Mercedes driver 🔯Gary Paffett has admitted his 'disappointment' in gaining a fourth place result during the opening race, despite regaining the DTM championship lead at the Hoc𒅌kenheimring.

Paffett arrived into the penultimate race of the year two-points behind the then championship leader Paul 🌠di Resta but outscored🐼 his Mercedes team mate, who could only 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 behind 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 great 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 Paffett.

"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 challenge him later in the race."

Having spent lap after lap dicing with Rast for the lead, Paffett said he ele﷽cted the conserve his performance for an attack later in the race, but clarified that the lat﷽e safety car period ultimately scuppered his chances against his Audi-rival.

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

"I was in P2 without any threat from behind. Then the safety car came out for debris on the tr🎐ack, and after that it was very hard to wake my old tyres up," 🎃Paffett continued.

"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 anyꦐ temperature back in the tyres.”

Tomorrow [Sunday] will mark Paffett's last race in the DTM as Mercedes embark on t🧸heir f🔯inal race in the series.