Gary Paffett DTM Champ

[team underdog]

Glad to hear Gary Paffett has won the DTM Championship, the first Briton to do so. He fully deserves a decent F1 chance now, he tested really well for McLaren a couple years back and was almost in at Sauber (before Villeneuve stole the seat to boost his retirement fund) but has been overlooked since.

Having won German F3 and the DTM (and Autosports Young Driver of the Year)you'd think the bosses at Merc would throw him a bone?

[FourWheelDrift]

With Raikonnen off to Ferrari in 2007 (or so the rumours say) there could be 2 vacancies at McLaren in 2007 if Montoya were to move on too.

Lewis Hamilton and Gary Paffet at McLaren for 2007 maybe?

[Racylady]

FourWheelDrift said:

Lewis Hamilton and Gary Paffet at McLaren for 2007 maybe?

Sounds like a great combination to me!
Congratulations to Gary. I thought he was trying to throw it all away on a few occasions though!

[rubystone]

Excellent result - but where does he go from here?...another season there is probably best - he'll then have a chance at a Direxiv seat...but if Wurz is in the frame for a drive next year - that tester role at McLaren has to be his best option....but don't think that Mercedes patronage is all good - look at Peter Dumbreck, or Nick Heidfeld for proof that all that glisters is not silver....

Raikkonen to Ferrari?...I still can't see that as anything more than a smokscreen to hide their interest in Alonso.....

[robsinfield]

He has done a great job, but he needs to get out of tin tops now if he wants a crack at F1. Too many drivers who want to be single seat aces lose their open wheel ways in series like the DTM. An ideal solution would be for Wurz to get a race seat (or give up !) and for Gary to get in there with lots of F1 testing..

Rob

www.grandprixdiary.com