In his second ATS Formula 3 Cup season, Yannick Mettler delivered on a clearly higher level. It was the Swiss’ first season as Team Performance Racing driver and he succeeded in making it to the points in 21 of the 27 races of the season, securing three podiums and celebrating one race win. In addition, the 22-year old from Kriens, Switzerland excelled with a regular coverage in the national print media. Thanks to this coverage, Mettler secured the €5,000 RAVENOL Media Award.
Yannick, within the framework of the Essen Motor Show you were presented with the Media Award that was advertised by RAVENOL for the first time, this year. What does this award mean to you?
It goes without saying that I’m delighted with having won this prize. I liked the idea of the RAVENOL Media Award right from the start as it offers you the opportunity to add to you funding for the next season, with a little extra effort. Sponsors and partners of this kind are very important and as I see it, it’s just great that a big industrial company, such as RAVENOL, is a committed supporter of Formula 3. I hope to be able keep my good relationship with series sponsor RAVENOL alive, in the future.”
It was the first season you contested for Team Performance Racing. Is it helpful to race for a team with such an international line-up and have you and your two team-mates been able to support one another?
It was very helpful. Not only because of the international line-up but first of all due to the impressive know-how of the different team members. Never ago have I learned as much as I did this year. And it goes without saying that having several team-mates also proved to be helpful. Such a situation also represents an additional motivation and in addition, you learn from one another.
What can you say about your 2012 ATS Formula 3 Cup season? Did you achieve your goals? What could have gone better?
To be honest, a lot of things could have gone better. I had set myself the goal to make it to the top three in the championship and finishing eighth was far from realising this goal. A particularly disappointing result in consideration of the race pace I displayed throughout the season. I lost a lot of points due to incidents I was involved in through no fault of my own – I just tended to be at the wrong place at the wrong point in time! No doubt, I also made my mistakes but I altogether, my learning curve was normal. That’s the positive I was provided with, this year – in addition to the three podiums and the win at Zandvoort.
Where do you see your special strengths on and aloof from the track? And could you describe the areas where you still could improve?
When it comes to the driving skills, I’d call the fast corners my strength. But I’m also good when it comes to tactics, strategy and a matured approach – the skills you need in the races. Over the course of the 27 races I gained more than 60 positions! This demonstrates that I’ve got a good racing spirit.
When it comes to the qualifying, however, there still is room for improvement. There, I regularly did worse than in the races. And more often than not I had to learn this year that a position at the front end of the grid is crucial.
What about your future? What are your long-term goals? Which is the series you want to contest the 2013 season in?
I want to become a professional racing driver, thus turning my passion into my profession. But we will have to find out were exactly the future will take me. Nonetheless, I see my near future in Germany. Ideally in Formula 3 as this is the straightest path to realising my actual goal: DTM.
Fonte:http://www.formel3.de