Polesitter Mike Rockenfeller leads the field at the start of Sunday's DTM race at Brands Hatch. Picture: Andy Payton.

Local hero Gary Paffett narrowly missed out on a podium position as the DTM Touring Car Championship visited Brands Hatch on Sunday.

Fans braved the rain to watch Germany’s Martin Tomczyk win the race from Sweden’s Mattias Ekstrom, with Edoardo Mortara of Italy in third for an Audi one-two-three.

Bromley-born Paffett, who is also the back-up driver for Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button at McLaren-Mercedes, had qualified in second place, behind fellow Mercedes driver Mike Rockenfeller, but missed out on the rostrum by less than three seconds.

Fellow Brits Jamie Green, Oliver Jarvis and Susie Stoddart were eighth, ninth and 14th, while former F1 driver-turned-commentator, David Coulthard, in a guest appearance, was 12th.