Shanghai street race blasts off
The skyscrapers of Shanghai make a fine backdrop for Gary Paffett
Picture: ITR
Shanghai has enjoyed its first taste of motor racing - months before the city plays host to the Formula One circus.
The DTM series visited the streets of the Pudong district for a non-championship round, using a shortened version of a circuit first mooted as a possible Champ Car venue.
Crowds turned out in their thousands to watch the racing, and witnessed the Mercedes of Gary Paffett storm to victory.
But the meeting was not without incident; the first of two scheduled races was abandoned when Bernd Maylander's Mercedes was badly damaged by a loose manhole cover.
The wide main straight gave some unusual lines into the narrow Turn One.
Picture:ITR
Racing was delayed by five hours while officials welded shut all of the 72 manhole covers around the 1.7 mile circuit. Despite this, DTM prime movers were pleased with the overseas event.
Audi motorsport chief Wolfgang Ullrich said: "Shanghai has created a great stage for the DTM in a very short time." Opel boss Volker Strycek added: "It was an eventful race in an impressive city."
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