Points finish and second-best rookie: Steady progress at Hungaroring
Steady progress maintained as Jeffrey Schmidt finishes the fifth Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup race of 2015 at the Hungaroring in ninth place: The 21-year-old from Switzerland was the second-most successful newcomer in the Formula 1 support series and comes away occupying third position in the rookie championship.
Ninth place in the race, second-best rookie and an unbroken sequence of points finishes in every Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup race this year. What’s your verdict on the race weekend in Hungary?
I can feel well satisfied with my performance. I got off to a decent start from eighth on the grid and had good pace throughout the race. I didn’t make any mistakes on this challenging track, despite not knowing it too well. In the race, though, the Hungaroring showed why it is so difficult, because overtaking is well nigh impossible. I was very fast but I still couldn’t get past Robert Lukas in front. He really spread himself out. I tried to overtake but wasn’t prepared to take any excessive risks. That was a shame, because with my pace I was capable of catching up with the front-runners who carved up positions three to seven between themselves.
Earlier in qualifying, things were quite tight. What was your perspective on that?
My best lap wasn’t at all bad. I was only three-tenths off P2. It’s amazing how competitive it is in the Supercup which is contested by the fastest Porsche drivers in the world. That showed itself once again in quali in Hungary, with less than a second separating the Top 14. If you lose just a couple of tenths on a qualifying lap, that can easily cost you seven or eight places on the grid. Now we have to see where we can gain time.
What have you learnt from the race weekend in Budapest?
Results are definitely on an upward curve. The past few weeks haven’t been easy, especially after my solid start to the season. I haven’t let it get me down, but we had to find a solution quickly. The team has worked hard, and I’d like to thank them for that. We were much faster than recently. I think we are getting closer step by step to the pace we showed at the beginning of the season. When we get back to that point again, I’m very confident for the remainder of the year.
After the summer break, there will be three more races in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. Have you set yourself a target for the end of the season?
I’m looking forward to the Spa-Francorchamps, Monza and Austin races. These are special tracks, and there are still a lot of points up for grabs. I’ve scored points in every race so far. That’s a decent performance in my rookie season which I intend to build on. There is also still a lot at stake. In the rookie standings, I’m currently third overall. In Hungary, I was the most successful series newcomer behind the championship leader. If things continue like this, I reckon I’m capable of a top result.
It’s the Porsche Carrera Cup again next weekend, and you’ll be returning to the Red Bull Ring…
Yes, I have some unfinished business at Spielberg. A month ago, I went to Austria to contest the Supercup in the context of Formula 1. I was all set for a podium finish in the race until my engine developed a problem and I dropped out of contention. I would like to get that lost podium back in the Porsche Carrera Cup. The Red Bull Ring is one of my absolute favourite tracks. I had my first podium here in the 2014 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. The fact that this a home race for my team, Lechner Racing, gives added motivation to aim for a top result and to keep up my challenge for the title.
