Racing Point drivers looking forward to Spielberg challenge

It will have been four months since the 2020 Formula One season should have kicked off with the Australian Grand Prix in Albert Park when action finally gets underway at the Red Bull Ring in Austria on Friday.

This time, the F1 paddock will have a very different vibe about it with social distancing measures in place and empty grandstands as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic. But the real spectacle, as ever, will be the competitive nature of the racing on track and Racing Point drivers Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll are excited to get back racing on one of the more challenging circuits.

“It’s quite a challenging track, actually,” said Perez, who finished 7^th in both 2017 and 2018. “It’s a really short lap and every corner is tricky, so you’ve got to be very precise and make sure that every single one is perfect. It’s quite different to most tracks in that sense, because there’s more pressure than normal on a single lap. Turn 3 is one of the best challenges. It can be hard to spot your apex point – especially in traffic – but it’s a cool corner and one that I enjoy.”

Precision is the name of the game at the #AustrianGP 👌#F1 pic.twitter.com/3nFeEym8Uy

— BWT Racing Point F1 Team (@RacingPointF1) June 29, 2020

Teammate Stroll has also experienced success around the Red Bull Ring, finishing in the points in 2017. And, like Perez, the young Canadian is looking forward to the challenge that the picturesque mountain circuit provides.

“You’re up in the mountains and I’m definitely a mountain guy,” added Stroll. “I’m big into my skiing and I love the outdoors. You can really soak up the fresh air and all that spectacular scenery in Austria. I really love going there.

Expect some close battles this weekend ⚔️#AustrianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/3RxbkJtynB

— BWT Racing Point F1 Team (@RacingPointF1) June 29, 2020

“It’s short and technical which makes it feel really tight – but it’s got a really nice flow to it too. It’s only just over a minute for a Quali lap, so every corner has to be spot on. It’s almost like a kart track in that sense. Every detail of the lap and every hundredth of a second matters. Those sorts of fractions can be the difference between two or three positions on the grid – and that makes it really exciting.”