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Q & A with Adrian Sutil

Q. How much are you looking forward to your first season as a Formula 1 race driver?

Adrian Sutil: It is a big thing and I really can't wait. I have been counting down the days until I go in the car on Wednesday. It will be my first roll out in the new car, so it will be a great day. Ever since I first heard the news that I was a driver with Spyker, my life has changed a little bit and now I just want to drive.

Q. That news came very late of course, so has that only increased your excitement ahead of your debut year?

AS: Yes for sure. I was even happier as I hadn't expected so much. In Formula 1 it is always hard to say if you are going to get in a race seat or not, as there are so many things that count before you get a drive.

I knew I would be in the team, but I didn't expect to be a race driver. But in the end I saw a little bit of the negotiations, I was beginning to think that maybe I would get the seat. But I didn't want to think too much on it and end up being disappointed. It was a great Christmas present, three days before, so I will never forget it.

Q. Since then obviously you haven't tested the car. How big a disadvantage is that, especially compared to some of your fellow rookies?

AS: Until now I have only done 1000km in a F1 car. We have about 10 more test days. I hope everything goes well, as otherwise for sure I won't have that much driving experience in the car before my first Grand Prix.

But I think 10 days are enough to be able to step in there in the first Grand Prix, but of course I will be the driver with the least kilometres in the whole field.

However I think it is better to start off with the last specification car ahead of the new season as then you can handle it; you can practice during the race and can get the time in it. But your car must always be the last spec - this makes the times [difference] in Formula One.

Q. How will you approach your first race in Australia?

AS: I want to finish the race and just to try and do the best racing performance I can do. I don't know yet how good the car is going to be as I obviously haven't done any testing yet. I will see on Wednesday how the car is.

But the most important thing is to get the mileage, finish the races, do some good races and hopefully pull off some nice overtaking or something. We will see what the final result is.

Q. How confident are you that Spyker can move up the grid in 2007, considering the teams that finished around you last season are all equally optimistic about making progress?

AS: Everybody wants to make a step towards the front and everybody says during the winter that they will make a big step. I don't know at the moment and I don't want to say too much. For sure we will start at the back a little bit in the beginning, but during the season we can expect to go a little bit further towards the front.

We also have many new people on board.

Mike [Gascoyne] has shown before what he is capable of and has taken many other teams towards the front. I believe in his work and he says it is possible to make progress, so I trust him and hope for the best.

Q. How have people back home reacted to your promotion to the Spyker race seat and making it four Germans on the grid this year?

AS: It has been big, big news in Germany of course. Everybody is happy to have four German drivers again in Formula One. And I think for myself and all the German drivers it will be a chance to get more press coverage from everybody.

Michael was always such a big star; he was the interesting one and not the other ones. Now it will be better for all the German drivers.

Q. Will there be a big competition between the four of you?

AS: There is always a competition but everybody is driving different cars - some are faster, some are slower. So you can't really call it a competition. But still it will be interesting who will win a Grand Prix first and so on.

Q. Your old teammate Lewis Hamilton said you would could do a 'Kubica' in your first year and beat your teammate. What did you make of those comments?

AS: Yes it was nice to hear the things that he said, but it [F1] will not be easy. The young generation of drivers who are coming in to the sport now are showing that they are very fast drivers, who want to come into Formula One and show that they are ready for it. I will try the same, but like I say it will not be easy.

Christijan [Albers] is very fast and is a long-time professional race driver. So I will think I will have a good amount of time to learn, I will definitely use his experience and finally I want to beat him.

Q. Lewis is making his debut alongside the world champion. If you were him how would you find that situation?

AS: It is certainly more difficult for him. But he has a very good team and he could actually win in his first year - I think it is possible. I am much more relaxed as I'm coming from the back of the grid so I don't have so much pressure from everybody. I can take it easier.

Q. Do you feel that is a better situation to be in during your first year then?

AS: It is just different. He has the luck in that he is with a good team already but he has the pressure. But if you can handle the pressure like I think he will do, then such a situation is only a positive.

Q. Giedo van der Garde says he will get to drive on every Grand Prix Friday. How much running time do you think you will get during the practice sessions?

AS: Yes for sure I will drive on Fridays. Grand Prix drivers must also learn the circuits, so maybe we will share a car - I don't know exactly how we will do it. It is good to have a Friday test driver as well, but it would be better without.

But we need all the money from every driver to develop the team. So it is okay. We will handle it and I hope in the end we all get good mileage.

Q. What are the targets for the season as a whole, for both yourself and the team?

AS: I want to do a good job in general without making any mistakes, with some solid races and then we will see what the final positions are. I can't say how fast the car will be, so on my part I just want to say at the end of the season that I did everything I could and the results will come.

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