Spengler keeping lid on DTM title hopes despite Nurburgring victory

Spengler was utterly dominant at the Nurburgring as he won from pole and set the fastest lap while Paffett, who qualified 11th, could only recover as high as sixth spot.

The Canadian, whose victory also enabled him to pass Paffett's HWA Mercedes team-mate Jamie Green for second place in the points, warned, however, that nothing should be taken for granted with four races left and 100 points up for grabs.

"You always believe that you can do it and that you can have the chance, but there are still four races to go," he said.

"This weekend went great for us, but now we go to two races where we maybe we will be fast, and maybe we will struggle. Zandvoort is somewhere we've never driven the car before and Oschersleben is a very specialised circuit.

"Before telling everyone that you're going to go for the championship, you have to concentrate on your work, like we've done until now. If we carry on doing this until the end of the season, then who knows? It's best to take it race-by-race."

Spengler, who joined BMW this year after seven seasons with Mercedes, has been a serious title contender five times, and was leading the standings at this point in both 2010 and 2011, before falling short each on each occasion.

His Schnitzer team boss Charly Lamm, who previously ran Roberto Ravaglia to the 1989 DTM crown, said that keeping the momentum of the Nurburgring going through the next few races will be key to avoiding a repeat and boosting Spengler's titles hopes.

"We are certainly not going to take our foot off the gas now, and will continue to focus on the task in hand," Lamm said.

"Looking at what Bruno did at the Nurburgring; no mistakes, despite a lot of pressure, then he is doing a fantastic job and he deserves to have success."