Paffett Takes DTM Crown - NOT!
Gary Paffett has been stripped of his victory in the fourth round of the 2004 DTM series at the Lausitzring, after running out of fuel at the end of the lap returning him to the pits and the rapturous welcome of the Mercedes team.
The Briton was disqualified five hours after the end of the race, after the stewards decided that his fuel tank did not contain the required amount of fuel - at least 1.5 litres - and infringed the regulations. In addition to this, it was also considered that a breach of parc ferm? rules had taken place, as Paffett’s car came to a halt out on track during his slowing down lap.
AMG-Mercedes has appealed against this decision.
“Gary won on the track and not by any illegal advantage,” insisted motorsport chief Norbert Haug, “The team feels the disqualification to be too severe.“Of course, Paffett - as well as all other C-Class cars in the DTM - used the standardised fuel for all starters, which complies with the rules. Should the championship be decided by such a penalty, this would certainly not be in the spirit of the sport. During its DTM activities, AMG Mercedes has never appealed against decisions of the race stewards but, this time, we have, and hope that this case will be judged in the sense of the sport.?
1. Mattias Ekstr?m Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline Audi A4 DTM +1.160s
2. Christijan Albers HWA AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse +1.468s
3. Bernd Schneider HWA AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse +2.391s
4. Laurent Aiello OPC Team Phoenix Opel Vectra GTS V8 +5.656s
5. Jean Alesi HWA AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse +6.920s
6. Emanuele Pirro Audi Sport Infineon Team Joest Audi A4 DTM +29.785s
7. Marcel F?ssler OPC Team Phoenix Opel Vectra GTS V8 +35.248s
8. Manuel Reuter OPC Team Holzer Opel Vectra GTS V8 +35.650s
9. Christian Abt Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline Audi A4 DTM +42.825s
10. Tom Kristensen Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline Audi A4 DTM +43.136s
11. Peter Dumbreck OPC Team Phoenix Opel Vectra GTS V8 +45.529s
12. Frank Biela Audi Sport Infineon Team Joest Audi A4 DTM +49.816s
13. Markus Winkelhock Persson AMG-Mercedes CLK +58.223s
14. Martin Tomczyk Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline Audi A4 DTM +1m 08.772s
15. Jarek Janis Rosberg AMG-Mercedes CLK +1m 09.281s
16. Timo Scheider OPC Team Holzer Opel Vectra GTS V8 +1m 10.386s
17. Jeroen Bleekemolen OPC Euroteam Opel Astra V8 Coup? +1m 34.591s
Rtd Stefan M?cke Persson AMG-Mercedes CLK +24 laps
Rtd Heinz-Harald Frentzen OPC Team Holzer Opel Vectra GTS V8 +32 laps
Rtd Bernd Mayl?nder Rosberg AMG-Mercedes CLK 0 laps completed
Exc Gary Paffett HWA AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 1hours 02mins 48.388secs 37 laps
