Formula 1

BWT Racing Point hierarchy elated after Perez win and Stroll podium

Motorsport Technology
07 Dec 2020
3 min read

The BWT Racing Point team, partnered by Acronis, enjoyed the finest day in its short history after Sergio Perez grabbed a sensational victory at the Sakhir Grand Prix and Lance Stroll followed him onto the podium.

One of the great drives in F1 history saw Perez recover from being spun around on the opening lap to scorch his way through the field and grab victory after Mercedes botched their stacked pit stop under the final Safety Car.

“What an incredible day for the team: we delivered under pressure to get a massive result,” commented Otmar Szafnauer, CEO and Team Principal. “Not many teams and drivers can say they went from P18 to P1, but we certainly can! Checo bounced back from the lap one crash and after his lock-up on his new mediums under the safety car, we managed the situation with him and overcame the vibration to keep him out on track. That proved crucial to our chances of winning. Both sides of the garage did a superb job and Lance drove incredibly well to get P3.”

Compounding BWT Racing Point’s amazing day was another great drive from Lance Stroll after a season of some misfortune, the Canadian employing a different one stop  strategy to gain seven places from his starting grid position and join in the celebrations with his teammate on the podium.

Sergio Perez, Racing Point, 1st position, and Lance Stroll, Racing Point, 3rd position,

“It’s another podium for Lance and he’s still a young driver who’s constantly improving,” added Szafnauer. “Checo’s win puts him back in P4 in the Drivers’ Championship, which I think speaks volumes. With his and Lance’s points, we are in better shape for the Constructors’ Championship battle for third with one race remaining.

“Today has been a huge team effort and we really demonstrated that this week. After a really tough weekend last time out with both cars damaged, the boys and girls back at Silverstone delivered by working day and night to ensure we had all the parts we needed for this weekend. That’s what Formula 1 is all about: it’s teamwork. But for now, there’s a great Mexican restaurant at the hotel, we’ll be celebrating with Checo and Lance before heading to Abu Dhabi!”

After impressive pre-season testing form, the BWT Racing Point team was tipped to be one of the stronger packages for the 2020 season and so it has transpired. It bodes well for the coming years when the team changes its identity to become the Aston Martin Formula 1 team.

“When we took over this team, we knew we were taking over an operation that has always punched above its weight and delivered on a much smaller budget than our rivals,” commented major shareholder, Lawrence Stroll. “Today’s result isn’t a huge surprise considering this team in the past was able to deliver P4 in the Constructors’ Championship in back-to-back seasons.

“When I arrived, it was about giving the team the funding it deserved and working with the outstanding core staff to allow the team to continue to flourish. The 400-plus members of the team can be hugely proud of their efforts and we’ll continue expanding to ensure this outfit continues to be competitive and in the hope that we celebrate more days like today in the future! Checo drove an exceptional race and he has been a hugely important part of the team’s history, while Lance also drove very well to ensure the double podium.”

Motorsport Technology

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