DW: You are about to compete in a race that will be taking place in Bern, about an hour's drive from where you were born (Aigle). How does it feel to be so close to home?

Sebastien Buemi: It feels good; it feels strange, I am not used to that. Last year I had Zurich, which was kind of a home race, but it's still quite far from where I come from. So this year it's a bit closer and it feels amazing.

As a child, did you dream of becoming a driver competing in a major race in your own country?

To become a driver yes, that was my dream for a long time, but then to race at home that was never really a dream because it was forbidden [Motor racing was banned in Switzerland following the 1955 Le Mans disaster, which killed 80 people. The Swiss government relaxed the legislation in 2015 to allow the racing of cars with electric engines].  I just think it's amazing that all of a sudden it became possible and that here we are in Switzerland racing just outside of my hometown.

How has racing returning to Switzerland after an absence of more than six decades changed the country?

I think it was just positive in general. I wouldn't say it has changed Switzerland but we have a big fan base in Switzerland, particularly considering the size of the country. A lot of people follow Formula One and motor racing in general, so to have a Formula E race here is a big deal.

You raced in the world's most prestigious motor racing series, Formula One, before moving to Formula E. Do you miss F1?

To be honest, not so much anymore, because I am very busy doing WEC (FIA World Endurance Championship) and I still do some work in the simulator for Red Bull, so somehow I'm not missing it. I just think I could have done better when I was in F1, but I am really happy where I am now, and I am focused on my job.

What are the differences between driving in Formula One and driving in Formula E?

In some ways it's quite different, the race format is different, because everything happens on the Saturday. The race tracks are very different because we only race in city centers and they are quite narrow. The car itself is quite different because it is heavier, we don't have slick tires, we have a lot less downforce  plus it's an electric car. So from the outside it doesn't look too different but when you drive it, there are quite a few differences.

In terms of tactics, do you have to take a different approach? Or is it just a matter of stepping on the gas?

Qualifying is still qualifying, it's all about driving as fast as you can, but during the race you have to think about things like energy management, energy efficiency. And clearly in the race it is completely different to what you experience in Formula One. You have to find a way to be quick in Formula E while saving energy at the same time.

Can you describe all of the things that go through your mind during a race?

I'm trying to constantly focus on trying to get better, trying to do a perfect lap, lap after lap. So I would say I try to be very concentrated, because on a street track with very short straights there is not much time to think about anything else, so as a driver I try to be very focused.

Don't emotions ever come into play?

I am a very emotional person, so I get disappointed or happy from time to time, but I try to keep these emotions under control as much as possible.

Sebastien Buemi, 30, is a Swiss professional racing driver for the Nissan e.dams Formula E team, having joined the series in 2014. Buemi also competes for Toyota Gazoo Racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship, which he won for a second time in the 2018-19 season.  Between 2009 and 2011 he raced for Scuderia Toro Rosso in Formula One.

The interview was conducted by Gerhard Sonnleitner