“This year I can count 14 drivers off the top of my head who can win a race, and I don't think GP2 has ever had that before. It's bloody hard. Look at Barcelona; we had 16 drivers who set race fastest laps – not qualifying, but race laps – within six tenths. That is seriously close, and I think it's going to be like this all year.

“You're just going to have the guy who hooks the lap up in qualifying at the front, and the ones who are able to get the car right for the race and get the tyres to last – because the new car is more aggressive on the rear tyres, so tyre wear is a lot higher – will be the ones who win.”

As to what may lie beyond 2008, the inaugural Formula Asia V6 by Renault Champion is playing his cards close to his chest, despite an impressive debut Formula 1 test for Red Bull Racing towards the end of last year, and repeated speculation that he could form part of the Force India line-up in 2009.

“I don't want to really answer that right now,” he stressed. “It's not rocket science to assume that I'll be linked to the Force India drive of course – that's logical – but right now I'm just focussed on GP2 and on seeing what we can do here.”

TO LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW IN FULL: CLICK HERE