Bathgate’s Paul Di Resta, currently second in the German Touring Car Championship, starts tomorrow’s round in Barcelona from third on the grid in his Mercedes. But the 22-year-old Scot was disappointed to qualify behind the Audi of championship leader Timo Scheider.
“I didn’t do my job today, so I’m really disappointed,” Di Resta, who set his fastest time on the 1.8-mile Spanish Grand Prix circuit in the second qualifying session, admitted today.
“We’ve been getting quicker and quicker every session, but I didn’t manage to hook up a good lap in the final qualifying session which meant I was slower than my Q2 time and have to start behind Timo.”
Di Resta’s best time of 1min 07.305secs in the final qualifying session was 0.026s slower than second-placed Scheider. Pole position, the 25th of his career, went to 44-year-old DTM veteran Bernd Schneider who clocked 1:07.248s in his Mercedes, 0.031 quicker than Scheider.
“Everything’s getting very tight as the championship edges to its conclusion,” Di Resta, just nine points behind Scheider with three races remaining, continued. “Hopefully I can jump him at the start and then get a bit of help from Bernd.
“Obviously I would love to win this weekend, but the main objective has to be to finish ahead of Timo and close the gap in the championship.”
JM