Sunday: A Podium and Hope for Vettel and Red Bull

Sebastian Vettel (No. 1) – 3rd

The reigning four-time world champion reflects on the progress made since the disastrous winter tests: « We have definitely taken a step forward, but we still have work to do. It’s great to be on the podium here. Given our situation just 2 months ago, I think this weekend is a huge step in the right direction. It’s a shame to lose a position at the start, but third place was the best possible result for us today, so I’m very happy with this outcome. »

He regrets that his teammate couldn’t manage to bring his car home safely but remains optimistic for the future: «”It’s frustrating that we didn’t finish the race with both cars, but it’s good to see that the car is fast. What happened to Daniel is unfortunate, he drove very well. The whole team, both at the factory and with Renault, is behind us. The guys have done an amazing job and we’ll try to be at the front again very soon. »

Daniel Ricciardo (No. 3) – Retired

Most of the Australian’s race was good, as he was solidly holding onto 4th place: « Everything was going well and we thought we could score solid points here. The start was very good, I was able to gain a few positions and I was fighting for the top spots, which is very positive. It was nice to be at this level and to fight with the leaders, but we had an issue during a pit stop and then a penalty… »

From there, nothing went right and abandonment became inevitable. However, driver number 3 does not lose his positive attitude and gives us this message: There was a crack on the front wing and a few other issues, then the stop-and-go penalty to serve. With all that, the race ended rather quickly for us. I am very disappointed, but at the same time, a small part of me is happy because I was where I wanted to be in these last two races. I want to keep improving and I am happy to see that we are now off to a good start. Hopefully, things will get better, and I will be able to score points soon. I love racing at the front, it has been a privilege and a lot of fun in these last two races. It’s very addictive, really, I want more; expect to see me at this level many times this year.