Adrian Sutil has admitted that he has to perform this season if he is to prove his worth as a
Formula One driver, but claims that having a known quantity alongside him at
Force India should make the task easier.
Speaking to the team's official website on the eve of the new season, Sutil confirmed that, being in his second season, he no longer has the excuse of being a rookie to fall back on, but expects to take another step forward, particularly now that Force India has installed race-winning veteran
Giancarlo Fisichella as his team-mate.
"I'm feeling, in general, much more confident and much more comfortable," he said, "and, for sure, I've improved myself quite a lot as a driver. Now it's a more relaxed situation, and I know what to expect. I'm really looking forward to the season."
After running his debut season alongside drivers with little more experience of
F1 than he brought to the former Spyker team, Sutil is excited at having a yardstick against which to measure his performance.
"I think it's a really good situation to have a good team-mate," he commented, "There are no excuses any more - I just have to try and be on the same level. Last year, at
Renault, there was always a fight between Giancarlo and [Heikki] Kovalainen. It's a good way to show good you are. Giancarlo had [Fernando] Alonso as his team-mate, and people know that he's a good driver. If you beat him, it's very important for your career."
Force India has shown promise in its recent tests with the 'new' VJM01 chassis, and Sutil, while repeating the claim that the team is more focused on 2009, reckons that it could spring a surprise or two this year.
"I think the team will be better," he insisted, "The budget has increased a lot, and the team have many more possibilities at the moment to develop. The organisation is much stronger, and the engineers are working hard. There are three windtunnels working, so it's all good news really."
![Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil. Force India F1 launch. Mumbai. February 7 2008 [PIC CREDIT: Force India F1 team]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/405479.jpg)
