13/11/2020
NEWS STORY
Lance Stroll: "It was great to experience Istanbul Park for the first time, but it was very challenging out there. It's a new asphalt and it's very fresh, which makes it tricky because the grip level is very low. I wouldn't expect it to improve significantly over the weekend, so that challenge is going to remain throughout the event. All the drivers and teams are in the same boat, so it's about who can get to grips with the circuit best and I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays out tomorrow. Qualifying will be about figuring out the best strategy and considering how best to use the harder compound here in Turkey - it's definitely not a one-lap tyre. We'll go away and look over everything we learned today and come back tomorrow stronger."
Sergio Perez: "It was very tricky out there today and it's not just because of the colder temperatures - the lack of grip is a real factor too. When I did the track walk yesterday it was like walking on a marble floor, almost like your kitchen surface at home! It's very slippery and I think it will be like that all weekend. It's a shame we weren't able to really experience the full impact of a lap around Istanbul Park, because it's such a challenge and a great track, but I'm confident we'll have a really exciting weekend here and that there will be plenty of opportunities for us. From what we've learned today, the strategy is going to be key and getting it right could be a big advantage. We've definitely learned a lot today and I'm confident we're going in the right direction. The midfield battle is looking very close this weekend and hopefully we can get towards the front of it starting tomorrow."
Check out our Friday gallery from Istanbul, here.