Alfa Romeo Formula One Team ORLEN’s Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur was pleased with the team results from the São Paulo Grand Prix and feels satisfied leaving South America, after extending the lead in the Constructors’ Championship to five-points from Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team.
Vasseur was happy with the pace from the C42 and commented that over the race weekend the team were consistent in its performance much like the team displayed during the previous race in Mexico City. The team were able to run as high as the fifth position at Interlagos with a surprise burst of pace from the car, however, the safety car closed the door on the team being able to maintain and perhaps extend the advantage they so nearly held over other teams. Nonetheless, Vasseur was pleased with the result, and congratulated the team in bagging those important points.
“The team did a really good job today and we were able to turn the weekend around and leave with a good result. Both yesterday and today we have shown good pace and made up a lot of ground and we can be satisfied to leave Brazil with an increased gap over our closest rivals.”
It’s clear that the Team Principal had hoped for more once both drivers, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, broke into the top ten, but ultimately it was the safety car that stole the advantage from the Alfa Romeo drivers, closing the gap between the teams. Yet Vasseur noted that the team strategy was well executed and they were able to fight back for a top-ten position with Bottas securing two points to the tally.
“We had a good start and were able to run as high as fifth during the race: it’s a shame the late Safety Car nullified our advantage and put us within range of other cars, but we still brought home the points we wanted.”
Vasseur is positive that the team will approach the final race of the season with confidence and be in the running for some last-minute points to get the job done and secure that sixth place in the 2022 Contructors’ Championship.
“Most importantly, it was yet another event in which we showed good form, as we did in Mexico, so we can approach the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi with confidence: we can be in the mix for points once again and hopefully clinch sixth place in the championship.”