McLaren: It’s been a long wait, but we’re ready to get back on track

McLaren: It’s been a long wait, but we’re ready to get back on track

Austrian & Styrian Grands Prix 

Red Bull Ring Rounds: 1 & 2
Race laps: 71  Total race distance: 306.452km/190.420 miles Length: 4.326km/2.688 miles
Distance to Turn One: 216.94m/0.135 miles Number of corners: 10 (seven right, three left) 

Session start times: 

FP1: 1100 local/1000 MTC 
FP2: 1500 local/1400 MTC 
FP3: 1200 local/1100 MTC 
Qualifying: 1500 local/1400 MTC
Race Start: 1510 local/1410 MTC 

Allocated tyre compounds: 
Hard: C2 
Medium: C3 
Soft: C4 

Carlos Sainz #55


“After a long and difficult time away from racing, it's finally time to get back at it! It's been my longest period without competing since I started in go-karts many years ago! The MCL35 felt really good during winter testing, a positive continuation of what we had last year, so I'm very excited to finally compete this season. It’s also been an interesting period away from track, but now we’re back to racing I’m completely focused on the 2020 season. Due to less races in the calendar and the strong competition we expect from our direct rivals we can't afford to lose concentration. We actually don't even know the amount of races we are going to do, it's an unprecedented scenario, so every point we can get is absolutely crucial. As always, I will do everything to perform at my highest level and help the team. I've been keeping fit and ready to get back in the car, so I’m ready to hit the ground running in FP1.


“Last year we did well in Austria, having to battle into the points from the back of the grid due to a penalty, so we know there are plenty of opportunities for on-track overtakes. However, it's difficult to confidently predict our performance given the time away from track. The double header at the same circuit presents a new challenge for everyone and we need to make sure we extract the maximum out of it. I know that by the time the lights go out on Sunday, we'll be more than ready to fight for the best position possible.” 

2020 F1 calendar 

5 July - Austrian GP
12 July - Styrian GP
19 July - Hungarian GP
2 August - British GP
9 August - Formula 1 70th Anniversary GP (Silverstone)
16 August - Spanish GP
30 August - Belgian GP
6 September - Italian GP


Related Motorsport Articles

84,521 articles