Alfa Romeo Racing head to the Yas Marina Circuit ‘buzzing’ from their fourth and fifth place result in the Brazilian Grand Prix, with Kimi Räikkönen feeling it was a big confidence boost for the team after a number of below par races for the Hinwil-based outfit.
Räikkönen finished fifth on the road in Brazil but was promoted to fourth thanks to Lewis Hamilton’s time penalty for colliding with Alexander Albon, and the Finn wants to build on that result this weekend in Abu Dhabi to end the season with a good result.
“I am looking forward to the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi,” said Räikkönen. “The result in Brazil was a big confidence boost for everyone in the team and we want to build on that to finish the season well.
“Of course, I am looking forward to some time off afterwards, but right now the focus is firmly on this weekend’s race: we know we can have a good result and we will give all we have to get it.”
Team-mate Antonio Giovinazzi followed Räikkönen home in Brazil, clinching his best result of his Formula 1 career in the process, and he wants to end his first full season in the sport with a strong performance and another good haul of points.
“This weekend marks the end of my first full season in Formula 1, but I am not looking at making a balance of the year yet,” said Giovinazzi. “We still have one very important race ahead of us and we are fully committed to doing the best possible job there.
“Abu Dhabi is another track where we can aim for a good result and we have showed last time out that we can fight with those at the front of the midfield, so let’s hope we can finish the season with another strong race.”
Team Principal, Frédéric Vasseur, says it is important for Alfa Romeo to chancel the good spirits from their spectacular result in Brazil into positive energy for the season closing race in Abu Dhabi as they eye finishing seventh in the Constructors’ Championship, sitting as they are just ten points shy of the Racing Point F1 Team.
“We arrive in Abu Dhabi still buzzing from the great result from the last race,” said Vasseur. “It will be important to channel these good spirits into a positive energy for this final event of the season, one where there is so much at stake.
“Battle for seventh place in the championship aside, we still need to aim for a good result this weekend. It will be important to finish the season well to carry this momentum into the winter months and onto 2020.”
