After his Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team achieved their sixth Qualifying Three appearance of the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season, Team Principal Mike Krack believes the Silverstone-based team are well placed to fight for the point’s in Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix.
Sebastian Vettel was able to expertly navigate his way out of both Qualifying One and Two to secure his fourth Q3 appearance of the season. Aston Martin elected to send Vettel out midway through the session to give the German driver a clean track to set his lap time which would place Vettel in ninth-place for Sunday’s race around the Suzuka International Racing Course.
On his in-lap back to the pits, Vettel appeared to be rather emotional over the radio as he made his way around the Suzuka Circuit for the final time in a qualifying session.
After an impressive outing for the four-time world champion, Krack believes that Vettel has placed himself in a strong position to fight for a back-to-back points finish at the Japanese Grand Prix.
“Sebastian drove a strong lap in Q3 today and will line up in P9 for tomorrow’s Japanese Grand Prix as a result. From there, he is in a good position to drive for points.“
Lance Stroll’s qualifying woes continued in Suzuka as the Canadian driver failed to make it out of Q1 for the eleventh time this season. Stroll was just under three tenths short of making it out of the opening qualifying session as a lock up heading into turn eleven would cost the Aston Martin driver any chance of making out of Q1.
Krack confirmed that Stroll’s mistake heading into turn eleven had ruined what was looking to be a quick lap from the Canadian driver, but the team still remains optimistic that Stroll will be able to move forward in Sunday’s Grand Prix and that a points finish still remains on the table for the twenty-three year old.
“Lance was on a quick lap in Q1 when unfortunately he locked up into the hairpin, ending his chances of making it through to Q2. But the weather forecast is uncertain for tomorrow afternoon, so a points-scoring finish is not impossible for him.”
