Bathgate’s Paul Di Resta will start fourth on the grid for tomorrow’s finale to the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) at Hockenheim as he bids to helps his Mercedes team-mate Gary Paffett clinch the title.
The Englishman, seven points adrift of defending champ Timo Scheider’s Audi, was denied pole position in the closing seconds by just 0.066secs when Swede Mattias Ekstrom edged him from the top of the timesheets.
While Paffett forms the meat in an Audi sandwich — Scheider lines up third just ahead of Di Resta — Scot Di Resta has pledged to do what he can to help his team-mate.
“Last year I came into the final race with the chance of winning the championship and the Audi drivers, led by Ekstrom, ganged together to wreck my race and my title hopes,” Di Resta said today.
“Sunday could well be pay-back time. I certainly have no intention of doing anything illegal, but I will do everything in my power to help Gary and Mercedes win the championship.”
With 10 points for the win and eight for second, Paffett knows he must finish in the top two and rely on Scheider failing to score any points, something the German has only done once this season an Zandvoort.
Di Resta meanwhile, who has rescued his season with a win and a second place in the last three races following a miserable start to the year, starts today fourth in the championship just two points behind Ekstrom in third.
JM
