weekend.Tomczyk was the only Audi driver to get through to Q4, as Bruno Spengler and the 2008-spec car of Jamie Green filled the second row of the grid.Green had the honour of running last in the shoot-out after he was quickest in Q3, but he was unable to repeat his pace and had to settle for fourth on the grid.Mattias Ekstrom, Paul di Resta, Oliver Jarvis and Q2 pace-setter Mike Rockenfeller completed the top eight, while reigning champion Timo Scheider was eliminated early in the proceedings and had to settle for ninth on the grid.The German had already been in trouble earlier in the session when his Q1 lap was taken away because he went too wide at Turn 1. That meant that he had to go back out with two minutes remaining to avoid starting at the back of the grid.Later on he was set to narrowly make it into Q3, but was knocked back to ninth by a late effort from his Abt team-mate Ekstrom.David Coulthard will start his first DTM race from the back row of the grid in 17th place, the Scot admitting that his lap was the best he could manage.Grid:Pos Driver Car Time 1. Gary Paffett Mercedes 1m33.214s 2. Martin Tomczyk Audi 1m33.290s 3. Bruno Spengler Mercedes 1m33.319s 4. Jamie Green Mercedes 1m33.389s 5. Mattias Ekstrom Audi 1m32.924s 6. Paul di Resta Mercedes 1m33.193s 7. Oliver Jarvis Audi 1m33.296s 8. Mike Rockenfeller Audi 1m33.670s 9. Timo Scheider Audi 1m33.017s10. Maro Engel Mercedes 1m33.160s11. Alexandre Premat Audi 1m33.330s12. Markus Winkelhock Audi 1m33.411s13. Miguel Molina Audi 1m33.509s14. Franky Cheng Mercedes 1m33.738s15. Susie Stoddart Mercedes 1m34.118s16. Ralf Schumacher Mercedes 1m34.361s17. David Coulthard Mercedes 1m34.791s18. Katherine Legge Audi 1m34.948sQ1:Pos Driver Car Time Gap 1. Martin Tomczyk Audi 1m33.298s 2. Bruno Spengler Mercedes 1m33.484s + 0.186s 3. Jamie Green Mercedes 1m33.530s + 0.232s 4. Maro Engel Mercedes 1m33.634s + 0.336s 5. Timo Scheider Audi 1m33.640s + 0.342s 6. Gary Paffett Mercedes 1m33.693s + 0.395s 7. Alexandre Premat Audi 1m33.733s + 0.435s 8. Paul di Resta Mercedes 1m33.869s + 0.571s 9. Mattias Ekstrom Audi 1m33.965s + 0.667s10. Mike Rockenfeller Audi 1m33.976s + 0.678s11. Markus Winkelhock Audi 1m34.032s + 0.734s12. Miguel Molina Audi 1m34.033s + 0.735s13. Franky Cheng Mercedes 1m34.107s + 0.809s14. Oliver Jarvis Audi 1m34.112s + 0.814s15. Susie Stoddart Mercedes 1m34.118s + 0.820s16. Ralf Schumacher Mercedes 1m34.361s + 1.063s17. David Coulthard Mercedes 1m34.791s + 1.493s18. Katherine Legge Audi 1m34.948s + 1.650sQ2:Pos Driver Car Time Gap 1. Mike Rockenfeller Audi 1m32.647s 2. Paul di Resta Mercedes 1m32.708s + 0.061s 3. Martin Tomczyk Audi 1m32.748s + 0.101s 4. Mattias Ekstrom Audi 1m32.782s + 0.135s 5. Gary Paffett Mercedes 1m32.801s + 0.154s 6. Bruno Spengler Mercedes 1m32.813s + 0.166s 7. Oliver Jarvis Audi 1m32.916s + 0.269s 8. Jamie Green Mercedes 1m32.916s + 0.269s 9. Timo Scheider Audi 1m33.017s + 0.370s10. Maro Engel Mercedes 1m33.160s + 0.513s11. Alexandre Premat Audi 1m33.330s + 0.683s12. Markus Winkelhock Audi 1m33.411s + 0.764s13. Miguel Molina Audi 1m33.509s + 0.862s14. Franky Cheng Mercedes 1m33.738s + 1.091sQ3:Pos Driver Car Time Gap 1. Jamie Green Mercedes 1m32.724s 2. Gary Paffett Mercedes 1m32.808s + 0.084s 3. Martin Tomczyk Audi 1m32.809s + 0.085s 4. Bruno Spengler Mercedes 1m32.845s + 0.121s 5. Mattias Ekstrom Audi 1m32.924s + 0.200s 6. Paul di Resta Mercedes 1m33.193s + 0.469s 7. Oliver Jarvis Audi 1m33.296s + 0.572s 8. Mike Rockenfeller Audi 1m33.670s + 0.946sQ4:Pos Driver Car Time Gap 1. Gary Paffett Mercedes 1m33.214s 2. Martin Tomczyk Audi 1m33.290s + 0.076s 3. Bruno Spengler Mercedes 1m33.319s + 0.105s 4. Jamie Green Mercedes 1m33.389s + 0.175s