F1 | Alfa Romeo Sauber, Ericsson and the retirement in Melbourne: “They were the best six laps of the last two years!”

The hit and run in Melbourne did not dishearten Marcus Ericsson. the pilot ofAlfa Romeo Sauber, forced to retire after six laps due to a hydraulic problem, took many positive aspects from the first weekend of the year in Australia: "It was probably the best six rides of the last two years!" – said the 27-year-old Swede during the interview granted to the official Formula 1 website. “I was fighting, I was faster than Williams. I got a good start, I was attacking the cars around me – we haven't been in this kind of position for a while, so it was a lot of fun and a good omen. It's just a shame that the race ended so quickly. It's definitely frustrating, but that's how it happens sometimes, there's not much we can do. They were a few laps, but promising".

After a difficult Friday, the Swiss team managed to find the key to the problem and even come close to Q2: "We worked hard during the night between Friday and Saturday” – admitted Ericsson. “We were really frustrated and disappointed after Friday's practice and both here at the track and in the factory everyone worked hard to try to understand and analyze the reasons why. We made some changes to the car and this helped our performance a lot. I drove a different car on Saturday. In FP3, with variable conditions, we were immediately much more competitive than on Friday, and consequently also in qualifying. I think without Pierre (Gasly, ed.), which hindered me in the central sector, we would have been in Q2, so I think we had a good car for the rest of the weekend: this is very promising for the next races”.

Federico Martino