01/07/2018
NEWS STORY
The Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team gave a strong performance at the 2018 FIA Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix with both drivers finishing in the points. Starting from P17 due to a 5-position grid penalty (gearbox change), Charles Leclerc made a good start and gained several positions. His race was hindered when he went wide on lap two and fell back to P19. From that moment on, he started a strong recovery, fighting his way back into the midfield. It was also a strong Grand Prix for Marcus Ericsson, who showed consistently strong pace throughout the race. Having started from P18, he progressed step-by-step and finished the race to score points for the second time this season. The Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team departs Austria with three new points to its tally – with Charles Leclerc finishing in P9 (2 points) and Marcus Ericsson in P10 (1 point).
The Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team is currently in 9th place in the Constructors' Championship (16 points). In the Drivers' Championship, Charles Leclerc currently holds P14 (13 points), while Marcus Ericsson is in P18 (3 points).
Marcus Ericsson: "It was a great race. I felt good in the car, and had strong pace right from the start of the race. Our strategy worked very well. We also had another fast pitstop from the mechanics and I am really proud of the crew. It is a great result for the team to have both cars finish in the points today, especially after the difficult qualifying yesterday. We can all be proud of how we bounced back. I am really happy for the team and myself. I look forward to Silverstone, one of my favourite tracks."
Charles Leclerc: "It was an exciting day. After advancing quite a bit at the start, I fell back after a few laps and had a tough job ahead of me to recover enough positions to score some points. There was a lot of action during the race, and some good overtakes, so I really enjoyed driving today. It is great for the team that both cars finished in the top 10. This is an extra boost of motivation for all of us ahead of the upcoming races, and I look forward to seeing what they will have in store for us."
Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal: "It was a very good race for us. Both our drivers made a great recovery after starting from quite far back on the grid. To have two cars finish in the points today is an important achievement for the whole team, both at the track and in the factory. This is another sign for us that we are moving in the right direction. We have to keep our focus on continuing in this direction for the next few races to finish the first half of the season on a positive note."
Check out our Sunday gallery from Spielberg, here.