Styrian and Austrian GP countdown

“Come Sunday I can say I’ve got a full Formula 1 season under my belt.

“Austria last July was where the delayed 2020 season finally got underway, and as we head there again for this year’s eighth and ninth rounds I feel I’m coming full circle. The experience I have now makes a big difference to everything: the approach, the mental side, the confidence, simply knowing what to expect.

“I didn’t imagine a year ago that we’d still be wearing masks and having COVID tests, but here we are. At least we can go racing, and everyone is more settled into the new weekend routine. I should have kept track of how many COVID tests I’ve done, it must be almost 200 by now, but there are real signs around the sport now that we’re starting to get back to normal. Having fans at recent events completely changed the dynamic and I’m looking forward to seeing more at these two races in Austria.

“Having two consecutive grands prix at the same venue doesn’t provide much in the way of driving variety, but if your car performs strongly then it’s good to get a second crack! On the other hand, if we want to try something different, then it’s good to have the chance to get out again so quickly. Of course, when you factor in the different tyre compounds, and the fickle weather in Styria, there’s no guarantee it’ll be a copy/paste scenario, so we’ll always learn something new.

“I’ll be staying in Austria between the races – I’m not quite sure on the exact plan yet, but we’ve got the mountains and the fresh air, so it’s a great place to relax and train. It’s also my birthday in-between, so I’m hoping to give myself a little treat by cracking open a celebratory breakfast jar of – well, you know…”