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De Silvestro eyes F1 race drive in 2015

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Simona de Silvestro has set her sights on a Formula One race seat next year after completing her first test in an F1 car two weeks ago.

De Silvestro tested a two-year old Sauber at Fiorano and is due to get back behind the wheel at the end of next month. She has left a career in IndyCar to pursue an F1 drive and is hoping she can achieve her dream in 2015.

"Racing next year is the goal," de Silvestro said. "There's still a long road ahead, but if I do everything correctly and show good pace in the race car I don't see why not. The sponsors I have on the C31 are sponsors I've had since 2008 with the cleaner energy campaign. They've always known F1 is my ultimate goal and they're helping me try to get there."

De Silvestro said she had no concerns about leaving IndyCar for F1.

"The next step right now is my next test in the C31 in Valencia, I think it's on June 25th, 26th and 27th, which will be kind of a step more because the track is a little bit more challenging, a little bit higher speed. Where I see myself in the future for sure I see myself on the grid, that's my goal, that's why I chose to come here.

"For me, Formula One had to be the right opportunity to do it because I had a pretty good career going in the US, and that's what Sauber gave me right now. Right now everything is in my hands, I just have to prove that I can be really fast in a race car and hopefully it will happen."

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