26/10/2024
NEWS STORY
Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber returned to action at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, as Formula One returns to Mexico.
Robert Shwartzman stood in for Zhou Guanyu in an FP1 session that was interrupted by lengthy red flags; this pattern continued in FP2 but, despite the interruptions, the team was able to complete its necessary programme ahead of tomorrow's qualifying.
Valtteri Bottas: "I think today was positive from the first run onwards, as I had good confidence in the car. The gaps are extremely small, and the thin air means certain elements of aerodynamic efficiency are minimised, so the cars are naturally closer together - which could present an opportunity for us in the rest of the weekend. We seem quite okay on single lap pace, but still have work to do on the long runs. Now we just need to find more performance for tomorrow and see where we are."
Zhou Guanyu: "Missing FP1 today and jumping straight into Pirelli testing with the upgraded package made it challenging, but even with limited track time, we're in a good spot. My lap time came early in the run, so there's plenty of room to improve as we dial in the setup. We're not far off the pace, and with some adjustments to the balance, we can definitely improve our performance. Overall, it's a step forward, and I'm looking forward to more racing this weekend."
Robert Shwartzman: "First of all, I'm always grateful to get time running in a Formula One car and to work closely with the Team so a big thanks to Ferrari and Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber for another great opportunity. Going into the session today we had specific targets in terms of collecting data and running through as much testing as possible, but unfortunately, red flags interrupted our run plan and cut the session short. The crash happened right in front of me as I was on a push lap and I'm just glad everyone involved is okay. The car felt good overall and it's great working with the team, so it was a positive experience."
Check out our Friday gallery from Mexico City here.