JANUARY 14, 2019

F1 return now long term goal says Sirotkin

Sergey Sirotkin admits returning to formula one has become more of a "long term" goal.

Sergey Sirotkin, Russian GP 2018
© RV Press

Sergey Sirotkin admits returning to formula one has become more of a "long term" goal.

The Russian driver, backed by Russia's SMP Bank, has lost his Williams race seat to Robert Kubica.

Since receiving the bad news, he has already tested a DTM car for Audi, is slated to race in LMP1 sports cars for SMP Racing, and last weekend travelled to Morocco where he will test for a Formula E team.

"My main goal is to return to the starting grid in formula one," Sirotkin said in Marrakech. "Only now that has become more long term.

"It is too early to say how easily that can be achieved, but for now that is my main task for the medium to long term.

"At the moment, all I know is that I will do several races in LMP1 with SMP Racing -- perhaps already the next race, so I will have something to do.

"Then some other possibilities may appear. So far it is the very early stages of negotiations, so I cannot say that I already know what I will do," Sirotkin, 23, added.

(GMM)