Interview
'I want to perform for myself' – Schreiner eyeing strong Zandvoort outing as she returns to scene of breakthrough win
Piece written by F1 ACADEMY Career Discovery Programme student Zomer Keur in Zandvoort.
Carrie Schreiner is returning to Zandvoort with her sights set on another strong performance after her breakthrough victory at the Dutch circuit last year. The Kick Sauber driver, who claimed her first F1 ACADEMY win in Race 2 at Zandvoort in 2023, is eager to recapture that winning form and deliver another strong performance this weekend.
Reflecting on her success last season, Schreiner described how Zandvoort played a crucial role in turning her campaign around.
"That was a really, really special moment," she explained. "Last year I was struggling in the beginning, but I was fighting really hard to close the gap. Then finally from Zandvoort onwards, I had some really good moments, good races and my best moment of the season with the win. It’s hard to say how it felt, it was just a really, really good day.”
Despite performance expectations being higher given last season’s success, Schreiner is confident she can rise to the occasion.
“I always feel pressure because I want to perform for myself, for my team, and for Kick Sauber F1 Team,” she said. “I always want to be good, not only here at Zandvoort, but at every race weekend. Here I feel more confident because I have much more experience than in Miami for example, or in Singapore. I’m just happy to be here and I’m looking forward to the weekend, I don’t feel too much pressure.”
Schreiner knows that one of the keys to success at Zandvoort is Qualifying, as starting positions can often dictate results when chances to make moves are limited. With a challenging circuit layout and tricky weather conditions, every advantage in Qualifying could be crucial.
“The most important thing here is Qualifying because you can’t overtake so well,” she explained. “It’s really difficult to overtake. So, if you have a good Qualifying, then you already have a good chance to have a good result.
“Zandvoort is really difficult because, first of all, the weather conditions are always changing. It’s wet most of the time. It’s super windy, but also the track’s characteristics with the banking are not easy. It’s quite hard physically, especially Turn 3. It has a lot of quick corners, but it’s a lot of fun to drive here. The banking’s tough for the arms, but that’s how it is.”
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Over the break, Schreiner has been working hard to ensure she’s prepared for whatever Zandvoort throws at her this year. Last month, she took on mixed conditions at the Dutch track in her second British F4 appearance this year, racing alongside the likes of Abbi Pulling, Jessica Edgar, Bianca Bustamante, Aurelia Nobels and Wild Card Nina Gademan.
This extra track time could give her a valuable edge, although the German driver remains focused on staying sharp in every session.
“I was training a lot physically, but I also did a couple of tests and raced here in British F4. I just tried to prepare as much as possible for this race,” she said.
"Of course, it’s an advantage if you’ve had an extra race here to if you hadn’t. So, I’m happy that I did it because I have more confidence because of it, but it doesn’t mean that my weekend will be much better than the others’. I still have to focus, fight like all the others, and focus on Qualifying, that’s the most important.”
When it comes to the possibility of wet conditions, Schreiner admits it’s not her favourite scenario but sees it as a chance to improve.
“The rain is not easy for me,” she admitted. “I would say I’m better in the dry, but you can learn so much driving in the wet. I just take every session as an opportunity to get better.”
As she heads into the weekend, Schreiner is focused on delivering another standout performance at Zandvoort. At a track where she has found success before and hopes to do so again, her goals remain ambitious as she’s determined to put her season on a more positive trajectory.
“When I came into the season, my goal was to be in the top seven and that’s where I wanted to be. So far, the first races didn’t go to plan, so I hope from now on the results get better. I really want to get into the top five, that’s my goal and where I want to be. I know it’s difficult, it’s more difficult than last year, but I want to be close to the front as much as possible.”