Fernando Alonso had 17 points for the whole 2017 Formula 1 season. In 2018 he has 22 after the first three races and is ready to fight again in Azerbaijan.
“Last year’s race in Baku was certainly a memorable one for us. It was a crazy grand prix and we scored our first points of the season there, so we’ll naturally be looking to repeat that this weekend”, Alonso said.
“Even though it’s only been on the calendar for a short time, this circuit is already known among the drivers as a great racer’s track. It’s the fastest street track of the year and also one of the longest, so it’s pretty tough on the car and the driver, but that’s definitely part of the appeal.”
“We know our limitations and where we need to improve our package, and, although we bring parts to test to every race weekend, we aren’t anticipating a radical change in our performance in Baku. However, we’re learning more and more about the behaviour of our car each time we step into the cockpit, and in Azerbaijan, we’ll be maximising everything we have as usual to score as many points as possible.”
LAP 55/56: Vettel leaves the door slightly open
And @alo_oficial powers his way past to claim P7 ?
2017: Alonso’s points, whole season = 17
2018: Alonso’s points after three rounds = 22 ✌️@McLarenF1 #ChineseGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/5An3RwyOrU
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 16, 2018
Fernando Alonso had 17 points for the whole 2017 Formula 1 season. In 2018 he has 22 after the first three races and is ready to fight again in Azerbaijan
Stoffel Vandoorne added that the Baku City Circuit is a pretty tough but also enjoyable track, and it’s quite challenging for the drivers.
“You literally drive through the historic centre of the old town which was a really cool experience last year, and overtaking is tricky on the narrow streets”, the Belgian continued.
“Saying that we saw anything but a processional race last year and hopefully we can take advantage of any drama that this track throws at us next weekend. Last year was tough as the only real overtaking opportunity is at the end of the long straight, and it’ll be tricky for us again, but we’ll see what’s possible with the MCL33.”
“As well as making sure we set ourselves up on the right strategy, for me, the start will be crucial on Sunday. I’ve not had the best starts over the last couple of races and with overtaking tough here we need to try to maximise our starting position. In China, we fought hard but I picked up some floor damage which made pushing ahead very difficult, so I’m looking forward to a tight battle in the midfield and progressing as much as we can in the race.”
