Rosenqvist: No F1 dream despite Macau GP victory
Macau Grand Prix winner Felix Rosenqvist says he has no illusions that his triumph will open doors to a Formula 1 opportunity
The Mucke Motorsport driver was dominant in Formula 3's blue riband event in Macau, as he rounded off a difficult campaign with the most important win of his career.
But with a lack of sponsorship backing meaning moving up the racing ladder is going to be difficult, he says his Macau triumph is more important for his own self confidence than the future opportunities it will give him.
When asked how essential the win could be for getting teams interested in him, he said: "I am not a team owner, so I don't know. You have to ask someone else.
"For me, nothing really has changed. I've been quick here every year and everyone comes here knowing they can end up in the wall after 200 metres.
"Even if it is an important win, it is not meaning that you are going to F1 tomorrow. For me, I don't think much has changed.
"I just went through a tough time and came back stronger. That is the important thing for me right now - that is the good thing I bring for next year for teams and all that."
Rosenqvist admits that he needs more backing if he is going to be able to move up to the next steps, which are GP2 or Formula Renault 3.5 if he stays in Europe.
"There is a lot of money involved in motorsports and I don't have it at the moment," he said.
"I need something - a radical backing from someone. Then, GP2 or Renault, it is always nice. But at this point I have no idea what is going to happen."
JOHANSSON: MENTAL STRENGTH KEY
Former grand prix driver Stefan Johansson, who is helping look after Rosenqvist's career, says that the way the young Swede coped with the pressure of needing to deliver in Macau was a good sign for the future.
"You take all these kids and you get to a certain level in racing, and they are all pretty damn close in terms of raw speed and talent," Johansson told AUTOSPORT. "It is all up in the head from then on.
"To be honest, I don't think anyone can tell how good an F3 driver is going to be until you get thrown in the deep end with all the other vultures!
"That is what shows in how good your mental strength is. Macau was a great example that he can handle the pressure. There have been thousands of super good drivers, but very few good racers."
When asked if there were any F1 chances, he said: "There are some long shots, but I think it is only long shots at this point."
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