Kimi Räikkönen: “We need to be sharp and get the most out of our car”

The Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN team scored a point in the Hungarian Grand Prix prior to the summer break courtesy of Kimi Räikkönen, but the team dropped to ninth place in the Constructors’ Championship thanks to the double points score for Williams Racing.

Nicholas Latifi and George Russell finished seventh and eighth at the Hungaroring to move up to eighth place in the standings, and they are now seven points clear of Alfa Romeo heading into the second half of the season.

Räikkönen says he has enjoyed the summer break ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, and he knows Alfa Romeo will need to get the most out of their car across the remaining races of the season if they are to retake that eighth place in the standings.

“I enjoyed the time off: spending this much time with the family is not something we do often so I made sure to make the most of it,” said Räikkönen, who has four wins at Spa to his name in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2009.  

“Now, though, the holidays feel already in the past and I am looking forward to racing again: Spa is the perfect place to come back, it’s a nice track where you get some good racing and Sundays can be unpredictable.

“The situation on track will be similar to before the summer: we need to be sharp and get the most out of our car and the circumstances and we can bring home a good result.”

“I want to start the second part of the season in the best possible way” – Antonio Giovinazzi

Team-mate Antonio Giovinazzi says it was good to have the break to recover both physically and mentally from the first half of the season, with the Italian having scored only one point across the opening eleven races.

The Italian says he feels good and refreshed heading to Spa-Francorchamps, and he, like Räikkönen, is aiming to start the second half of the season on the front foot with the aim of taking the fight to Williams in the Constructors’ Championship.

“I was able to spend a few weeks with family and friends, which is always a nice thing to do when you have such a busy calendar,” said Giovinazzi.  

“The summer break was a good chance to train a little but mostly recover, physically and mentally, from the first seven months of the season: it was a nice break and I feel good, but I can’t wait to be back in the car.

“Spa is an epic track, one where you feel the driver can make a massive difference, and I want to start the second part of the season in the best possible way. We are motivated to set the tone right from the beginning of the run-up to the end of the year.”

Antonio Giovinazzi has eyes on points this weekend in Belgium – Credit: Xavi Bonilla / DPPI