Formula 1 driver Adrian Sutil was born into a musical family. A talented pianist himself, he was set to follow his father Jorge, a violinist, into the concert hall until he discovered karting at the age of 14. In his fourth season of F1, Adrian has stepped into the spotlight, coming fifth in the Malaysian GP. Unfortunately, he couldn't repeat this success at last month's Shanghai GP, where he crossed the line in 11th place.

How did your parents react when you told them you wanted to be a race car driver?

In the beginning, they weren't happy at all and I didn't get any support from them, but when you are young, you do everything for your dreams. Everything changed after they saw me racing for the first time. They were really impressed and now my father is my biggest fan. He is so crazy about Formula 1, sometimes I have to ask him 'please dad, stop talking about Formula 1, let's talk about music'.

Have you ever regretted not pursuing a career in music?

No, I always enjoyed playing music. But I did it mostly because my family did it.

How difficult is it for you to keep to the speed limit on a normal road?

I really enjoy driving slow sometimes, or even letting other people drive. Though I have to admit, when I'm driving in a nice car in Germany, on a road where there is no speed limit, it's really tempting to drive very fast. I just try to keep in mind that not everybody drives as well as a race car driver.  

Do you have a special ritual before you race?

I try not to be too superstitious, but for example I always step in from the left side and I always want the same guy to fasten my seatbelt. If I accidentally step in with my left foot first, I re-do everything.

Is there intense rivalry among F1 drivers?

Not really. We don't talk to each other a lot. Friendship on the circuit doesn't exist. 

Are there any downsides of being an F1 driver?

I'm living my dream at the moment, driving a fantastic car and travelling around the world, but it can get very lonely. I'm away from home for most of the year and when I meet my friends in Germany, I feel like we can't talk about the same things anymore. Some days I even refuse to go out of my house, just to avoid people asking for my autograph or journalists following me around to write articles about what I buy and where I buy it. 

How did you find the Chinese fans?

They are very enthusiastic. Sometimes they scream like I'm a rock star when they see me but I really like them. They are always smiling and not as aggressive or rude as some fans in other countries.