DTM Zolder
Paffett's DTM return delayed due to travel restrictions
Gary Paffett’s highly-anticipated return to the DTM at Zolder next weekend has been delayed due to latest travel restrictions imposed by Belgium to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Rachit Thukral
Edited: Jul 30, 2021, 7:06 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Two-time DTM champion Paffett is due to drive a Mercedes AMG GT3 for the factory-supported Mucke Motorsport team this year, having been away from the series since claiming his second title in 2018.
Paffett was already forced to miss the opening two rounds of the DTM at Monza and the Lausitzring due to clashing commitments with the Mercedes in Formula E, with factory Mercedes driver Maximilian Buhk filling in at Mucke in his absence.
The British driver was hoping to contest his first DTM races in nearly three years at Zolder on August 7-8 and had already taken part in pre-season testing in anticipation of his comeback.
However, Belgium announced last week that it is banning travellers from the UK due to a high number of COVID-19 cases of the Delta variant - originally detected in India - preventing Paffett, who is based near London, from travelling to the country in time for next weekend's third round of the season.
With his Zolder outing cancelled, the 40-year-old will have to wait until at the least the Nurburgring round on August 21-22 to make his official return to the DTM.
"Really frustrated not to be racing at Zolder but it's out of my control with the current travel restrictions," Paffett wrote in a short message on Twitter.
Gary Paffett, Mücke Motorsport Mercedes AMG GT3
Photo by: Alexander Trienitz
Since his first stint in the DTM came to an end after 2018 after 15 seasons, Paffett has largely focused on Formula E, spending a season racing with the HWA team in 2018/19 before taking on an advisory role with Mercedes.
He has also made select GT3 race outings, including the Spa 24 Hours and Bathurst 12 Hour in 2019 with the now-defunct Strakka Racing team.
Paffett's substitute Buhk has enjoyed a successful career in GT3 cars, having won the 2015 Blancpain GT Sprint Cup title with Bentley, and the overall Blancpain GT Series crown in 2016 with Mercedes.
The German driver finished sixth on his DTM debut at Monza last month and has since bagged another points finish with a 10th place result in the first race at the Lausitzring.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Norisring to host 2021 DTM season finale in October
Next article Winkelhock set to make DTM return at the Nurburgring
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Rachit Thukral
Sebastien Bourdais hopes latest WEC success will remind teams of his value
WEC
WEC
Monza
1 h
Sebastien Bourdais hopes latest WEC success will remind teams of his value
Why Corvette’s new LMGT3 champion Jonny Edgar has a bright future
WEC
WEC
Monza
22 h
Why Corvette’s new LMGT3 champion Jonny Edgar has a bright future
More from
Gary Paffett
Friday favourite: The team game maestro who showed Wickens a new side to racing
DTM
DTM Aug 9, 2024
Friday favourite: The team game maestro who showed Wickens a new side to racing
The seaside circuit that a double DTM champion made his own
DTM
DTM Mar 10, 2023
The seaside circuit that a double DTM champion made his own
Paffett forced to abandon plans to return to DTM in 2021
DTM
DTM Aug 12, 2021
Paffett forced to abandon plans to return to DTM in 2021
More from
Mücke Motorsport
Dienst to replace Buhk for Hockenheim DTM races
DTM
DTM
Hockenheimring
Sep 17, 2021
Dienst to replace Buhk for Hockenheim DTM races
Paffett explains decision to skip two DTM rounds
DTM
DTM
Monza
Jun 17, 2021
Paffett explains decision to skip two DTM rounds
Buhk to replace absent Paffett in opening DTM races
DTM
DTM
Monza
Jun 16, 2021
Buhk to replace absent Paffett in opening DTM races
Latest news
Sebastien Bourdais hopes latest WEC success will remind teams of his value
WEC
WEC WEC
Monza
1 h
Sebastien Bourdais hopes latest WEC success will remind teams of his value
"It's horribly painful" - Williams drops 2026 car upgrades to benefit 2027
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
2 h
"It's horribly painful" - Williams drops 2026 car upgrades to benefit 2027
Iker Lecuona felt significant differences between Ducati's GP25 and GP26
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
3 h
Iker Lecuona felt significant differences between Ducati's GP25 and GP26
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe