Quebec’s Lance Stroll set the 12th fastest qualifying time for the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix on Saturday, but he could have done better were it not for his team’s daring strategy.
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The rain had made the Marina Bay street circuit quite slippery early in the day and the single-seaters had to be fitted with intermediate tyres. Stroll’s Aston Martin car had excellent pace and he passed the first qualifying round (Q1) with ease.
With the track slowly drying out, the Montreal native was back in the top 10 in Q2 when his team was the first to pull the soft tires onto the cars of Stroll and teammate Sebastian Vettel. While several drivers improved their lap times, the Aston Martins had to play it safe to avoid skidding.
“Switching to soft tires in Q2 was a gamble today, but initially it seemed like the right choice. However, my wheels locked up at Turn 16, where it was still wet, when I beat my best time by a second. But I think it was the right decision,” said Stroll, who is considered a good rain driver.
Points within reach
Although difficult to pass in Singapore, the proximity of the walls often leads to accidents. Stroll and Sebastian Vettel, who starts 14th, have the opportunity to score points in the race on Sunday.
“We have enough speed to hope to fight for the points tomorrow (Sunday) and I’m sure we’ll be in the top 10 game,” he said.
Charles Leclerc took the lead in his Ferrari from Sergio Perez (Red Bull) and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes). Table leader Max Verstappen had a more difficult time, also with Red Bull, who had to settle for eighth place.