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."
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About this article
| Series | DTM |
| Drivers | Gary Paffett |
| Author | Jamie O'Leary |
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