Saturday: Podium goal for Sauber drivers
Thanks to the innovations introduced in Japan, the Sauber team has taken a step forward, resulting in a very strong overall performance during the qualifications. Sergio Pérez believes he can fight for the podium, just like Kamui Kobayashi, who would like to achieve his first F1 podium in front of his home crowd.
Kamui Kobayashi – 6th and 4th [3rd on the grid]:
I’m happy because I think we achieved the maximum today. In my last lap, I lost a bit of time due to a yellow flag because I had to close the DRS and slow down. I want to thank the team for the step forward they’ve managed to make with the car since Friday. At the start of the weekend, we were struggling with the new parts, but now we’re heading in the right direction. After some adjustments to the settings, the car is fast again. With my starting position, I should have a chance to fight for a spot on the podium, and it would be a dream come true if I get my first podium in Formula 1 in front of my home crowd. But first, we need to get a good start, and then I need more luck than I had at Spa when I started on the front row but was involved in an accident.
Sergio Pérez – 5th and 6th [5th on the grid]:
My last lap in Q3 wasn’t perfect but it was still good. I am very happy for the team that we managed to achieve such a good result in the qualifying today. They did a fantastic job because initially, on Friday, we were lacking pace. It has been a nice comeback and I am confident that we can fight for the podium in the race tomorrow.
The positions on the grid are provisional and may change depending on penalties imposed following the qualifying session.
