‘Good step for a strong weekend’ – Bättig pleased by initial pace after topping Silverstone Practice

Chiara Bättig made a promising start to her debut F1 ACADEMY weekend at Silverstone, with the Wild Card driver comfortably leading the pack in Practice.

Hitech opted to keep their trio in the pits until after the halfway point of the 40-minute session, but once she headed out, Bättig made an immediate impact. The 16-year-old became the first Wild Card driver to top a session, going fastest on a 2:02.640, putting her two tenths clear of Standings leader Alisha Palmowski.

Speaking after the team debrief, the Wella driver was satisfied by how she’s begun to adapt to the new machinery but acknowledges that a far greater challenge lies ahead in Qualifying.

“I'm happy to get a good start,” she said. “There are still a lot of things that I have to improve. It was my first time driving in this car, so it's very different to what I'm used to. It's heavier braking, the steering is heavier and there’s overall more grip in the tyre. I think it is a good step for a strong weekend.”

Although Bättig has recently scored a podium at Silverstone in British F4, she admits that the modifications between the two Formula 4-level cars means she needs to approach the track differently.

Looking ahead to Qualifying, the track will vastly improve from the morning session’s dusty conditions. With Formula 1, Formula 2 and Formula 3 all running in the gap, it will be a new challenge for the Swiss racer to overcome, but one she’s tried to pre-empt in her preparations.

“It's just maximising all the track,” Bättig explained. “Maximising all the corner speed, especially through Maggotts and Becketts. There's a lot of straights, you just need to prep everything very well and prepared early. There’s going to be a huge step in grip probably because the track is really dirty.

PRACTICE: Bättig starts her Silverstone debut weekend on top

“I can't really tell you because I've never really driven with F2 or F3, but I surely expect that there's going to be a higher grip. There's going to be higher speeds overall and later braking. I did a lot of sim with grip changes to really get into it.”

Bättig’s strong initial form will have many expecting to see her in the battle for pole position, but she’s remaining tight-lipped on her chances.

“We had a good Free Practice,” she noted. “If we improve on the things we have to improve, I think we'll be looking strong.”