29 April 2018
Superb race for the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team with Charles Leclerc finishing in P6, Marcus Ericsson in P11
Weather: cloudy/windy and dry, 16-17°C air, 23-28°C track
It was a fantastic Grand Prix for the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team at the Baku City Circuit. In an eventful and hectic race with difficult track and weather conditions, today’s target was to finish the race, scoring the best possible results and both Charles Leclerc and Marcus Ericsson did a very good job. The Monegasque rookie finished the fourth race of his debut season in sixth place, scoring eight points for the team. Starting in P13 with a one-stop race strategy, he put in a strong and consistent performance, and steadily made his way to the front of the midfield. Marcus Ericsson successfully advanced to P11 and was able to save a difficult race that was compromised by his involvement in an early incident that resulted in him pitting and changing strategy. The Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team now holds a total of ten points in this season’s Constructor’s Championship, placing the team in ninth place. Charles Leclerc is in thirteenth with Marcus Ericsson in sixteenth in the Drivers’ Championship.
Marcus Ericsson (car number 9):
C37 (Chassis 03/Ferrari)
Result: 11th. Start on supersoft tyres, after 1 lap change to soft tyres, after 18 laps change to ultrasoft tyres, and after 36 laps change to ultrasoft tyres
“It was a difficult race for me. I was involved in an incident at the beginning of the race, and picked up some damage to the car. I was struggling to keep everything together after that, and I gave everything to catch up with my direct competitors. In the end, it was good to manage to finish in P11. As a team, we have scored points for the second time this season, which is very motivating, and our potential is becoming more clear with every weekend. We must keep up the good work now. I look forward to the next race weekend in Barcelona.”
Charles Leclerc (car number 16):
C37 (Chassis 02/Ferrari)
Result: 6th. Start on supersoft tyres, after 24 laps change to soft tyres, after 40 laps change to ultrasoft tyres
“It was an amazing race today – I am very happy with my result. It was definitely eventful, with many incidents on track making it especially challenging and fun to drive. I felt comfortable in the car, and did my best to gradually advance to the front of the midfield through the race. It is an incredible feeling to score points for the first time in Formula 1. As a team, we can see our potential, and know what our strengths are. I am very pleased, and look forward to continuing on this positive path.”
Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal:
“We are very pleased with the job that we have done this whole weekend starting from Friday and then a good qualifying session. Charles scored his first points in Formula 1 today, finishing in P6. He had a strong pace and did a consistent job. It was a huge step for him to make and he can be proud of what he has achieved. Marcus put up a good fight. He was involved in an incident at the beginning of the race, which set him back and made it tough for him, however, he managed to recover and catch up with the midfield. He finally finished in P11 and was very close to scoring points. It is a great achievement for the team, not only for the points but also for the pace shown especially in the first stint. Now we have to stay focused in order to continue this good work.”
Source: https://www.sauberf1team.com
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