Stoffel Vandoorne helped the McLaren Honda Formula 1 Team achieve their aim of making it through to the top ten shootout for the Singapore Grand Prix, but now knows the hard work is to come on race day.
The Belgian had a strong qualifying session around the Marina Bay Street Circuit, comfortably making it through into the final segment, but found himself out-qualified by team-mate Fernando Alonso by 0.219 seconds.
Nether-the-less, Vandoorne is hoping the safety car, which has made an appearance in all of the previous nine Singapore Grand Prix, can aid their chances of advancing their positions, but he feels the team can secure what would only be their second two-car points finish of 2017.
“We came into the weekend more or less expecting to get both cars into Q3, and we achieved that today,” said Vandoorne.
“We were always on the pace throughout Q1 and Q2, but perhaps we lacked that little bit extra in Q3 compared to our rivals. But nonetheless it’s been a smooth and solid effort from the whole team.
“While today is a good starting point, tomorrow is where it really matters. I might be hoping for quite a few Safety Cars in the race, but I still think we can conclude the weekend on a high.”
