ADAC Formel 4·22.12.2015

Luca Engstler's season: You learn to fight

What was your personal highlight of 2015?

My highlight of the year was definitely the season finale at Hockenheim, because that was where all the progress I had made was most noticeable. At start of the season, I was consistently around 35th on the grid. For a while at Hockenheim, I was up into the Top Ten and Top 15, but ultimately the results failed to materialise due to some racetrack incidents. However, I know that I have the necessary straight line speed, so I'm optimistic about next year.

What goals did you set yourself before the start of the season, and would you say in retrospect that you attained them?

We knew from the outset that it would be difficult for us, because we didn't have as many test days as the other teams. Our aim was therefore to qualify on a regular basis, and that worked out well. At the end of the season, we saw that we could match the Top Ten for speed.

What did you learn as far as driving goes from taking part in the ADAC Formula 4, and where will we be seeing you in 2016?

The switch from karting to formula racing was not without its problems. However, it became clear from video and data analyses that we were getting closer and closer to the limit. My understanding of the car is steadily increasing, which gives me more and more confidence. Our aim for 2016 is to compete in ADAC Formula 4 again. As far as we're concerned, this is the best junior series around at the moment. There are a lot of cars in the starting line-up. In those circumstances, you learn to fight.