Lance Stroll, Racing Point, Mugello, 2020

Sainz concerned by Stroll’s “really quick” pace in upgraded Racing Point

2020 Russian Grand Prix

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Carlos Sainz Jnr says the pace Lance Stroll demonstrated in his upgraded Racing Point during the Tuscan Grand Prix shows the team could be a bigger threat in the coming races.

With eight races left, McLaren are third in the constructors’ championship, 14 points ahead of Racing Point. However Sainz is concerned by the potential their rival showed with their latest upgrade.

Sainz said McLaren have out-scored Racing Point despite their rivals having a performance advantage so far this year.

“When we started the year we thought Racing Point definitely had a very big upper hand on us,” he said. “I think they were, after winter testing, clearly quicker than us.

“But then somehow we’ve managed to hold onto them and score some good results, even having our share of problems too.”

Stroll was the first Racing Point driver to benefit from the upgrade at the previous race and will remain the only one of their drivers with the new parts this weekend.

“Stroll was really quick in Mugello with the upgrade,” said Sainz. “So it’s difficult to tell if that’s going to be the case for the rest of the year. We also, hopefully, have some good things coming.

“I would say they’ve definitely been the faster midfield car, which doesn’t mean the best midfield team, but definitely the fastest midfield car in most of the races.”

Sainz’s team mate Lando Norris said McLaren have closed the gap to Racing Point since the start of the season.

“Racing Point have been very quick this year compared to last year, for example. Especially in the beginning of the season I think they were a lot more competitive than us.

“But I want to say that we started off in a better way in terms of everything else on track. Maybe not quite our pit stops being exceptional, but the execution of a lot of other things: Starts, some pit stops and everything else around it, I think we executed very well.

“I think that paid dividends through points and so on in the races where we were not as competitive as them.”

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2020 Russian Grand Prix

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6 comments on “Sainz concerned by Stroll’s “really quick” pace in upgraded Racing Point”

  1. They haven’t outscored Racing Point.
    Racing Point was penalised. Unfairly in my opinion but penalised none the less.

    McLaren is defending a position they haven’t yet deserved.

  2. If we add back the 15 discarded points, they have been pretty evenly matched this year. Probably that Racing Point has a better car and McLaren has been better at maximizing the results. Curious to see how this particular battle will evolve in the remaining of the season.

    1. And Racing Point had several bad results/DNS/DNF otherwise they would be clearly the third team. McLaren had just good results because of their drivers.

      1. @macleod @jeanrien, exactly as the drivers said, McLaren has been the better team on track, getting more of the strategy, pitstops and driving right (and I guess the politics/lawfulness, as that cost RP those 15 points ;) while RP has not been able to always get the best out of their potentially faster car so far.

        Great to have such a tense field at the top of the midfield, where every result counts, isn’t it, with Renault in there too, and maybe Alpha Tauri too!?

  3. This is why Lawrence knew he needed Seb isn’t it. The drivers are a huge factor as the cars converge. And next year Aston will be up against Danny and a year older Lando. Not to mention Fernando and a year older Esteban.

  4. Nah! Pink Mercedes 2019 is just overhyped, nothing to be worried about. Silently Renault have proved to be most improve this year.

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