Alfa Romeo’s name returned to the world of grand prix racing yesterday, this time as the title sponsor of the Sauber F1 Team, in a low key performance that while not exactly setting the world alight or generating much TV time did however see F1 debutant Charles Leclerc finish better in a better than had been expected P13 while the other car of Marcus Ericsson dropped out early on.
The Swiss backmarker team showed positive progress throughout the weekend with the race more looking promising after the drivers hauled themselves off the bottom of the timesheets during Saturday's qualifying session.
Ericsson made a good start and gained one position to run in sixteenth place when he had to retire on lap six due to a hydraulic issue on his car.
On the other side of the garage, starting a grand prix for the first time ever, Leclerc enjoyed a strong race during which he put in a consistent performance that enabled him to finish thirteenth.
The Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team team now heads to Bahrain for the second round of the FIA Formula 1 Championship, which takes place in ten day's time.
Marcus Ericsson
C37 (Chassis 03)
Result: DNF. Supersoft tyres
“It was a disappointing race for me after the good job done during the race weekend. I had a solid start and the car felt really good – really strong and I was ready for the fight. Unfortunately, on lap six I had a hydraulic issue on my car and I had to retire from the race. Now, the team will analyse all the data. We were in the fight and this is positive so all I can do is to look forward to Bahrain.”
Charles Leclerc
C37 (Chassis 02)
Result: 13th. Supersoft tyres, soft tyres, ultrasoft tyres
“I am very happy about my day. The start was not ideal – I had to catch up with the competitors ahead of me and slowly work my way forward. We maximised our potential and had a consistently good pace. I was able to overtake some of the cars, which was fun. Overall, it has been a positive weekend. We have made good progress since Friday and are at a good starting point. I have learned a lot and feel confident going into the next round in Bahrain.”
Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal
“The balance of the whole race weekend is positive, especially considering the good progress we have made since Friday. Regarding the race we have mixed feelings because Marcus was doing an impressive job after a good start. We will now analyse all the data. Congratulations to Charles for his first race in Formula One. It was important for him to finish and he did a great job with tyre management and fuel saving. All in all, it’s a good feeling for the team and we are very motivated as we look forward to Bahrain."
Photos: Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team - 2018 Australian Grand Prix
