Floersch outlines F1 dream

Sophia Floersch has set her sights on becoming world champion in Formula 1, having confirmed she will return to racing after she recovers from injuries sustained in a horrific crash during the Macau Grand Prix's Formula 3 race last month.

Floersch had to undergo 11 hours of surgery to fix spinal fractures after being pitched airborne into a photographers' bunker at the famous street race.

It was confirmed this week that Floersch will race in Formula European Masters in 2019 – effectively continuing on from her campaign in European F3 this year with Van Amersfoort Racing, for whom she will resume duties next season.

The 18-year-old hopes to return to the cockpit in February, where Floersch will resume on a path that she hopes ends up in F1 success.

"My big dream is to drive in F1 and have success there and also be world champion," Floersch told ABC. "That's where I want to be in the next years."

Footage of Floersch's crash quickly spread across the motorsport world and beyond, with millions of well-wishers sending messages on social media.

However, the German says the magnitude of the incident did not dawn on her from the cockpit.

"I wasn't really afraid because, for me, it was a normal crash," Floersch said. "When I saw the video, I was quite shocked as well, because it looks horrible and, all the flying parts, it feels different in the car.

"It doesn't scare me at all because every race driver knows the risk. I have one big crash now and nothing really bad happened. So it doesn't scare me, no."

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