Nasr: I am learning something new every weekend

Brazilian Felipe Nasr, one of the standout rookies of the 2015 Formula 1 season, reflects on the first half of his year, his first as s driver for the Sauber team.

How would you summarise the first half of the season and how would you rate yourself?
FN: “Looking back to the beginning of the season, we have achieved most of the goals we had for the first half of the season. We maximised our opportunities, especially in the beginning of the season; therefore, we were able to score important points. The result of the Australian Grand Prix was impressive. Finishing fifth was very special for me, as well as for the team. At the moment we are facing a rather difficult time. We have our updates in Spa-Francorchamps and Singapore, so we have to be patient. We are halfway through the season, and I think we are going in the right direction. For myself as a driver, I am learning something new every weekend. It is my first year as a race driver in Formula One with ups and downs. As a team we have done some good things so far.”

What were your highlights? What would you say was your best manoeuvre so far?
FN: “It was for sure finishing fifth in my first Formula One race in the Australian Grand Prix. During this race I remember having a good drive and holding off Daniel (Ricciardo). He put a lot of pressure on me, but I managed to keep it under control. Another one was in Monaco. Our car was difficult to drive there, and I was pushing a lot to drive at the ultimate limit. In the end I finished the race in P9.”

What was your low point from a sporting point of view? What was your most memorable mistake on track this season?
FN: “My low point was in Montreal when I faced issues with the brakes during the whole weekend. On top of that, I made a mistake in FP3 as I accidently opened the DRS while warming up the tyres. I learn from these things.”

What can you as a driver improve on track in regard to the Sauber C34-Ferrari?
FN: “We know that our car is limited in some areas. In order to compensate for that we try different things, for example on the set-up side. We go in different directions, trying a softer or stiffer car set-up. The car has a narrow window for its working range in order to extract the best performance out of it. I am always open to trying different things which help me to understand the car in a better way. This is something from which I learn a lot.”

What input can you contribute to the development of the new Sauber C35?
Felipe Nasr: “We give valuable feedback on the areas that should be improved. We have to keep doing the best we can to collect this information correctly, as the C35 will be based on that. I am pleased that Mark Smith has joined us as Technical Director. Already he has a good overview of the car. I think we are going in the right way, and I am confident we can fight for points more often next year. We have to make sure the updates we are bringing for the next races are working properly. This will be the first step to guide us into the right direction for 2016.”

What are your expectations for the second half of the season?
FN: “During the second half of the season there are some tracks on which I will get my first taste in a Formula One car. For example, the circuit in Japan is one I have not driven on yet. The Mexican Grand Prix will also be on the calendar again, which is new for everyone. I am looking forward to running the car with the updates. As we have not driven the car yet, we cannot precisely predict what it is going to be like. The target is to put us back into the points. In the championship we have dropped back down, and I think it will not be easy to move up. However, I am still confident the updates will help us to be in a better position.”