Gary Paffett wants DTM to clampdown on dangerous driving
Gary Paffett has called on DTM race officials to take a harder line over dangerous driving, following the opening round of the season at Hockenheim last weekend
Paffett, who finished fourth in his HWA Mercedes, believes that BMW drivers Martin Tomczyk and Bruno Spengler both should have been penalised for moves that he deemed "unacceptable" on lap 13.
"Martin caught me at a time when he was on the option tyre and I didn't make it difficult for him to pass; it made no sense to," Paffett told AUTOSPORT.
"And when I caught him later on and we were fighting with Bruno he just brake-tested me on the straight. I don't understand why people do stupid things like that.
"I spoke to him afterwards and he told me he had wheelspin and didn't brake, but you could see the brake lights come on in the TV replay.
"A bit of rubbing side-to-side I can live with, but when you brake-test someone on the straight it's not racing; it is pure dangerous, reckless driving and you should be punished."
Paffett has had previous run-ins with Tomczyk, most recently at Zandvoort last year, after which the RMG BMW man was given a grid penalty for the following race.
He also believes that Spengler should have been penalised for overtaking him after twice putting four wheels off the circuit on the kinked section between the Spitzkehre and the Mercedes Arena.
"He did something that isn't allowed in the regulations and it's pretty clear about that," the 2005 champion added.
"They haven't given him a penalty and that shows a lack of control of the regulations."
Hockenheim DTM: Farfus wins for BMW in season opener
DTM's DRS system will be limited at Brands Hatch - Mattias Ekstrom
The longest-serving Red Bull driver revealing F1’s true brutality
His day of days in Formula 1 came at Indianapolis in 2005, a day grand prix racing strives to forget. But Patrick Friesacher, the long-serving Red Bull lieutenant, remains active today driving a two-seater that provides ordinary people with a glimpse of an F1 car’s savage potential, including this writer...
How the DTM has come back stronger from its Norisring nadir
OPINION: Questionable driving standards and farcical team orders meant the DTM's first season under GT3 regulations ended under a cloud. But the organisation has responded firmly by banning team orders and welcomed new manufacturers, making for an intriguing season ahead as new and returning names prepare for battle
The remarkable career of a 'classy' champion who rejected politics
Over two decades as a factory driver with Audi and BMW, Martin Tomczyk earned the respect of team-mates and rivals as a hard but fair racer. After calling time on his racing career, the 2011 DTM champion sat down with Autosport to look back
The other Hamilton conqueror seeking career revival
On his rise through the ranks before reaching Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton was usually a cut above the rest. But he never truly asserted himself over a Mercedes-backed fellow Briton who traded single-seaters for touring cars and is now seeking new opportunities after a year largely spent on the sidelines
How the DTM's shambolic finale poses awkward future questions
OPINION: The scenes at the Norisring as Mercedes used blatant team orders to secure the first DTM title of the new GT3 era totally undermined the credibility of the championship. But as well as overshadowing the season, it also presents uncomfortable questions to series bosses about the direction it is headed in
How Audi's new DTM star is channeling Rast to achieve his "childhood dream"
Having learned the ropes in GT3 alongside Rene Rast, Kelvin van der Linde is in line to take up the three-time champion's baton as Audi's new DTM king. From humble origins in South Africa, it's been a remarkable journey so far for the current series leader, but he knows that the 2021 title is a long way from settled just yet
The number-crunching behind the new-look DTM's equalisation drive
Switching to GT3 regulations marked a fresh start for the DTM in 2021, but it has also drawn a line in the sand against other series using similar cars by engaging AVL Racing to develop a bespoke Balance of Performance system. Here’s how it works
The initial verdict on DTM's move to GT3 cars
OPINION: Facing collapse last year, the DTM has shifted its philosophy from a championship for silhouette-based touring cars to GT machines not too dissimilar to those racing across multiple series worldwide. But despite some initial BoP-based teething troubles, there were some pleasant findings as the 'new DTM' got underway at Monza