Theo Pourchaire has indicated that the next two rounds of the FIA Formula 2 Championship could determine his race plans for 2022.
Pourchaire, who is part of the Sauber Junior Team, is enduring his first full season in F2, but has been linked to a Formula 1 drive at Alfa Romeo alongside Valtteri Bottas next season.
Recently, Alfa Romeo Team Principal praised Pourchaire, labelling him as one of the best drivers for the future.
“I’m really happy about what he [Vasseur] said, it’s good but only the results will prove if I’m a good or bad driver,” Pourchaire commented. “I’m really happy with that.
“I know Fred has been in the sport for so many years, he was in ART [Grand Prix] with so many good drivers like Lewis Hamilton, [Nico] Rosberg, [Sebastian] Vettel, many more.
“To me, it’s amazing, what he said. But yeah, I want to do good results and prove it by that way if I’m good or not.
“I’m still fully focused on this year. We still have a full second half of the season to do. But I know that I have to do two good weekends in Monza and Sochi. This could probably decide my future.”
Pourchaire currently sits sixth in the F2 drivers’ championship with one race win, which came earlier this year in Monaco.
The 18-year-old received his first taste of F1 machinery at the Hungaroring last month, driving Alfa Romeo’s C38 car from 2019 as part of a private test.
Pourchaire described the step-up as a “different world” from the environment he is used to in junior categories.
“It was a really important test for me, I discovered Formula 1 and realised one of my dreams,” Pourchaire said.
“I learned a lot of things, compared to F2, for sure when there is more than 30 people working for you on one car, so many engineers, it’s a different world. But I learned a lot from that, it was something I will remember.”
Following the upcoming rounds at Monza and Sochi, F2 will venture to the Middle East for the final two rounds in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi.
