Sauber team principal Monisha Kaltenborn claims Felipe Nasr drove “intelligently” to pick up a couple of points by securing ninth during last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.
Lining up 14th on the grid, the Brazilian drove an error-free race before making the most of his squad’s clever strategy to recover through the field. Nasr’s performance was all the more remarkable considering Sauber’s poor form in free practice and qualifying.
The GP2 graduate is now ninth in the Drivers’ standings while the Swiss outfit holds fifth position in the Constructors’ rankings, ahead of Force India, Lotus and Toro Rosso.
“It was a great race, and I am happy to have scored points again,” said Nasr. “It is an amazing feeling being rewarded after such a difficult weekend. It was an exhausting race, as I did my best to extract the most out of the car.
“The team did a very good job by choosing the correct strategy and calling me in for the pit stops at the right times. The points are for everyone in the team.”
Kaltenborn is equally buoyant about the rookie’s performance, especially in the light of Sauber’s challenging start around the Monte Carlo streets.
“An encouraging result, especially when you take into account how the weekend had gone up to the race,” she said. “Felipe drove a good race. In Monaco you need to drive intelligently and be patient while waiting for chances.
“This is what he has done. Marcus did the same, unfortunately was not rewarded with points, but he also put in a solid performance. The whole team did a very good job, here at the track and also at the factory in Hinwil.”
Click here for a more light-hearted take on the Monaco Grand Prix.
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