Fans can look forward to a thrilling DTM finale at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg. In qualifying for the final DTM round of the season, there was another entertaining head-to-head duel between the two main title candidates Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz) and Bruno Spengler (BMW). Paffett was a little bit faster and ended up second in qualifying, one place ahead of Spengler. His advantage was only seven thousandths of a second.
BMW driver Augusto Farfus from Brazil secured his second consecutive pole position. “I really had hoped for a top five result, but of course, being on pole is the icing on the cake,” Farfus said. The third remaining title candidate Jamie Green (Mercedes-Benz) failed to make it into the final session of the four-heat shoot-out qualifying and will be starting from tenth place. As a result, his chances of winning the title are merely mathematic.
Gary Paffett was very happy after qualifying, “I am really very relaxed. We have worked hard on the car and prepared everything for the finale. It is great to drive. Even though I am surrounded by two BMWs at the start, I am not worried. They are all fair racing drivers, who want to win as well, but surely will behave correctly.”
Joey Hand
Bruno Spengler was also very confident: “I am in the best position to overtake Gary. I am only one place behind him and, of course, I will do everything to be in front of him at the end. I am really looking forward to the race, it will surely be an interesting battle.”
In fourth position, Swede Mattias Ekström was the best-placed Audi driver on Saturday. “I am happy, because I have been trying to find a perfect set-up for qualifying for a couple of races. Today, I managed to do so, the car was spot on. I made the maximum of our opportunities. I am happy to be in the best place to watch the finale between Gary (Paffett) and Bruno (Spengler) tomorrow, right behind the two of them,” Ekström said.
The two Scottish drivers, Susie Wolff and David Coulthard (both Mercedes-Benz) announced their retirement from the DTM and will be starting from the last row on the grid for their final race.
Results:
Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap 1. Augusto Farfus RBM BMW 1m34.140s 2. Gary Paffett HWA Mercedes 1m34.261s + 0.121s 3. Bruno Spengler Schnitzer BMW 1m34.268s + 0.128s 4. Mattias Ekstrom Abt Audi 1m34.627s + 0.487s 5. Joey Hand RMG BMW 1m34.031s Q3 6. Martin Tomczyk RMG BMW 1m34.050s Q3 7. Dirk Werner Schnitzer BMW 1m34.079s Q3 8. Timo Scheider Abt Audi 1m34.133s Q3 9. Edoardo Mortara Rosberg Audi 1m34.159s Q3 10. Jamie Green HWA Mercedes 1m34.251s Q3 11. Filipe Albuquerque Rosberg Audi 1m34.288s Q2 12. Mike Rockenfeller Phoenix Audi 1m34.304s Q2 13. Christian Vietoris HWA Mercedes 1m34.358s Q2 14. Andy Priaulx RBM BMW 1m34.375s Q2 15. Adrien Tambay Abt Audi 1m34.477s Q2 16. Rahel Frey Abt Audi 1m34.720s Q2 17. Ralf Schumacher HWA Mercedes 1m34.722s Q1 18. Robert Wickens Mucke Mercedes 1m34.723s Q1 19. Roberto Merhi Persson Mercedes 1m35.032s Q1 20. Miguel Molina Phoenix Audi 1m35.080s Q1 21. David Coulthard Mucke Mercedes 1m35.275s Q1 22. Susie Wolff Persson Mercedes 1m35.325s Q1
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