Tatiana Calderon is not ruling out her chances of securing some Friday practice outings for the Sauber Formula 1 team.

When the Colombian driver was appointed as the Swiss team's 2018 test driver, boss Frederic Vasseur said the 25-year-old will not get any FP1 track sessions. But the GP3 driver says she needs the track time to meet her goal of racing in Formula 1.

"There are other categories of course, but the first thing is for me to try to be in Formula 1, and I think I can," she told Spain's AS newspaper.

Asked what her actual F1 duties will be this season, Calderon detailed her role.

"I will go to several races with them, participate in technical meetings and do simulator work, and I'm preparing for them to put me in the car," Calderon said.

She is not sure when that will be or if it will involve actual Friday practice sessions.

"I'm not here as a reserve driver yet, but last year I was a development driver and this year they want to continue to give me the opportunity, and it's in the hands of the team to announce when I'm going to do it," Calderon said.

"My goal is to do very well in GP3 to give them more reasons. It's true that in two or three years, if all goes well, I could be in F1."

She said being a woman is not a hurdle she gives too much thought to.

"We have 30 percent less muscle mass, and it's more difficult, but right now because of the physical preparation I am doing, I don't notice it," Calderon said. "I do many hours of training, for example in the 'torture machine,' which works my neck. In a year, I've made it 9 centimeters wider. Many times I've been told I can't do it because I'm a woman, but that just motivates me more."

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