The Strategy Behind… getting ready

Adrian Sutil of the Sauber F1 team sits down with us and talks about the preparations for Formula 1 races.

Before the training

As a Formula 1 driver you have to do a lot of research, analyze the data and collect different information before even training. There is so much data out there that it’s very easy to get lost and very hard to find the most important things to you. We at Sauber try to make progress every single day and learn something from all the new bits of information that are thrown at us. Innovation is hard, but very interesting.

Still, my advice is “drive as much as possible”.

2014

This year is a huge challenge for everybody, I can already see that it’s very difficult for most teams to cope with new important changes. The first race showed which teams were more prepared for the beginning of the season.

Innovation is hard, but very interesting.

I personally have to be as light as possible during this season. It’s all because of the weight regulations and I’m one of the tallest drivers. I spent a few weeks in the mountains doing an extreme amount of cardio training and cross-country skiing and hiking. Basic driver exercises were not forgotten as well, and I don’t even have to remember to stretch and work on the neck muscles now – my body remembers that automatically.

Adrian Sutil (GER) Williams Reserve Driver at the Amber Lounge Fashion Show. Monaco Grand Prix, Friday 22nd May 2015. Monte Carlo, Monaco.

The near future

I’m in a good mood and feel very comfortable in Sauber. We have our targets and we will do everything we can to hit them during this season. The beginning wasn’t so smooth so we still have loads of improving to do ahead. I want to learn something and develop every day, as I said before, and not only in racing – so this kind of attitude is appreciated and useful when driving for a Formula 1 team. It helps me a lot.

We’re all here to perform, and perform best we can, because only then we can make this sport enjoyable for the people. Last year I was 9^th, so this year I want to stay in the top ten and get a few places higher. If my team is with me on this one, I might succeed.