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19th
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Gary Paffett (Mercedes) was quickest in qualifying on his home soil at Brands Hatch, for the third round of the DTM championship.
The Brit - who leads provisional championship classification thanks to his win in the opening round in Hockenheim, then classified second at Lausitz -, led his teammate Christian Vietoris, who reaches the front row of the grid for the first time in his DTM career. That was also the first pole position for Mercedes this season.
Behind both Mercedes driver, Bruno Spengler set the third best performance aboard his BMW M3 DTM. The Canadian, who clinched victory for his team at the Lausitzring two weeks ago, was again in good form at Brands Hatch.
Spengler set the best performance in Q1, then classified third in Q2 and in Q3. In Q4, he missed the pole by a hair, may be because he went a bit wide at the exit of turn one. Mike Rockenfeller put his Audi A5 in fourth position, which was a little consolation for Audi.
Meanwhile, Robert Wickens, the other canadian driver in DTM, could only manage 17th place on the grid aboard his C Class Mercedes.
"I can live with third place," Spengler said. "It was very close here again. My lap in the fourth qualifying session was okay. My tyres already had one more lap under their belt, which made it a bit difficult. Qualifying was tough, but great fun."
"I think third place is a nice present for Charly and Dieter Lamm, whose birthday is today. I am looking forward to the race now. I had Gary Paffett breathing down my neck the whole time at the Lausitzring. Hopefully I can annoy him a bit tomorrow and put him under pressure."
Qualifying results - DTM (Brands Hatch)
1. Gary Paffett (Mercedes C-Coupe) - HWA - 41.266s - Q4
2. Christian Vietoris (Mercedes C-Coupe) - HWA - 41.410s - Q4
3. Bruno Spengler (BMW M3) - Schnitzer - 41.462s - Q4
4. Mike Rockenfeller (Audi A5) - Phoenix - 41.484s - Q4
5. Martin Tomczyk (BMW M3) - RMG - 41.101s - Q3
6. Filipe Albuquerque (Audi A5) - Rosberg - 41.142s - Q3
7. Adrien Tambay (Audi A5) - Abt - 41.156s - Q3
8. Mattias Ekstrom (Audi A5) - Abt - 41.163s - Q3
9. Augusto Farfus (BMW M3) - RBM - 41.172s - Q3
10. Jamie Green (Mercedes C-Coupe) - HWA - 41.284s - Q3
(...)
17. Robert Wickens (Mercedes C-Coupe) - Mucke - 41.584s - Q1
Etc.
The Brit - who leads provisional championship classification thanks to his win in the opening round in Hockenheim, then classified second at Lausitz -, led his teammate Christian Vietoris, who reaches the front row of the grid for the first time in his DTM career. That was also the first pole position for Mercedes this season.
Behind both Mercedes driver, Bruno Spengler set the third best performance aboard his BMW M3 DTM. The Canadian, who clinched victory for his team at the Lausitzring two weeks ago, was again in good form at Brands Hatch.
Spengler set the best performance in Q1, then classified third in Q2 and in Q3. In Q4, he missed the pole by a hair, may be because he went a bit wide at the exit of turn one. Mike Rockenfeller put his Audi A5 in fourth position, which was a little consolation for Audi.
Meanwhile, Robert Wickens, the other canadian driver in DTM, could only manage 17th place on the grid aboard his C Class Mercedes.
"I can live with third place," Spengler said. "It was very close here again. My lap in the fourth qualifying session was okay. My tyres already had one more lap under their belt, which made it a bit difficult. Qualifying was tough, but great fun."
"I think third place is a nice present for Charly and Dieter Lamm, whose birthday is today. I am looking forward to the race now. I had Gary Paffett breathing down my neck the whole time at the Lausitzring. Hopefully I can annoy him a bit tomorrow and put him under pressure."
Qualifying results - DTM (Brands Hatch)
1. Gary Paffett (Mercedes C-Coupe) - HWA - 41.266s - Q4
2. Christian Vietoris (Mercedes C-Coupe) - HWA - 41.410s - Q4
3. Bruno Spengler (BMW M3) - Schnitzer - 41.462s - Q4
4. Mike Rockenfeller (Audi A5) - Phoenix - 41.484s - Q4
5. Martin Tomczyk (BMW M3) - RMG - 41.101s - Q3
6. Filipe Albuquerque (Audi A5) - Rosberg - 41.142s - Q3
7. Adrien Tambay (Audi A5) - Abt - 41.156s - Q3
8. Mattias Ekstrom (Audi A5) - Abt - 41.163s - Q3
9. Augusto Farfus (BMW M3) - RBM - 41.172s - Q3
10. Jamie Green (Mercedes C-Coupe) - HWA - 41.284s - Q3
(...)
17. Robert Wickens (Mercedes C-Coupe) - Mucke - 41.584s - Q1
Etc.