Perez, Stroll Revved Up To Score, Vettel Blazes The Trail In Bahrain
30th March 2019
SportPesa Racing Point Formula 1 Team drivers confident they can end among the points on Sunday at Sakhir after two practise sessions
- The four-time champion German delivered a best lap in one minute and 28.846 seconds to outpace his new Monegasque partner by 0.035 seconds at the top of the time-lists, the pair winding up six-tenths clear of Lewis Hamilton
- The Canadian-Belgian driver remained attitude and credited his teammate in their pursuit for points in the second event of the 21-race 2019 Formula 1 season
- Having been in the racing world throughout his life, the 2016 FIA European Formula 3 champion is confident that the race will be one for the books as he looks to continue to stamp his authority on the track as one the most exciting upcoming F1 talents
SAKHIR, Bahrain- Having felt the Bahrain Grand Prix course in the first two practise sessions, the SportPesa Racing Point Formula 1 Team drivers, Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll maintained their cars are tuned to score much-needed points for the revamped outfit.
Early Saturday, four-time world champion, Sebastian Vettel and his Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc blazed the charts with Perez steering the Mercedes engine-powered Racing Point car to 13th with a best lap of 1:30.176 after completing 32 laps in the second practice session.
Perez began the day Friday on the front foot, setting a time of 1:33.334 in the opening rounds of practice, the fastest before all drivers took to the track to get a feel of the track in Sakhir.
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The four-time champion German delivered a best lap in one minute and 28.846 seconds to outpace his new Monegasque partner by 0.035 seconds at the top of the time-lists, the pair winding up six-tenths clear of Lewis Hamilton.
“It’s very technical and has a lot of straights so it allows me to get a proper feel of the car. The car feels great and I have no doubt that we can pose a serious challenge to all the teams participating,” Perez told SportPesa News.
Perez, who has amassed 529 career points, is currently in 13th place on the 2019 F1 driver standings and is keen to better his performance from Australia during Sunday’s race.
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The 29-year old Mexican driver has been among the points in the last three races in Bahrain and is confident he will be able to display the scintillating driving that has made him a force to reckon with in the recent past.
“It’s going to be tight and very difficult but we have to make the most of what we have and make it count on the track. I finished 8th in Bahrain last year, 7th both years before that so it has not been too bad but I am here to better it now,” he underlined.
Slight difficulty
His counterpart Stroll, who joined the team this season from Williams, had some slight difficulty on the track during the first rounds of practice but remains one of the talks of the town especially after the majestic performance down under a fortnight ago.
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The Canadian-Belgian driver remained attitude and credited his teammate in their pursuit for points in the second event of the 21-race 2019 Formula 1 season.
“I’m alongside a more competitive guy this year, that’s no secret but I am looking forward to every second of this race and the rest of the season. It’s a combination of straights and high speed corners which will be a great challenge for us,” the 20 year-old who finished ninth in Melbourne noted.
Stroll who is the second youngest driver to ever finish on the podium, is keen to have a taste of glory this season to add on to the third place finish he achieved at the 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
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Having been in the racing world throughout his life, the 2016 FIA European Formula 3 champion is confident that the race will be one for the books as he looks to continue to stamp his authority on the track as one the most exciting upcoming F1 talents.
“I know there will be loads of action and that will be great for the fans. It’s about time I get on that podium one more time and taste that champagne. Therefore, I’m going for it all this Sunday,” he stressed.
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2nd practice results:
Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) 1:28.846 (32 laps), Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) 1:28.881 (32), Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:29.449 (33), Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) 1:29.557 (36), Nico Hülkenberg (GER/Renault) 1:29.669 (32), Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull-Honda) 1:29.725 (34), Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas-Ferrari) 1:30.000 (33), Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Renault) 1:30.017 (25), Romain Grosjean (FRA/Haas-Ferrari) 1:30.068 (34), Daniil Kvyat (RUS/Toro Rosso-Honda) 1:30.093 (36), Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/McLaren-Renault) 1:30.192 (33), Pierre Gasly (FRA/Red Bull-Honda) 1:30.429 (31), Alexander Albon (THA/Toro Rosso-Honda) 1:30.458 (36), Sergio Pérez (MEX/Racing Point-Mercedes) 1:30.716 (32), Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Renault) 1:30.848 (30), Kimi Räikkönen (FIN/Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari) 1:31.088 (36), Lance Stroll (CAN/Racing Point-Mercedes) 1:31.129 (31), Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA/Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari) 1:31.144 (10), George Russell (GBR/Williams-Mercedes) 1:31.904 (32), Robert Kubica (POL/Williams-Mercedes) 1:32.932 (37)