Sainz and Russell discuss up win hopes with completely different approaches
Carlos Sainz and George Russell each consider they’re in a superb place to win the Singapore Grand Prix, however for various causes after qualifying on the entrance row.
With Pink Bull struggling all weekend, Sainz took benefit to safe his second consecutive pole place and edge out Russell by beneath 0.1s. Two weeks in the past in Monza, Sainz was unable to carry the sooner Pink Bulls at bay within the race however he says that regardless that Ferrari doesn’t have the strongest automotive when it comes to race tempo, he has a greater likelihood of defending his place in Singapore.
“I’m extra assured, primarily due to the monitor structure,” Sainz mentioned. “I believe it’s a bit simpler to carry on to our monitor place. That clearly offers me extra confidence than Monza, (however) when it comes to tempo, I actually don’t know how we’re going to be.
“ long-run information from Friday, the Merc, the Aston and the Pink Bull did look a bit faster than us in tire degradation and race tempo, so it could possibly be that tomorrow we’ve to run, but once more, a little bit of a defensive race. I don’t low cost that even round this monitor we may maintain on to a P1 as a result of it’s much more troublesome to go than different tracks this season, however our race tempo nonetheless appears like our weakest level.”
Nevertheless, Russell factors to the truth that Mercedes has retained two units of medium tires for the race as a bonus because it opens up extra strategic choices on a weekend the place the one-stop appears quickest however security automobiles usually play a job.
“To be sincere, I believe we had been (anticipating a robust efficiency),” Russell mentioned. “We all know that on the high-downforce circuits, we are inclined to go higher. Ferrari all the time quick on the road circuits, C5 tire. So we knew there’d be fast. Pink Bull are clearly an enormous shock — not too certain what’s gone on there. Their long-run tempo didn’t appear stellar, both. So it is a nice alternative, this weekend, to get a victory.
“We’ve bought a unique tire technique to each different automotive on the grid on the market. We’ve bought two mediums. So, we’re the one workforce who’ve bought the prospect to do a one-stop or two stops, so that actually offers us an awesome likelihood for tomorrow.”
Really, Oscar Piastri and each Williams drivers have two units of mediums as nicely, however Russell’s is the one automotive within the high 10 with such an choice and he says that may enable him to assault.
“I’ll undoubtedly be going for it. I believe that may make our life simpler,” Russell mentioned. “I believe we’ve bought the tempo over Ferrari within the race however, as I mentioned, we’ve bought a strategic benefit over them. So, I’m fairly relaxed, even when we’re P2 after Flip 1 — and even P3, as a result of we’re the one workforce who can do a two-stop race. Tire deg appears unhealthy and I hope we’re going to place them in a difficult place to fend this off. So, I’m feeling good — I’m feeling excited.”
