Coulthard 13th on DTM debut

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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.

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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31 comments on “Coulthard 13th on DTM debut”

  1. 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

  2. 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?

  3. 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.

    1. I missed that, most disappointing from a purely patriotic point of view.

    2. 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.

      1. 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.

    3. Emmeline Pankhurst will be spinning in her grave!

    4. 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…

      1. 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.

        1. when did that happen? mind telling us around when it was on in terms of the timecode? thx =]

          1. A Fellow Scot
            25th April 2010, 19:34

            It was when they were interviewing Di Resta before qualifying

          2. 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.

        2. I actually didn’t think the “sarcasm” or “smarminess” was particularly noticible now that I’ve seen it..

    5. Sounds a little bit like Schumacher (the 7xchamp, nor Ralfie) in F1. Not really fighty and still finding his feet!

    6. 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!

  4. 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.

  5. The correct anwser to all questions is; Who cares…

  6. How did Brundle (and the other old F1rts) get on in the Scirocco Cup?

    1. “Steinhof Wins Scirocco R-Cup Inaugural Race, Brundle Is Third”

      http://paddocktalk.com/news/html/story-133979.html

  7. Well done to DC, I’ll be following him to see how he gets on. I hope he end up fighting at the front!

  8. DC Was in an older spec car so personally I think he done very well.

    1. 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.

  9. Good attempt DC, but

  10. 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

    1. HounslowBusGarage
      25th April 2010, 20:46

      Mika came 8th in his DTM debut. So not exactly crowned in glory.

  11. Hakkinan won at Spa in Dtm, DC blasts Shumi, let’s see what he will do

  12. This is the series Schumacher belongs in now. I’m sure Mercedes has a seat waiting for him.

    1. 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.

  13. 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.

  14. Does anyone here even watch DTM?

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