Jeffrey Schmidt starts new season with a podium
Magnificent start to the season for Jeffrey Schmidt in the Porsche Carrera Cup: the Swiss youngster took second place on the opening race weekend of the 2015 campaign at the Hockenheimring (1st – 3rd May). His P4 finish in the first of the two races was also good enough to see him into second place in the championship standings. And Jeffrey will be back in action again this coming weekend when, in the context of the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, he will be competing in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.
Jeffrey, the wet-weather race on Sunday was a real thriller. You were obviously determined not to settle for second place.
Jeffrey Schmidt: That was a really close-run thing. Because of the heavy rain, it wasn’t easy keeping the car on the track. But I had terrific pace and felt confident all through the race. When I got myself into second place and realised that there were only three more laps to go, my only thought was to attack. But Christian Engelhart defended well, and I obviously didn’t want to risk a collision. In the next race, though, I definitely intend to be on the top rung.
You can feel very satisfied with the weekend, can’t you? Second place in the championship is a promising start.
Jeffrey Schmidt: Absolutely. In such a highly competitive series, it’s important to get the season off to a good start, and it’s certainly worked out that way. A pity that I just missed out on a podium in the first race with fourth place. Unfortunately, my start from third on the grid wasn’t the best because I had slightly too much play on the clutch. But I was able to defend my fourth place comfortably to the finish line. One very important thing was that we were fast in both wet and dry conditions. This gives me confidence for the races ahead.
This is your third season in the Carrera Cup. Were you at all nervous going into the first race of 2015?
Jeffrey Schmidt: I was a bit nervous, but that’s quite normal. After all, it was the first race of the season. I drove my last race almost six months ago. You have to get used to all the procedures all over again. But after one or two races, you’re back in the swing of things. With each race, it becomes more routine, but it’s gone well for me right from the start, which I’m obviously happy about.
At 21 years of age, you’re one of the youngest contestants in the starting field. How do you see your season developing?
Jeffrey Schmidt: What’s the best way of putting this? Let’s say I am a very young but also experienced driver. I have quite a few races behind me now, and I’m noticing more and more how I’m getting the benefit of experience. For example here at Hockenheim where I was able to go full throttle right from the start. It certainly seems to have been beneficial for my career that I was able to establish myself in touring car racing at a relatively young age.
You’ve got a busy schedule. This weekend, you’ll be competing in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in Barcelona…
Jeffrey Schmidt: Yes, and I’m looking forward to it a lot. To be part of the Formula 1 scene is something really special. I’ve set myself an ambitious target for the season opener of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in Spain. Last year’s race was my very first outing in the Supercup, and I finished sixth. After the tests a few weeks ago, I am confident that I’ll be up among the Top Five.
