Gary Paffett

He now lives in Ousden, Suffolk, England.

• Name — Gary Paffett • Imagesize — 180px • Nationality — British • Birth Name — Gary James Paffett • Born — 24 March 1981 • Birthplace — Bromley, Greater London, England • Racing Licence — FIA Platinum • Current Series — FIA Formula E • First Year — 2018–19 • Car Number — 17 • Former Teams — HWA Racelab • Starts — 13 • Wins — 0 • Podiums — 0 • Poles — 0 • Fastest Laps — 0 • Championships — 0 • Last Finish — 19th • Prev Series — DTM Formula One testing International Formula 3000 German F3 British F3 FPA Winter Series Formula Vauxhall Junior FVauxhall Junior W. Series • Prev Series Years — 2003–18 –12 2003 2001–02 2000 1998 1998–99 1997 • Titles — DTM DTM German F3 British F3 National Class Formula Vauxhall Junior FVauxhall Junior Class B FVauxhall Junior W. Series • Title Years — 2018 2005 2002 2000 1999 1998 1997 • Awards — McLaren Autosport Award • Award Years — 1999

In 1993, Paffett joined the British Cadet Championships and earned himself a respectable third place. A year later he moved to British Junior TKM Championship and finished second overall. In 1995, he won the British Junior TKM Championship and also second place in the Junior ICA European Championship. Successes continued into 1996, winning the McLaren Mercedes Karting Champion of the Future award and also second in the British Junior ICA Championship. The next year, he moved into single-seaters, winning the Formula Vauxhall Junior Winter Series, picking up the best newcomer's award in that series in the process. In 1998, he was Formula Vauxhall Junior Class B Champion with thirteen poles and thirteen wins, dominating every race of the season. He also set a track record which had never before been set by any "B" class car. He got promoted to the Formula Vauxhall Junior and won the championship with two track records, four wins, five fastest laps, three pole positions. At the season's end, he was awarded the prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year award.

Moving up to Formula Three, Paffett competed in the Scholarship class of the British F3 Championship, becoming champion with twelve wins, thirteen fastest laps and thirteen pole positions. In 2001, moved overseas to the German F3 Championship racing with Keke Rosberg's race team, finishing sixth overall. Remaining in the series for 2002, he dominated the field winning the championship without ever losing the lead.

• Illustration — Paffett won his third DTM race in succession, by winning the season-opener at Hockenheim in 2010. For 2003, Paffett signed to drive for the new Brand Motorsport team in F3000, but the team withdrew from the series leaving Paffett and his team-mate Nicolas Minassian without drives. Mercedes contacted him and signed him to drive in the DTM with Rosberg's Mercedes AMG team in a year-old car, eventually finishing 11th overall. A year later, he was runner up with an up-to-date AMG-Mercedes C-Class and the HWA team taking four wins and one pole position. He was then champion the following year with five wins and four pole positions. In 2007, Paffett returned to the DTM in a 2006 specification race car for the Persson Motorsport team alongside his McLaren F1 testing duties. At the second round at Oschersleben, Paffett became the first driver in the history of the series to win in a year old car. After a further year in older machinery, he was promoted back to the current Mercedes model for 2009, and finished runner-up in the championship, behind Timo Scheider. • Illustration — Paffett competing in the 2014 DTM season.

In 2017, Mercedes announced it would leave DTM after the 2018 season. After an opening race win from Paffett at the Hockenheimring and a second-place finish in the second race at Lausitzring, Paffett went on to win the fifth round race at Circuit Zandvoort. These three wins alongside three second-place finishes and four third-place finishes proved to be enough to Paffett and Mercedes the Championship title in their final DTM season.

• Illustration — Paffett testing for McLaren at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in December 2008. In December 2005, it was announced that he would not be returning to the DTM series to defend his title but instead would test full-time for McLaren-Mercedes during the 2006 season alongside Pedro de la Rosa. After the departure of Kimi Räikkönen to Ferrari, it was speculated that he may have been in contention for a 2007 race seat in the team alongside World Champion Fernando Alonso. However, due to the arrival of GP2 Champion, Lewis Hamilton, Paffett was overlooked for the drive. Further to this, Paffett was released from his McLaren contract in October 2006, to search for better opportunities. It was widely speculated that he was likely to sign as a test driver at Honda, but Christian Klien was signed instead. A few weeks later however, Paffett was re-signed by McLaren as the team's second test driver, alongside de la Rosa. • Illustration — Paffett testing a McLaren MP4-28 at Silverstone in July 2013 Paffett publicly stated that he was looking for a Formula One race seat for 2008, and was linked with the abortive Prodrive F1 project for that season. However, Prodrive failed to make it to the grid so Paffett stayed with McLaren as a test driver. Paffett was signed as Force India's reserve driver for the 2012 Australian Grand Prix as regular reserve driver Jules Bianchi was unavailable due to Formula Renault 3.5 Series testing commitments. On 17 November 2014, it was announced that Paffett would leave McLaren at the end of the 2014 season. This coincided with McLaren's switch to Honda engines for 2015. • Illustration — Paffett driving a Williams FW33 on the streets of Madrid during an exhibition in 2016 For 2016, Paffett signed on with Williams as a simulator driver, alongside his duties in DTM. Team deputy Claire Williams said: "We're delighted to have someone with Gary's experience join us at Williams. He is a highly professional racing driver and his level of testing knowledge, and ability to analyse data, will significantly help to drive forward development of the FW38 throughout the season."

