Adrian Sutil believes his year away from Formula 1 has made him ‘mentally stronger’ as he prepares for his comeback with Force India.
The German was dropped at the end of the 2011 campaign after he was found guilty of grevious bodily harm (GBH) following a nightclub incident with Lotus co-owner Eric Lux.
Despite his 12-month suspended jail sentence and worries he might struggle to get visa’s to certain countries including China and Canada, Force India made the decision to re-hire him as Paul di Resta’s team-mate.
He believes the break has done him well as F1 drivers rarely get time to stop and learn due to their busy lifestyles.
“I had time to think about my career,” said the 30-year-old. “We will see if I am a better driver but mentally, I would say yes. I have seen a life without Formula 1 and a life with it. In this professional sport you never actually have the time to learn.
“I wouldn’t have chosen a year off but it was probably for the good. Once I was back in the car, the engineers were very impressed. It showed I didn’t lose any speed but probably I gained a bit mentally.”
He went on to explain that he hasn’t returned to simply make up the numbers. His ultimate goal remains title glory.
“By the middle of the season I felt so much stronger and found my new goal in life, let’s say, to be a World Champion,” he added. “I am not in Formula 1 to just race. The car is very important but you have to set your mind. I am here to race against the world’s best and if anyone is there not to win then it is not the right place for them.”
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