Sauber's Marcus Ericsson credits mental change for Formula 1 gains
Marcus Ericsson says a combination of experience and changes to his mental approach have made him a stronger Formula 1 driver
The Swede admitted to being "stressed" about his level of competitiveness with Sauber in the opening part of last season that led to him overdriving.
But he made changes to the way he approached a grand prix weekend and as a result, he feels mentally stronger.
Ericsson beat his Sauber team-mate Felipe Nasr 12-7 in qualifying and though Nasr was the only one to score points, Ericsson was ahead nine times to four in the races they both finished.
"This year especially I've been able to work better through the weekends," Ericsson, who has been retained by Sauber for next season, told Autosport.
"Free practice sessions haven't been the most important for me.
"I've been focusing on qualifying and that system has been working very good for me.
"This year I really found a way to get a reference of what I need to be fast.
"I need a stable rear end going into corners so I can trust that and then I can get the confidence to carry the speed going into the exits of the corners.
"That was something that wasn't maybe 100% clear for me before.
"These types of details sound small but in the end they make a big difference."
Ericsson admitted when he used to make a mistake or struggled to get comfortable in practice, that would adversely affect him for the remainder of the weekend.
"The biggest thing that I'm stronger mentally now so in free practice, if you're a bit lost with the car and driving, there's no reason to get frustrated because free practice doesn't matter," he said.
"It's Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon that matter.
"If we are lost with the set-up at one point, we don't get s stressed - we just keep on working.
"It's been nice to build up through the weekends and when we come to Saturday afternoon usually we are there or thereabouts with the car and I'm there or thereabouts with the driving and I'm able to unlock the potential of the car for qualifying on Saturday."
How Mercedes managed Rosberg's and Hamilton's Formula 1 battle
Valtteri Bottas visits Mercedes F1 factory as he nears 2017 deal
FIA finalises 2026 Formula 1 power unit regulations
The FIA has finally approved the wording of the 2026 Formula 1 power unit regulations, which in turn paves the way for Porsche to enter in partnership with Red Bull.
F1 porpoising and roll hoop rules changes ratified by FIA
The FIA’s World Motor Sport Council has approved changes to the floor regulations in Formula 1 for 2023 to prevent the porpoising phenomenon seen this year.
Why Mercedes steered clear of an F1 car concept revamp despite early struggles
Mercedes opted against revamping its Formula 1 car concept despite its early struggles in 2022 as it felt following other designs would "only get you so far."
How one of F1’s greatest names was revived
With its eponymous Formula 1 team falling into obscurity in the 90s, the Brabham name looked relegated to the manufacturers' history books. But after a long legal battle, the family reclaimed its rights and in 2018 launched Brabham Automotive. David Brabham discusses what came next for the iconic brand
How a bad car creates the ultimate engineering challenge
While creating a car that is woefully off the pace is a nightmare scenario for any team, it inadvertently generates the test any engineering department would relish: to turn it into a winner. As Mercedes takes on that challenge in Formula 1 this season, McLaren’s former head of vehicle engineering reveals how the team pulled of the feat in 2009 with Lewis Hamilton
The under-fire F1 driver fighting for his future
Personable, articulate and devoid of the usual racing driver airs and graces, Nicholas Latifi is the last Formula 1 driver you’d expect to receive death threats, but such was the toxic legacy of his part in last year’s explosive season finale. And now, as ALEX KALINAUCKAS explains, he faces a battle to keep his place on the F1 grid…
The strange tyre travails faced by F1’s past heroes
Modern grand prix drivers like to think the tyres they work with are unusually difficult and temperamental. But, says MAURICE HAMILTON, their predecessors faced many of the same challenges – and some even stranger…
The returning fan car revolution that could suit F1
Gordon Murray's Brabham BT46B 'fan car' was Formula 1 engineering at perhaps its most outlandish. Now fan technology has been successfully utilised on the McMurtry Speirling at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, could it be adopted by grand prix racing once again?
Hamilton's first experience of turning silver into gold
The seven-time Formula 1 world champion has been lumbered with a duff car before the 2022 Mercedes. Back in 2009, McLaren’s alchemists transformed the disastrous MP4-24 into a winning car with Lewis Hamilton at the wheel. And now it’s happening again at his current team, but can the rate of progress be matched this year?
Why few could blame Leclerc for following the example of Hamilton’s exit bombshell
OPINION: Ferrari's numerous strategy blunders, as well as some of his own mistakes, have cost Charles Leclerc dearly in the 2022 Formula 1 title battle in the first half of the season. Though he is locked into a deal with Ferrari, few could blame Leclerc if he ultimately wanted to look elsewhere - just as Lewis Hamilton did with McLaren 10 years prior
The other McLaren exile hoping to follow Perez's path to a top F1 seat
After being ditched by McLaren earlier in his F1 career Sergio Perez fought his way back into a seat with a leading team. BEN EDWARDS thinks the same could be happening to another member of the current grid
How studying Schumacher helped make Coulthard a McLaren F1 mainstay
Winner of 13 grands prix including Monaco and survivor of a life-changing plane crash, David Coulthard could be forgiven for having eased into a quiet retirement – but, as MARK GALLAGHER explains, in fact he’s busier than ever, running an award-winning media company and championing diversity in motor racing. Not bad for someone who, by his own admission, wasn’t quite the fastest driver of his generation…