'With better strategies Racing Point will take podiums this year'
F1 News
- GPblog.com
Racing Point stood out during the Grand Prix weekend in Hungary. They managed to qualify third and fourth and finish fourth and seventh. The collaboration with Mercedes regarding the car clearly pays off, because they are a competitor to be reckoned with. They are also faster than midfield, as it turns out, but the maximum potential hasn't been reached yet.
Better material
That's what Robert Doornbos says in his column for Ziggo Sport: "Other men who stood out last weekend were definitely Racing Point and they are going to stand out even more this season. Compared to his fastest lap in Hungary in 2019, Lance Stroll was now no less than three seconds faster, which is a huge step forward."
"Has Lance Stroll become a much better driver?", Doornbos wonders, and he continues: "No, he has much better material at his disposal with which he can make a difference in the end. And that's how it works in Formula 1. They had a third and fourth place on the grid. Very special for their insane performance."
"The single lap pace is unprecedentedly good, but the race pace and especially the strategy, they can still win a lot on that. Racing Point is used to riding in the middle of the field and then strategy plays a slightly less important role than when you're riding all the way to the front".
Too long outdoors
That was especially well shown in Austria, where Perez could have taken a podium. The Mexican didn't succeed, because the team left him outside for too long. "That happened to Lance Stroll as well, because the start was okay, he was second behind Hamilton and in the end he lost on strategy and finished fourth."
So in other words: if the strategy is better thought out, then there's even more to it for Racing Point. If they can do that better in the upcoming races, chances are we're going to see Perez and Stroll on the podium.