David Coulthard finished 13th in his first race for Mercedes in the DTM.
He started 17th on the grid behind fellow ex-F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, who’s in his third year in the German touring car series.
Schumacher finished tenth in the season-opener at the Hockenheimring behind another former F1 driver, Markus Winkelhock, also in an Audi.
McLaren test driver Gary Paffett, the 2005 DTM champion, won from pole position for Mercedes after early leader Martin Tomczyk spun.
Paul di Resta, Force India’s third driver, finished fourth behind Bruno Spengler and Jamie Green as Mercedes drivers filled the top four places.
Klon
25th April 2010, 14:15
Update: Ralf Schumacher finished ninth and Coulthard also gets another place due to Winkelhock failing to do the two mandatory stops, which gave him a 60-Second-Penalty
James_mc
25th April 2010, 14:45
Good to see PDR keeping race-sharp.
Am I right in thinking that PDR and Parffett have got two of the highest career win percentages of currently active drivers?
A Fellow Scot
25th April 2010, 14:54
Schumacher is hardly worthy of comparison with Coulthard, F1 or not Ralf hasn’t exactly set DTM alight. Paffett & Di Resta make better comparisons, but it’s early yet for David.
However, DC was beaten by a girl… ha ha ha! …and was never really fighty in his driving, but as said he is finding his feet.
It’s strange, I want to be critical of DC like he was with Di Resta in China, but I can’t… not because DC was any good in the race, coz he wasn’t, just coz it was his debut. But I’ll be watching, and DC’s laughing at Di Resta’s driving in China isn’t forgotten.
James_mc
25th April 2010, 14:57
I missed that, most disappointing from a purely patriotic point of view.
LlauraM
25th April 2010, 16:00
A Fellow Scot- really? Necessary to say DC was beaten by a girl? Sounds like you are on the boarder of the “No swearing, insults, advertising, racial, sexual or similar discrimination allowed” policy. But most importantly, it’s sad you consider that an insult and necessary to point out.
A Fellow Scot
25th April 2010, 18:15
Hi LlauraM, I can understand why but it was obviously not my intention to cause you offence and I apologise for that.
Ned Flanders
25th April 2010, 16:22
Emmeline Pankhurst will be spinning in her grave!
Christian
25th April 2010, 18:09
DC’s comments were from a fellow driver and journalist point of view really and fair enough. It did look like Di Resta was struggling with the Force India and he was just asking why.
I don’t think DC should hold back on questions like that just because they are both British…
A Fellow Scot
25th April 2010, 18:21
I’ve no problems with DC asking why the Force India struggles in certain situations, but to laugh and be sarcastic is not professional… even Jake picked him up on it.
choiMatthew
25th April 2010, 19:27
when did that happen? mind telling us around when it was on in terms of the timecode? thx =]
A Fellow Scot
25th April 2010, 19:34
It was when they were interviewing Di Resta before qualifying
A Fellow Scot
25th April 2010, 19:48
It’s still on the BBC’S Video page, “F1 Practice – Behind the scenes with Di Resta”… watch it from 7mins
DC laughs at the start, and towards the end, of the on board footage… Jake tells Paul not to give DC and tips in the DTM, and then says to DC “and I’ll be tuning in to see how YOU get on!” with a smirk.
James_mc
26th April 2010, 10:00
I actually didn’t think the “sarcasm” or “smarminess” was particularly noticible now that I’ve seen it..
BasCB
26th April 2010, 7:09
Sounds a little bit like Schumacher (the 7xchamp, nor Ralfie) in F1. Not really fighty and still finding his feet!
Daffid
27th April 2010, 18:03
DC and Paul are fairly friendly, and gave Paul some tips on driving in F1, I think his comments were him with his professional hat on, trying to commentate fairly, I’m sure there’s no ill-will there, just the old timer who misses his drive winding up the young gun, whom he knows can take it. Wind ups are part of Scottish life!
Tristan Rayner | PureF1.com
25th April 2010, 15:20
Gary Paffett drove the pants off the MP4-23 McLaren when it was doing demonstration runs in Melbourne. Last year Christian Klien drove around the 2008 Williams and drifted around a bit.
Paffett had something to prove even during a demonstration – very impressed.
Aleksandar_Serbia
25th April 2010, 16:50
The correct anwser to all questions is; Who cares…
Tom
25th April 2010, 18:20
How did Brundle (and the other old F1rts) get on in the Scirocco Cup?
dcowlives
25th April 2010, 20:10
“Steinhof Wins Scirocco R-Cup Inaugural Race, Brundle Is Third”
http://paddocktalk.com/news/html/story-133979.html
James McG
25th April 2010, 19:10
Well done to DC, I’ll be following him to see how he gets on. I hope he end up fighting at the front!
RubinhoFan
25th April 2010, 19:16
DC Was in an older spec car so personally I think he done very well.
PatrickL
26th April 2010, 14:25
Coulthard is driving a 2008 Mercedes. Schumacher is driving a 2009 Mercedes and of course the top Mercedes drivers are using a 2010 Mercedes.
I’m not sure how much difference there is between different aged cars, but obviously, DC is in the worst spec available.
Marti
25th April 2010, 20:12
Good attempt DC, but
Marti
25th April 2010, 20:16
OOoops,
Good attempt DC, but ….
didn`t UR old mclaren teammate also try his hand at DTM with Mercedes also, and didn`t he also do better than you in that formula – The original flying finn – the great Mika Hakkinen
HounslowBusGarage
25th April 2010, 20:46
Mika came 8th in his DTM debut. So not exactly crowned in glory.
SIr Dread
25th April 2010, 21:34
Hakkinan won at Spa in Dtm, DC blasts Shumi, let’s see what he will do
pitt layne
26th April 2010, 3:05
This is the series Schumacher belongs in now. I’m sure Mercedes has a seat waiting for him.
graigchq
26th April 2010, 8:18
That’s what i was thinking, and would seem a better way to come back to Motorsport than to F1 if he’s not at the sharp end of things.
I think M Schumacher had underestimated the competition since leaving the sport, has come back to find Alonso is more aggressive, Hamilton faster, and a wehole host of others who have matured and developed into very fast racers giving him a hard time to get back to where he was (Button, Kubica, Vettel, Webber)..
It would not surprise me one bit to see him move over to DTM alongside his brother and DC next year.
dsob
26th April 2010, 8:10
Nice to see Paul di Resta finished in front of Coulthard after Coulthard’s sarcastic and smarmy treatment of him in China.
Wonder if Jake and Eddie will be into him about it as hard as they were into Eddie about his sweating. Coulthard sure deserves a poke or two, at least.
And I hope di Resta still has a grin on his face, cause he deserves that, too.
CNSZU
26th April 2010, 14:41
Does anyone here even watch DTM?
Vida Mersinger
10th October 2010, 0:13
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