For Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team it was double delight at the Monaco Grand Prix, as both Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll finished in the points, taking the chequered flag in fifth and eighth respectively.
Vettel was voted driver of the day, after a brilliant double overcut and drag race with Pierre Gasly up Casino Square. The German driver used all of his experience to move ahead of Gasly and bring his Aston Martin home in fifth, his best performance so far for the team.
It was a brilliant drive too by Stroll, the Canadian who started the race a disappointing thirteenth, drove deep into the race before making his stop. This saw him too overcut multiple drivers and finish in an excellent eighth place.
So with fourteen world championship points added to the teams tally at Monaco, Aston Martin CEO & Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer is extremely proud of the shift put in by both drivers as team now looks ahead to Baku.
“Sebastian produced a truly impressive drive today, finishing fifth after a tough race in which he never put a wheel wrong,” said Szafnauer. “He spent the early laps in a solid seventh place, keeping in touch with Lewis [Hamilton] in sixth. Then, in the pit stops, he delivered on an excellent strategy devised by our strategists and engineers to jump both Lewis and Pierre [Gasly].
“Checo [Pérez] then jumped Sebastian but he had a net gain of two places: the outcome was P5. The way Sebastian exited the pit lane and held off Pierre up the hill to Casino Square was white-knuckle stuff: in fact, it was the highlight of the race, and Sebastian was duly voted Driver of the Day, which was both welcome and deserved.
“Lance also drove extremely well, pushing hard when it mattered to make the overcut work against Ocon and Giovinazzi. His pace was strong and it was a gutsy performance to gain four positions on a circuit on which gaining places is notoriously difficult. So, overall, we are pleased to have scored a total of 14 world championship points here in Monaco today. Roll on Baku!”
