LCC member Gary Paffett has won the 2005 DTM Championship at Hockenheim yesterday, Sunday 23 October. In a closely contested series, Gary finally clinched the title in the last race of the season with a fine third place. Fellow AMG-Mercedes drivers Bernd Schneider and Jamie Green were first and second, ensuring that Mercedes not only finished the year on a high with a 1-2-3 victory at the German circuit, but that they also took the Team prize (Gary's Deutche Bank team) and the Constructor's Championship, as well as the Driver's.

Throughout this season, Gary had been in a constant tussle with the reigning Champion, Mattias Ekstrom for Audi, the pair alternately leading each other by a single point during the summer. Only in the penultimate race at Istanbul was Gary able to open up a significant lead over his rival; and then at Hockenheim a poor qualifying position of 15th for Ekstrom ensured that he could never seriously threaten the Britsih driver.

Despite some heroic driving, Ekstrom finished seventh in the race, and secong overall in the championship, 13 points behind Paffett.

The Club sends in heartiest congratulations to the new DTM Champion - and its best wishes for his forthcoming marriage to his finacee, Lisa, in December!