Most people expected the stewards to get involved after the DTM’s annual visit to the Norisring. But to the surprise of many it was fifth placed man Gary Paffett, not winner Jamie Green, who was penalised.
Paffett was disqualified from the final results. Did the stewards get the wrong British driver?
Paffett’s disqualification was for finishing the race with an underweight car – something which cost him victory at the Laustizring a few years ago.
But Green was expected to get an penalty after he left the pit lane with the refuelling can still attached to his Mercedes C-Class. Drivers have usually received a drive-through penalty for that.
The organisers left Green alone, however. This was surprising but ceratinly satisfying – Green ran away with the race and it would have been a shame had he been stripped of the win – especially as he was so cruelly taken out of the lead by Christian Abt at this track before.
Mercedes’ resurgence means the championship has closed up very nicely indeed:
1 Timo Scheider 32
2 Jamie Green 31
3 Paul Di Resta 27
4 Mattias Ekstr?â?Âm 25
5 Bruno Spengler 22
But this latest nonsense is surely further evidence, if it were needed, that these silly compulsory pit stops are doing nothing for the sport.