Alfa Romeo Racing team boss Frédéric Vasseur had mixed feelings at the end of the Hungarian Grand Prix, which saw Kimi Räikkönen score his eighth points finish of the season with a seventh-place finish, whilst Antonio Giovinazzi could only manage a disappointing eighteenth place, his second-lowest finish in F1.
After qualifying which saw Giovinazzi dealt a three-place grid penalty for blocking Lance Stroll in Q1, Alfa Romeo struggled to get both cars in the points with the hot temperatures and the tight nature of the Hungaroring circuit causing both drivers to endure a tough Sunday afternoon’s work.
Nevertheless Raikkonen’s eighth points finish this season keeps him eighth in the drivers championship whilst Alfa Romeo stay seventh in the constructors championship, seven points behind Renault as Formula 1 heads into the summer break.
Vasseur had mixed thoughts at the end of the race.
“It’s been very much a race of two halves for the team,” he said. “Kimi did really well to drive a clean race and resist pressure from Bottas in the last few laps. Seventh was all we could hope for today so we can be satisfied with these points
”As for Antonio, starting in seventeenth meant he was always going to struggle on this track, and an issue with his first set of tyres meant he didn’t get the chance to make any progress in the race.”
Alfa Romeo Racing will be hoping to get both cars in the points when Formula 1 returns for the Belgium Grand Prix at Spa Francorchamps on the weekend 30 August- 1 September.
