Sauber driver Pascal Wehrlein finally contested his debut race for the team at the recent Bahrain GP after missing the first two rounds due to a perceived lack of fitness after an accident in the Race of Champions ate into his pre season testing time.

Now, he is back to full physical fitness as the Bahrain Grand Prix showed, and the Mercedes young driver couldn't be happier!

 Pascal, great first race back in Bahrain. You then completed 91 laps during testing, so is it safe for us to assume you're now back to full fitness.
Yes. Really happy to be back, first of all. I think my first weekend was great, P13 in qualifying, P11 in the race, so couldn't be more happy about my first weekend. Then obviously the test after the race went well. Nearly did 100 laps and just feeling more and more confident with the car, and also with the team and all of the procedures. Just looking forward to start my season finally now.

Looking back, how tough, in hindsight, was your recuperation – physically and mentally – to get yourself back to full racing fitness, how tough was it? You posted a picture of you on social media wearing a neckbrace. Was there ever a moment when you felt your career slipping way or were you confident you'd get back and have the sort of race you had in Bahrain?
No, I fought, of course, very hard to come back and also with the people around me which helped me massively to come back as soon as possible and as quick as possible. We knew that it's a matter of time but obviously to break a few vertebrae it will take a bit of time and y'know, still it took me only ten weeks to come back to racing and I'm very happy about that. I think, when I posted the picture after Bahrain, people realised more which injury I had, and yeah, as I said, just really happy to be back and to start.

Daniel has just been telling us about the rate of development at the front of the grid. Given that's the case, how crucial are the next few races for you, to get points? Do you see the next three as the best chance?
I don't think so. Of course we have a disadvantage, especially, I think in the second half of the season with the engine because we have last year's Ferrari engine but I think we can make bigger progress with the car, then second half of the season, the engine is a disadvantage. Let's see how the season goes, I will do my best and I'm sure everyone in the team does as well and hopefully we can score a few points.

The latest information from the FIA says that the cockpit shield has received the nod over the halo for 2018. First of all, which of the two systems do you prefer, what do you think of the shield in any event?

I didn't see the shield yet as I wasn't in China so I don't know how it looks. I think it looks similar to the new idea last year, no?
(Daniel Ricciardo: It's like a middle of the road look. It looks alright actually.)
I think the halo looked a bit strange so the version of last year of Red Bull. I liked it quite a lot, it looks like a spaceship and very futuristic. I liked it. If it looks similar, it's good. If it's more safe, it's good for us drivers.

Which is your favourite track?
For me it's Macau. It was very impressive to be there in Formula Three. I think I was 16 or 17 and driving with a Formula Three car at 280kph on a street circuit was something very impressive and the track is also very nice.

… a Formula One track as well?
Maybe it's becoming a Formula One track in the future. No. I love street circuits so maybe Singapore.

What is the main feature of Sochi for you?
I like the track so I'm looking forward to driving turn three, hopefully flat this year. It wasn't possible last year in the Manor. I think there are some nice corners also, the one after the back straight, hard braking into a left hander. It's very easy to lock up the tyres. There are a few nice places as a street circuit but with a bit more space so you can lock up, you can go a bit wide sometimes so it's a good track.

Â