Saudi Arabian GP: Qualifying team notes – Alfa Romeo

Following a strong performance in Practice 3 on Saturday, Alfa Romeo Racing drivers Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi were hopeful of replicating their form in the Qualifying session of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Räikkönen and Giovinazzi qualified in 14th and 15th respectively, with the Finn finishing 0.094s ahead of his teammate in the tightly-contested session, showcasing their competitive edge in the challenging Bapco Bahrain International Circuit.

Giovinazzi, who was the sole driver in Q1 to opt for the medium compound tyre, found himself in a tight spot when the track temperature increased in Q2, which saw him just 0.063s away from making it into the top ten.

Räikkönen faced a similar predicament in Q2 but managed to secure the 14th slot on the starting grid with a 1:30.845s lap.

The Alfa Romeo Racing Team’s Head of Track Engineering, Xevi Pujolar, stated: “The Qualifying session was a difficult one for us and we were very close to making it into Q3 with both cars. Antonio was on the medium compound tyre in Q1 and was able to show good pace on it. Unfortunately, the track temperature increased in Q2 and this compromised his run, as the tyre was not able to perform to its peak. Kimi was able to take advantage of the soft tyre and put in a good lap with it, but it was very tight in the end and we just missed out.”

Looking ahead to Sunday’s race, Räikkönen and Giovinazzi will have the opportunity to make up positions and score points in the challenging desert conditions.