Italy 2020 - GP preview - Racing Point

Lance Stroll

Q: Some of your best showings have come at Monza. Why does it bring out the best in you?

LS: “It’s such a high-speed track, which makes it a great challenge. Starting on the front row in 2017 was one of the best days of my career and I’m really looking forward to getting back there. I don’t think there’s any secret to my performances there – it’s just been a case of maximising the weekends.”

Q: We’re approaching the halfway point of the 2020 season. How do you rate your campaign so far?

LS: “It’s been a good start so far and I think we’ve had a strong start to the year as a team too. We’ve been consistently scoring points and I’m enjoying this car. We’ve had some challenging races too – such as last week in Spa, but we’re learning the lessons and working hard to keep improving the car. There is still a long way to go this season – ten more races – and I’m excited for a lot of the tracks coming up.”

Q: How would you describe Monza in three words?

LS: “Quick, historic, Italian!”

Sergio Perez

Q: 2019 was a memorable race, recovering from the back to P7. Was it one of your best drives in F1?

SP: “It was definitely a good race! It was also a tricky one and we honestly weren’t expecting great things – but the team did a fantastic job and we had a really strong result. I had a great start too, which helped us make the most of the situation and we collected good points. Hopefully we can collect more this weekend.”

Q: In Monza, teams run very little downforce on the car. How does it feel to drive the car there?

SP: “On the straights it feels really light and you can feel that you’re right at the edge of what a Formula 1 car can do at high speeds. It’s part of what makes Monza such a unique challenge. It’s also great to drive at a circuit with such history and atmosphere. It’ll be really strange not to have the passionate fans there this year.”

Q: Your season has had a few twists and turns already. Now we’re approaching the halfway point, how do you rate your campaign so far?

SP: “It was tough to miss two races, so I can’t be fully satisfied with my season. But the great thing is that there are still a lot of races to go and the car is performing well, so I know I can be stronger in the second half of the season. I think I have room for improvement too, so I’m looking forward to putting everything together and hopefully fighting for a podium in the coming races.”