Motorsport: Di Resta fourth in DTM

BATHGATE'S Paul di Resta started his bid for the DTM Championship by clinching his best-ever finish in the traditional season opener at Hockenheim.

The 24-year-old finished fourth as his Mercedes team locked-out the top four positions. Di Resta, who started the race from sixth on the grid and recovered to finish just 2.251secs behind England's 2005 DTM champ Gary Paffett, said: "It was great to get back into racing action after all the Formula One testing I've been doing with Force India. Considering I haven't raced since the final DTM race last October, I've got to be pleased with that."

Di Resta, who returns to Scotland now for a few days break having travelled to China for the F1 Grand Prix a fortnight ago before heading straight to Germany, returns to action a week on Friday at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.

Formula One veteran David Coulthard battled through the Hockenheim field from 17th on the grid to finish 12th on his debut in a 2008 Mercedes.