Adrian Sutil doesn’t believe his return to Formula 1 could have gone any better after he came from 12th on the grid to finish seventh having led the race twice.
Despite having been out of the sport for a year, the German got back up to speed immediately and outpaced team-mate Paul di Resta who finished just seconds behind in eighth.
“Leading the grand prix was a great feeling, absolutely,” he said. “First race three weeks after I knew I was back in Formula One, just had three test days in Barcelona, it couldn’t be a better start really. It showed that everything is possible and you just have to believe in it.”
A late switch to the supersoft tyre when Sutil was in fifth was the only concern, with the 30-year-old admitting he was worried he might not make it to the end.
“I knew it was probably a little advantage to start on the medium tyre compared to the other ones – they grained up the tyres in qualifying already – so I was expecting to go in front but of course leading the race I didn’t expect, it’s even better that it happened.
“In the end the super soft was very difficult; two laps was OK and then they fell off by about five seconds where I lost my positions and then I thought ‘I’m never going to end this race on these tyres!’ But then it came back and to a reasonable pace actually.”
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