• Illustration — Paffett at the 2019 Hong Kong ePrix In the 2018–19 Formula E season, Paffett drove for the HWA Racelab Formula E team, together with the Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne. Marking a new adventure for Gary, following his fifteen legendary years in the German Touring Car Series, this season's Formula E championship, marked both Gary's and the HWA team's debut campaign in the 12-round all electric series. He finished the season 19th in the driver's standings after scoring points in Hong Kong, Paris and New York City. On 11 September 2019, it was announced that Paffett would be replaced by Nyck de Vries for the new Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team in the 2019–20 Formula E season. Paffett moved into a management role within the team, working as a sporting and technical advisor, while also being a test and reserve driver.

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) • Year — Team — Engine — 1 — 2 — 3 — 4 — 5 — 6 — 7 — 8 — 9 — 10 — 11 — 12 — 13 — 14 — 15 — 16 — 17 — 18 — 19 — 20 — DC — Pts • 2001 — nowrap| Team Rosberg — Opel — HOC 1 2 — HOC 2 Ret — NÜR 1 8 — NÜR 2 10 — OSC 1 1 — OSC 2 Ret — SAC 1 22 — SAC 2 Ret — NOR 1 4 — NOR 2 3 — HOC 1 Ret — HOC 2 Ret — LAU 1 5 — LAU 2 8 — NÜR 1 12 — NÜR 2 15 — A1R 1 4 — A1R 2 4 — HOC 1 2 — HOC 2 2 — 6th — 123 • 2002 — nowrap| Team Rosberg — Opel — HOC 1 1 — HOC 2 16 — NÜR 1 C — NÜR 2 C — SAC 1 1 — SAC 2 EX — NOR 1 1 — NOR 2 1 — LAU 1 1 — LAU 2 11 — HOC 1 2 — HOC 2 6 — NÜR 1 7 — NÜR 2 7 — A1R 1 1 — A1R 2 10 — ZAN 1 Ret — ZAN 2 Ret — HOC 1 1 — HOC 2 7 — 1st — 83

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap). • Year — Entrant — 1 — 2 — 3 — 4 — 5 — 6 — 7 — 8 — 9 — 10 — DC — Points • 2003 — nowrap| Brand Motorsport — IMO 14 — CAT — A1R — MON — NÜR — MAG — SIL — HOC — HUN — MNZ — 29th — 0 • Sources:

