Mercedes driver Gary Paffett has admitted his 'disapp💮ointment' in gaining a fourth place result durཧing the opening race, despite regaining the DTM championship lead at the Hockenheimring.

Paffett arrived int𓆏o the penultimate race of the year two-points behind the then championship leader Paul di Resta but outscored his Mercedes team mate, who could on🦄ly manage eighth, to take a six-point lead into Sunday's deciding race.

The 37-year old led the opening third of the race but fell b𝓡ehind eventual winner Rene Rast shortly after the pit-window. 🐻Paffett later dropped further down to fourth following a late safety car period.

“The result was disappointing. We had greatꦦ pace in the race and a margin on René in the first stint. He gained a lot on us in the pit stop and overtook me shortly after that with DRS," said P⛎affett.

"Then we had a bit of a battle, and I actually stopped using DRS. I was quite comfortable just sitting behind him, because I thought we had the pace to chal💧lenge him later in the race🍨."

Having spent lap aft𓆉er lap dicing with Rast for the lead, Paffett said he elected the conserve his performance for an attack later in the race, but clarified that the late safety car period ultimately scuppered his chances against his Aud﷽i-rival.

With Rast able to pull away at the front, Paffett was unable to fend off Robin Frijns and Timo Glock ⛦for a ste𝕴p on the podium.

"I was in P2 withouℱt any threat from behind. Then the safety car came out for debris on the track, and after that it was very hard to wake my old tyres up," Paffett contin🍸ued.

"Then, on the restart, someone went off and the whole track was covered in dust. I nearly went off something like ten times because it was impossible to get any temperature back in t♊he tyres.”

Tomorrow [Sunday] will mark Paffett's last race in the DTM as Mercedes embark on thei♓r final race in the series.