Sutil expects step forward in Spain

Although the Silverstone-based outfit introduced a major aerodynamic update to their car for Malaysia, a lack of testing at Sepang and the following race in Bahrain hampered their chances relative to the opposition.

But with plenty of miles under their belt at Barcelona, plus another test next week, Sutil's hopes are high that the team will show much better from the next race on the calendar.

"I think it will be better there," Sutil told Spyker's official website. "We tested there in the winter, and we have one more test coming up. So I hope it will be easier.

"We already know about the set-up and the balance of the car, and maybe we can also see an improvement with the new aero package that we'll have there. And we'll try to be more competitive."

Sutil has outshone his teammate Christijan Albers in terms of out-and-out pace in the first three races of the year, but is not planning to relax in his bid to make further improvements.

"Now it's a good time to have a look at everything, the data and so on," he said about the lengthy break prior to the Spanish Grand Prix.

"You can re-set your mind, and think about everything. The free time is the time when you start to learn, and make progress. But right now I can't wait until the next race. I'm always looking forward, and I'm just enjoying F1 at the moment."