Russian GP | Sirotkin hopes Williams can earn the points in the race
The Russian driver summarizes Friday work.
The Friday results for Williams hardly can be called successful. Sergey Sirotkin were ahead of his teammate Lance Stroll in both sessions, but still on the 18th and the 19th positions. Any way the Russian is optimistic about Sunday race in Sochi.
“It was a good practice. In terms of the work, we got a lot of information, in terms of the results, yes, our situation looks not too good, but we are close to the fight for 12th,13th,14th positions. So, I think it’s a good reason to stay positive. Again, as I said, this circuit has characteristics what can give us both “good” and “bad” surprises. While everything looks good, and no one expected we will have some fantastic results here”, - said Sirotkin.
“We have real task to move to the Q2. We know some drivers have penalties on the starting grid, and also, I believe we will be successful on the start and first lap. So, in the race we have the chances for the points”.
The main issue Sergey finds the tyres, with which every team has difficulties.
“The tyres are what we have been working on today like other teams. It’s the one thing to deal with them in the practices, and another to deal with these tyres in the qualifying and the race. The hypersoft is wear out very quickly, other compounds have the disadvantages too. So, the tyres are what we have been working on today and what we need optimized tomorrow”.
Talking about race strategy, Sirotkin is sure the strategy with one pit stop will be more popular. But at the same time everything can be change due the weather.
“It’s difficult to say about strategy, because the weather will be different on the Sunday, there will be warmer. Today, especially in the second practice, there was cloudy, what helped us to cool the tyres on the long distances. That’s why most of the teams will be focus on the one pit stop in the race. But we are in that situation, when we can risk and try some alternative strategies and even take some advantage of this”.
Returning to the Singapore race and the tough fight between Sergey and Sergio Perez, Sirotkin said today on the drivers briefing he talked about that incident with Charlie Whiting, and once again realized he was doing everything right.
“Yes, we discussed it with Charlie. And once again I received confirmation that all my actions in Singapore were absolutely legal and correct”.