11/06/2022
NEWS STORY
Sebastian Vettel: "I am pretty happy with ninth position - another half-a-tenth and I could have jumped Yuki [Tsunoda], but, overall, I think it was a good session for us. In Q2, I locked up into Turn 15 - I was not sure if I could make it, then I thought I could, then I decided the best option was just to go in straight and risk damaging the front wing. That worked and I managed to crash wisely! The race will be all about controlling the tyres, and they will be tricky to manage tomorrow. It will be a lot hotter than qualifying was, but I am looking forward to it. I have been around a while, so I think I can benefit from all the experience I have."
Lance Stroll: "Obviously I am frustrated with how qualifying finished. After my first lock-up [at Turn Seven], the car still felt okay, and I knew we were running out of time in the session, which is why I decided to stay out and try for another fast lap. Then I think I braked too late into Turn Two. It is unfortunate, but there are plenty of overtaking opportunities here at Baku, and, as we have seen many times before, anything can happen here. There is still plenty to fight for tomorrow."
Mike Krack, Team Principal: "Lance had a troubled Q1, first locking up, running wide and tapping the wall at Turn Seven, then hitting the Turn Two wall hard enough to end his run. But tomorrow is another day, and this is a circuit on which he has done very well in the past. Sebastian was very good today - confident, fast, and solid apart from a light wall-tap at Turn 15 in Q2. He ended up in ninth, and is therefore in a strong position from which to drive for points tomorrow."
Check out our Saturday gallery from Baku, here.