Adrian Sutil will be partner of Christijan Albers in the 2007 FIA F1 World Championship after signing a long term contract today.

Three days before Christmas, Adrian Sutil already got his biggest present as he was announced as a racing driver for the Spyker Formula 1 team. Adrian signed a long-term contract with the only Dutch Formula 1 outfit.

“Becoming a regular driver in Formula 1 is just awesome. I almost didn’t expect it anymore and had already settled for being test driver.” This year, the driver from the German village of Gräfelfing got the chance to participate in a Friday test for Spyker and the preceding Midland team on three occasions and showed a very good performance each time round. “At that time, I already found out that the team was very happy with my work and that they wanted to have me. But I had many rivals in the battle for the last remaining vacant seat in Formula 1”, says Adrian, who was team-mate to the new McLaren Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton in the 2005 Formula 3 Euro Series. In 2004, Adrian Sutil even contested his debut season in the world’s toughest junior racing series with the team of Dr. Colin Kolles, his current team principal at Spyker. “Back then, Adrian’s talent was already obvious. He already claimed his maiden pole position in only his third race in the Formula 3 Euro Series”, Kolles says.

The goals of the fourth German full-time driver in Formula 1 next to Ralf Schumacher, Nick Heidfeld and Nico Rosberg remain moderate for the time being. “I want to learn a lot, find my way and do a good job with as little mistakes as possible. Being happy with my own performance is especially important to me“, Adrian explains. “Of course, I would like to beat my team-mate Christian Albers at a certain stage. But that will not be easy as he is a quick and experienced racing driver. I hope that we will be able to work together very well and that I can learn from him as much as possible.”

Adrian identifies an upward trend within his Spyker team. “There is a lot of potential in the team. Especially the fact that Mike Gascoyne has now come to join the staff makes me particularly optimistic. He has proven already many times in the past that he is a top man.”

As a proof of mutual appreciation, Adrian signed a long-term deal with Spyker. “It shows that they are serious about me. They want to boost my career and give me a fair chance in Formula 1.”

Adrian will take on his first test session as a full-time Formula 1 driver at Valencia at the end of January.