13/05/2018
NEWS STORY
It was a positive Grand Prix for the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team, finishing in the points for the third time this season with Charles Leclerc in P10, and Marcus Ericsson in P13. Both drivers gave a strong performance, fighting for positions in the midfield. Monegasque rookie Charles Leclerc has brought home another point for the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team just a few days after scoring his first Formula 1 points in Baku.
Marcus Ericsson performed well, especially in the first stint, with good attacks and defence on medium tyres. The team now holds a total of 11 points this season (P9 in the Constructors' Championship). Charles Leclerc is currently in P13, and Marcus Ericsson in P16 in the Drivers' Championship.
In addition to the outcome of the race, the team celebrates the anniversary of Alfa Romeo's first victory in Formula 1 - a result achieved by Nino Farina on the 13th of May 1950 in the Alfa Romeo GP Tipo 158 "Alfetta" at Silverstone.
Marcus Ericsson: "I was strong in the first half of the race with the medium tyres, then we were a bit unlucky with the virtual safety car coming right after our pit stop and that was really frustrating. In the second stint, I struggled more on the soft tyre. The result was a bit disappointing because we were in the fight and not too far off scoring points. Overall it was a good race, I had very good fights and defended well. The fact that Charles scored points is very positive for the team and from my side I need to bounce back in Monaco."
Charles Leclerc: "It is a great feeling to finish in the points again. It was quite an interesting race, with tricky weather conditions making it challenging to drive, especially in terms of tyre management. We have made considerable progress since the beginning of the season, and the whole team is eager to continue working hard in this direction. It will be important to stay focussed - the next Grand Prix will be my home race in Monaco, and I am very excited to drive my first Formula 1 race there."
Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal: "We leave Barcelona feeling positive. We had a very strong rhythm at a certain stage of the race and scored one point, which we did not anticipate before arriving here as it is quite a demanding track. Both drivers put in a good performance, and we scored points for the third time this season. The team is motivated to keep pushing and we have to stay focussed now to make the next step."