Marcus Ericsson claims Sauber “made the right calls” during last weekend’s action-packed Hungarian Grand Prix, which enabled the Swede to finish in the top 10 for the first time since Shanghai.
The Swiss outfit entered the Budapest weekend with low expectations knowing the tight and twisty Hungaroring would not particularly play to the strengths of its Ferrari-powered C34.
Lining up 17th and 18th on the grid, Ericsson and team-mate Felipe Nasr drove a steady race, dodging all the pitfalls in a chaotic Grand Prix en route to 10th and 11th at the chequered flag.
“It is nice to have scored at least one point on a track which does not suit our car well,” said the Caterham refugee. “The start of the race was not ideal, so I lost one position. After that I felt comfortable in the car straight away.
“On the strategy side, the team made the right calls at the optimal times, and I think overall we did a good job. I am pleased to bring home at least one point before the summer break.”
Sauber team principal Monisha Kaltenborn also praises her squad’s “focus and calm” during what she labels “an eventful race”. The Hinwill-based outfit had not scored any point since last May’s Monaco Grand Prix and Nasr’s strong ninth-place finish.
After a promising start to its 2015 campaign, Sauber has gradually slipped down the order and now occupies eighth place in the Constructors' standings ahead of Manor and a resurgent McLaren team. But Kaltenborn is adamant her team can bounce back over the second half of the season.
“After the summer break there are tracks which will suit our car better,” she said. “In addition, we will go into these races with updates on the engine and chassis side. The data we have for these updates makes us optimistic, and gives us the potential to gain positions in the constructors’ world championship.”
Click here for F1i's driver ratings following the Hungarian Grand Prix
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