Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team endured a difficult qualifying on Saturday ahead of the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Both Vettel and Stroll eliminated in Q1.
Sebastian Vettel (P17)
“I was a little surprised that we were unable to make Q2 because I felt my last lap was good – even though I was held up at the end of the second sector, which cost me a few tenths and a chance to progress.
“There was a lot of traffic out there, especially at the end of laps, which complicated it further. I think it is clear that this track does not suit our car in qualifying trim, but the positive is that our race pace has traditionally been stronger this season, so we will see what we can do tomorrow.
“It hurts to qualify in P17 but if we have an eventful race tomorrow, we can try to make our way up the field.”
Lance Stroll (P18)
“I am really disappointed to have qualified in P18 because traffic at the end of the session ruined my qualifying. It was like a parking lot and there was nothing I could do.
“As a result, I was not able to put in a flying lap when the track and tyres were at their optimum and it proved to be very costly. I think we would have had enough to make it into Q2 otherwise.
“We will go away and review to see if there is anything we could have done differently. We have never raced here before, so we will have to see how the Grand Prix plays out tomorrow and try to make up some places.”
