Adrian Sutil (GER), Spyker Formula One Team.

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• Adrian Sutil

He may have been a surprise addition to the Spyker F1 line-up for 2007, but Adrian Sutil insists that he is not under any extra pressure to perform in his first full year in the top flight.

Speaking in advance of the team's pre-season launch, the German admitted to being excited about his F1 breakthrough, but claimed that being a part of the Midland/Spyker set-up in 2006 had helped make the transition from F3 frontrunner a lot easier.

Sutil finished as runner-up to Lewis Hamilton in F3's Euroseries in 2005 before taking the All-Japan title last year. Already a Midland tester before embarking on his 2006 campaign, the 24-year old impressed on his rare Friday practice outings with the Silverstone-based team and is determined to raise his game yet further when the new season kicks off in Australia next month.

"For sure, it's very nice to be a real part of the team as a race driver," Sutil said. "My aim is to work with the team and progress with them to the next level. I want to help develop the car more and help to go forward. I also want to learn the circuits and get to know the F1 business as much as I can.

"It's not just the driving - it's the pressure and the press too - but it's all a new experience, so I'll take everything step by step. First, I really want to get going and get some real mileage under my belt.

"It will be difficult for sure, as the difference [to F3] is quite big, but I'm not completely new as I did three Friday sessions last year and some testing too. Once you've got the feeling, and you know how to drive the car, it's a case of looking to build up the miles as a driver.

"It helps now that I am completely focused on F1 and am not doing any other championships, like last year, so I hope to be well-prepared. From the middle of the season, you should be able to see what I can do."

Aware that racing in F1 is a very different prospect to fulfilling a reserve or development role, Sutil has made the most of the off-season, and says that keeping himself busy has helped to overcome any nerves that could have crept in.

"I'm really happy to be making my debut, so I'm not nervous at all," he insisted. "Physically, I have been training very hard - I have been out running and cycling every day and, in late January, I also went for four days warm weather training in Majorca. It was tough with five to six hours or exercise a day, but you have to be fit to do F1, so I didn't mind, especially if it makes me more prepared for the first race.

"I've also come to the factory quite a lot, as there is so much to learn there. There is so much to see and pick up and, at the factory, you can see how everything works and fits together in the team. It's very important for me to learn about the technical aspects of the car as it makes you a stronger driver. Of course, I already knew the team a little last year, it's all quite cool and Brad Joyce, my engineer, is a good guy. I think we'll work well together."

Asked whether he was looking forward to meeting former ASM F3 team-mate Hamilton again, Sutil insisted that it was more exciting to be a part of the new wave of drivers coming into the sport.

"Young drivers are obviously the future of the sport and it's exciting to be part of that group of drivers coming in now," he said, "I knew some drivers, like Lewis and Heikki Kovalainen, quite well, as I've raced against them before, [but] it's difficult to say how well we will all do now we're in F1 together as so much depends on the car.

"If you look at the stats over a race year, you tend to see that drivers hold their grid positions in the race, so if your car is slower you will stay at the back. Of course, we've never all raced together in F1, so I can't say how it will turn out, but I do know what I can do. We'll just have to wait and see in future."