Competing in your home race is always a highlight of the year. I raced in Hockenheim so many times during my junior career, in Formula 3, Formula BMW and I always enjoy going back there. In fact, it’s an area of the country I really like - I used to live nearby just a few years ago. Racing at home is a special occasion, but it is important to keep the right mental approach and try to treat it like any other race. I try not to overcook it when I am driving, even though there is a bit of extra pressure from the media and the fans, as they all want the local drivers to do well. Expectations are always high. We missed out on having a race last year, so Germans are really excited about having Formula One back. Even though the focus is firmly on the business at the track, I look forward to the summer break. It’s a busy season, so it’s nice to know you’re soon going to be on a nice holiday, hopefully doing something cool and having a few weeks off to recharge your batteries.

Every time I go to Hockenheim, I think about the beginning of my racing career in Europe. I lived in Germany for two years during my Formula BMW days, when I was just fifteen, and I still have good friends there. It’s not just the memories – it’s great to meet German fans too. They are really knowledgeable about Formula One and they always show good support. Even though I used to live in Germany, the only thing I can say in German is: “Ich bin Checo” and “danke schon”. I quite like the Hockenheimring. It’s an interesting circuit that always delivers some surprises and it’s great for racing with a really good overtaking zone into turn six. I never got to see or race on the old Hockenheim, but I think they did a nice job with the new track. The weather is usually very hot for this race and last time we raced there we had a track temperature of 55 degrees so the heat could be a factor, especially for tyre management.

The last race in Hungary was a bit disappointing, as we felt we could have scored a few more points than the one we came away with. We had some issues in the pit lane, but it is something we have investigated and resolved to prevent it from happening again. All in all, however, we can be satisfied with our pace on a track that has never been kind to us. The tenth place we scored with Nico was only the second time we finished in the points at the Hungaroring, so we should remain upbeat and optimistic for the next few races. It’s nice to return to Germany after the sabbatical of 2015. The country is one of the most passionate about Formula One and the fans are incredible. Of course, having a German driver in our team makes this event even more special and we hope we will be able to celebrate it with a good result. Hockenheim is a track on which I expect us to perform well. It’s a medium-speed circuit with good overtaking opportunities and the hot weather could play a big role with the tyres. It’s the final race before the summer break, so we are determined to have a good result to help us in the fight for fourth place in the championship. We had some strong performances recently and we want to carry this momentum into the break.