In a new series of columns, Mercedes-Benz star and DTM championship contender Gary Paffett gives us an insight into his life on and off the track in the world's fastest touring car series.

We were all feeling pretty down just after the first race, and I struggled to come up with many words that AUTOSPORT could print to describe my first weekend of the year. But there's a few more I can come up with now thankfully.

I don't remember ever being in a new car and having such a bad weekend. You race an old car, as I did for the past two years, and you have tough weekends – it's very difficult at times. But in a new car you expect it to be slightly easier. During all the tests and free practice, the speed was there and I was happy. But it was hardly the ideal start to the season.

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