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap). • Year — Team — Car — 1 — 2 — 3 — 4 — 5 — 6 — 7 — 8 — 9 — 10 — 11 — 12 — 13 — 14 — 15 — 16 — 17 — 18 — 19 — 20 — Championship position — Pts • 2003 — nowrap| Team Rosberg — nowrap| AMG-Mercedes CLK-DTM — HOC — ADR — NÜR Ret — LAU 15 — NOR Ret — DON 9 — NÜR 8 — A1R 6 — ZAN 12 — HOC 18† — 11th — 4 • 2004 — nowrap| HWA Team — nowrap| AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 2004 — HOC 1 — EST 13 — ADR 4 — LAU DSQ — NOR 1 — SHA 1 — NÜR 1 — OSC 4 — ZAN 4 — BRN 3 — HOC 3 — 2nd — 57 • 2005 — nowrap| HWA Team — nowrap| AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 2005 — HOC 2 — LAU 1 — SPA 8 — BRN 4 — OSC 1 — NOR 1 — NÜR 3 — ZAN 1 — LAU 2 — IST 1 — HOC 3 — 1st — 84 • 2007 — nowrap| Persson Motorsport — nowrap| AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 2006 — HOC 8 — OSC 1 — LAU 8 — BRH 10 — NOR 4 — MUG Ret — ZAN 9 — NÜR 12 — CAT 5 — HOC Ret — 9th — 20.5 • 2008 — nowrap| Persson Motorsport — nowrap| AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 2007 — HOC 7 — OSC 11 — MUG 12 — LAU 10 — NOR DSQ — ZAN 11 — NÜR 4 — BRH 8 — CAT 11 — BUG 4 — HOC 11 — 9th — 13 • 2009 — nowrap| HWA Team — nowrap| AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 2009 — HOC Ret — LAU 1 — NOR 5 — ZAN 1 — OSC 5 — NÜR 8 — BRH 4 — CAT 4 — DIJ 1 — HOC 1 — 2nd — 59 • 2010 — nowrap| HWA Team — nowrap| AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 2009 — HOC 1 — VAL 7 — LAU 5 — NOR 6 — NÜR 3 — ZAN 1 — BRH 5 — OSC 4 — HOC 4 — ADR 2 — SHA 1 — 2nd — 67 • 2011 — nowrap| HWA Team — nowrap| AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 2009 — HOC 6 — ZAN 9 — SPL 8 — LAU 4 — NOR Ret — NÜR 8 — BRH 4 — OSC 4 — VAL 8 — HOC 5 — 7th — 25 • 2012 — nowrap| HWA Team — nowrap| AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse Coupé — HOC 1 — LAU 2 — BRH 1 — SPL 3 — NOR 4 — NÜR 6 — ZAN 7 — OSC 2 — VAL Ret — HOC 2 — 2nd — 145 • 2013 — nowrap| HWA Team — nowrap| AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse Coupé — HOC 4 — BRH 6 — SPL 9 — LAU 1 — NOR 18† — MSC 5 — NÜR 17 — OSC 6 — ZAN 9 — HOC 9 — 6th — 69 • 2014 — nowrap| HWA Team — nowrap| DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé — HOC 12 — OSC 8 — HUN Ret — NOR 12 — MSC 16 — SPL 17 — NÜR 16 — LAU 13 — ZAN 19† — HOC 10 — 22nd — 5 • 2015 — nowrap| ART Grand Prix — nowrap| DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé — HOC 1 Ret — HOC 2 3 — LAU 1 23 — LAU 2 Ret — NOR 1 3 — NOR 2 7 — ZAN 1 11 — ZAN 2 10 — SPL 1 7 — SPL 2 2 — MSC 1 7 — MSC 2 6 — OSC 1 Ret — OSC 2 13 — NÜR 1 4 — NÜR 2 Ret — HOC 1 Ret — HOC 2 9 — 9th — 89 • 2016 — nowrap| Mercedes-Benz DTM Team ART — nowrap| Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM — HOC 1 11 — HOC 2 4 — SPL 1 18 — SPL 2 13 — LAU 1 14 — LAU 2 5 — NOR 1 14 — NOR 2 DSQ — ZAN 1 4 — ZAN 2 2 — MSC 1 3 — MSC 2 18 — NÜR 1 19 — NÜR 2 7 — HUN 1 20 — HUN 2 16 — HOC 1 19 — HOC 2 15 — 11th — 73 • 2017 — nowrap| Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Mercedes Me — nowrap| Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM — HOC 1 7 — HOC 2 2 — LAU 1 6 — LAU 2 4 — HUN 1 7 — HUN 2 9 — NOR 1 10 — NOR 2 Ret — MSC 1 7 — MSC 2 16 — ZAN 1 8 — ZAN 2 5 — NÜR 1 10 — NÜR 2 14 — SPL 1 17 — SPL 2 4 — HOC 1 9 — HOC 2 4 — 10th — 102 • 2018 — nowrap| Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Petronas — nowrap| Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM — HOC 1 1 — HOC 2 3 — LAU 1 9 — LAU 2 1 — HUN 1 6 — HUN 2 15 — NOR 1 2 — NOR 2 13 — ZAN 1 1 — ZAN 2 2 — BRH 1 6 — BRH 2 2 — MIS 1 Ret — MIS 2 14 — NÜR 1 3 — NÜR 2 5 — SPL 1 10 — SPL 2 3 — HOC 1 4 — HOC 2 3 — 1st — 255 • Sources: † – Driver did not finish, but completed 90% of the race distance. ‡ – Shanghai was a non-championship round.

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) • Year — Team — Chassis — Powertrain — 1 — 2 — 3 — 4 — 5 — 6 — 7 — 8 — 9 — 10 — 11 — 12 — 13 — Pos — Points • nowrap| 2018–19 — nowrap| HWA Racelab — nowrap| Spark SRT05e — nowrap| Venturi VFE05 — ADR Ret — MRK Ret — SCL 14 — MEX 16 — HKG 8 — SYX Ret — RME Ret — PAR 8 — MCO 12 — BER 16 — BRN 17 — NYC 11 — NYC 10 — 19th — 9 • Sources: