Paffett expects to be in a 2009 car

The 2005 series champion has driven older machinery for the second-string Persson Motorsport team for the past two seasons, having left the DTM to focus on Formula One testing with McLaren in 2006.

With no F1 racing opportunities opening up, he returned to touring cars from 2007, but there was no room for him in the AMG line-up at that stage.

But with the retirement of DTM legend Bernd Schneider, Paffett now expects to be back in Mercedes' top team.

"The future for this year looks good; there is some space freed up in a new car and it looks like I'm going to be back racing for the works team, fighting hopefully for the championship again," said Paffett at Autosport International today. "So it's back where I want to be."

Despite being in an outdated car, Paffett managed to finish ninth in the championship in both 2007 and 2008, and took a race victory in the former season.

But he admitted that being an underdog again had been a frustrating experience.

"After fighting for the championship in 2004 and 2005, I proved myself to be the best driver they've got," said Paffett. "And then to be coming back and racing in equipment that's not really got the ability to win races, let alone the championship... it is difficult to do.

"But in that respect you have got to look at the future, look at the possibilities that are going to arise, and stick it out. And that's what I had to do for two years, which was certainly a year longer than I wanted to. But it looks like we got there in the end."

Paffett also remains optimistic that he will eventually make it into F1 despite the current lack of opportunities.

"It's difficult at the moment; there's not much moving going on in Formula One, and with the current testing regulations there is very little time for the test drivers to actually get in the cars and prove themselves," said the 27-year-old Briton.

"With the current economic climate, and a lot of the manufacturers looking a bit shaky over whether they are going to compete, and with Honda's withdrawal, anything can happen. Maybe they are going to have to start fielding more cars in each team, I don't know.

"I think for me it's just a case of trying to stay in Formula One with McLaren, doing some work that I can do for them at the moment, and just seeing what can happen. I think anything can happen, as we have seen in the last few months.

"It is just a case of keeping my foot in the door. I have proven to the team what I can do and obviously the team are very happy with what I have done."