Marcus Ericsson has said that he has learned not to get frustrated during free practice sessions and not overdrive the car. The Sauber driver says he used to focus on driving flat out and aim to go as fast as he can every session, but he has gained the understanding that he doesn't need to.
"When I started F1 I always tried to go fast every single session and if I wasn't I got frustrated and started overdriving. Now, instead, I take FP sessions as 100 percent preparation for Q3 and race, focusing solely on set-up and driving and exploring."
"And then I use the information we gather to make everything perfect for Q3 and the race. That has really made a big difference for me. So you see, it’s never too late to learn!"
When asked if he thinks he will be racing further up the field next season, the Swede said: "That is the aim, for sure. I feel like I've been developing a lot as a driver over the last couple of seasons, but I haven't been in a car to show it completely. So I'm really hoping that we can mix it up in the midfield this season and fight regularly for points."
Ericsson says he is doing as much as he can to prepare for the new season, with the 2017 cars predicted to be increasingly difficult on the bodies of the drivers, with rising levels of G-Force expected next season.
"I’m spending January and February focusing on training hard and also visiting the team as much as I can to prepare for the season. At the moment I'm in LA on a training camp together with my personal trainer. We're staying here a little over two weeks. Us drivers definitely need to be strong this year with the new cars - and I'm making sure that I will be stronger and better than ever!"
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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