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14 Nov 2020

2020 FIA Formula One Turkish Grand Prix – Qualifying – Saturday

Weather: FP3: rain 12.8-12.0°C air, 15.0-13.3°C track; Q: rain, then overcast, 11.9-12.3°C air, 13.6-12.9°C track

2020 FIA Formula One Turkish Grand Prix – Qualifying – Saturday

Weather: FP3: rain 12.8-12.0°C air, 15.0-13.3°C track; Q: rain, then overcast, 11.9-12.3°C air, 13.6-12.9°C track

 

Out of the deluge, a ray of sunshine. A soaked qualifying session in Istanbul produced our best Saturday of 2020, with Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi battling in the top ten in all three segments of qualifying.
On an unforgiving track that produced some of the most treacherous conditions in the 2020 season so far, our drivers took their C39s to Q3 for the first time: they showed composure when even keeping the car facing the right way was a challenge, delivering lap after lap to improve their times. Both drivers flirted with the top positions in the standings in Q1 and Q2, and in a tense Q3 session, with the track drying enough for some to try intermediate, they kept their cool. In the end, it was P8 for Kimi and P10 for Antonio, the team-mates extracting the most from the session and maximising the step forward in performance the engineers had delivered after FP3.
The result puts us in a good position to be in the fight for points from the first lap of the race: with Sunday’s forecast threatening further rain, the challenge ahead might be a big one – but it won’t be one from which we’ll shy away.

 

Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN and CEO Sauber Motorsport AG: “We can be really pleased about today’s qualifying result. The conditions out there weren’t easy with low grip and a cold and wet track, but we did a good job: the wet tyres worked well with our package and everyone delivered. This morning’s session was quite tough, but we had a good reaction as a team and made a big step forward for qualifying. We had both drivers consistently in the top ten throughout the session and this is a big morale boost, on top of being a good opportunity to score points tomorrow. We can be proud of what we did on an important weekend for the team, but no points are given out on Saturday: we still have to do a good job in the race.”
 


 Kimi Räikkönen (car number 7):
Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN C39 (Chassis 05/Ferrari)
3rd practice: 16th / 2:06.351 (13 laps) / Q1: 2:01.249 (11 laps) / Q2: 1:53.793 (9 laps) / Q3: 8th / 1:52.745 (7 laps)
“We brought home a good qualifying result as a team and we can be happy with it. These were some of the most awful conditions I’ve faced in my career but there wasn’t much we could do about it, we just had to go out and face them. We struggled a lot in the morning, but I think the laps we did in FP3 helped us later in the day. Even when the rain stopped, the track remained very slippery and it was hard to stay on track, but in the end I think the conditions benefitted us. What really matters is tomorrow, we have to do our best and see where we end up. We have a good chance to convert our grid places into a good result.”
 
 
Antonio Giovinazzi (car number 99):
Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN C39 (Chassis 04/Ferrari)
3rd practice: 13th / 2:02.325 (10 laps) / Q1: 2:07.341 (10 laps) / Q2: 1:53.431 (9 laps) / Q3: 10th / 1:57.226 (7 laps)
“It’s really nice to be in Q3 for the first time this year, especially to do so with both cars: it’s a nice way to celebrate the team’s 500th race, but there’s still plenty to do to get the job done. The conditions out there weren’t easy, probably the most difficult in my career, but we put together the laps when it mattered and we achieved our best result of the season so far. We tried to switch to inters for Q3 but in the end I couldn’t get them to work as well as I wanted: still, we can be very happy with what we achieved as a team. From these positions we have a chance to do really well, especially if conditions remain like these. It won’t be easy to make up as many places as we usually do at the start, but I will definitely try!”

 

Media contact:

 

Alfa Romeo Brand

 

Alessandro Nardizzi     
Alfa Romeo Communications - EMEA
+39 338 623 9046        
alessandro.nardizzi@fcagroup.com

 

Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN

press@sauber-group.com

 

Will Ponissi
+41 79 591 57 85
william.ponissi@sauber-group.com

 

Katharina Rees
+41 79 757 52 85
katharina.rees@sauber-group.com

 

About Alfa Romeo brand:

Since its founding in Milan, Italy, in 1910, Alfa Romeo has designed and crafted some of the most stylish and exclusive cars in automotive history. That tradition lives on today as Alfa Romeo continues to take a unique and innovative approach to designing automobiles.
In every Alfa Romeo, technology and passion converge to produce a true work of art - every detail essential, every design the perfect harmony between beauty and purpose, engineering and emotion. Fully reviving Alfa Romeo's spirit and maximizing its global appeal has been one of FCA's priorities. Following a clear and well-defined strategy, Alfa Romeo is writing a new chapter in its more than century-long history that represents an extraordinary opportunity to realize the brand's full potential. Today, Alfa Romeo is a true showcase of the Group's best resources, talent and technological know-how. First with the Giulia, and more recently with the Stelvio, Alfa Romeo has created two models that capture the pure and original spirit of the brand - that instantly recognizable thoroughbred character. These models are testament to Alfa Romeo's La meccanica delle emozioni spirit and quintessential examples of what people have come to expect from this prestigious brand.

 

 

About Sauber Group of Companies:

The Sauber Group of Companies is composed of three operational entities: Sauber Motorsport AG, which operates and manages the Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN Formula One team; Sauber Engineering AG, which focuses on prototype development and additive manufacturing; and Sauber Aerodynamik AG, which conducts full and model-scale testing in the factory’s state-of-the-art wind tunnel and creates ground-breaking innovations in the field of aerodynamics. The companies collaborate closely and share know-how to apply the expertise of more than 500 dedicated individuals at the headquarter in Hinwil, Switzerland, to all internal and external projects. Since its founding in 1970, the passion for racing has been at the heart of Sauber.
For the last 50 years, the innovative Swiss company has been setting standards in the design, development and construction of race cars for various championship series, such as Formula One, DTM, and WEC. Following its own Formula One debut in 1993, Sauber Motorsport AG has established one of the few traditional and privately held teams in the sport. After 25 years of competition in Formula One, the company launched a long-term partnership with Alfa Romeo in 2018 and enters the 2020 championship under the new team name Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN.

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