Stroll: "Big ask" to win Turkish GP after shock pole
Lance Stroll believes it will be “a big ask” to win the Turkish Grand Prix for Racing Point despite scoring his first Formula 1 pole on Saturday.
Stroll capitalised on heavy rain and low grip conditions on the new surface at Istanbul Park to score his maiden F1 pole, edging out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by two-tenths of a second in Q3.
Stroll said after qualifying he was “shocked” by the result following struggles through practice as he became the fifth-youngest pole-sitter in F1 history.
But the Canadian downplayed talk of a potential first F1 victory when speaking after qualifying, believing it would be a huge challenge for Racing Point to maintain its advantage.
“It’s a big ask,” Stroll said. “It depends on what the conditions are doing to do. I haven’t really looked at the conditions yet for Sunday.
“I heard maybe there was a chance of rain at the start of the race, so we’ll see what happens. That could mix things up.
“I’ll deal with that in a couple of hours. I’ll let this sink in. I’m going to enjoy the moment for sure.
“It’s a very special moment for me, [my] first pole position in Formula 1. We’re going to digest that for a couple of hours, and then focus on the race.”
Sunday will mark Stroll’s second appearance on the front row of an F1 grid, having starting second for the 2017 Italian Grand Prix after again impressing in a wet qualifying session.
Racing Point team boss Otmar Szafnauer said the result in Turkey was not down to luck, but instead the result of a “well-judged” session by Stroll.
Stroll has scored two F1 podiums to date, finishing third in the 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix and at this year’s Italian Grand Prix.
He has not scored any points since his appearance on the podium at Monza this year, and admitted earlier this week he had struggled through a “rough patch”.
Stroll was joined towards the front of the grid by teammate Sergio Perez, who qualified third, giving the team a chance to rack up a big haul of points in the fight for third place in the constructors’ championship.
Racing Point currently sits fifth in the standings, but is just one point behind third-placed Renault and has the same score as McLaren.
McLaren team boss Andreas Seidl said Racing Point had the chance to “damage our ability to stay in the fight for P3” in Turkey.
“As I've said in previous weeks, we never had this year the third quickest car,” Seidl said.
“I still think there's a chance [to finish third] because we always have two drivers to be able to score good points to stay in this fight for P3.
“But obviously we depend a lot on what's happening tomorrow. We will not give up this fight, as long as we can stay in the points gap.”
Additional reporting by Jonathan Noble
Related video
Previous article
Gasly under threat of pitlane start as FIA investigates aborted PU change
Next article
Norris expects chaotic race start on low-grip Istanbul circuit
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Event | Turkish GP |
| Drivers | Lance Stroll |
| Teams | Racing Point |
| Author | Luke Smith |
Sebastian Vettel explains why Aston Martin
Aston Martin AMR21 Unveiling
How Ferrari plans to recover from its 2020 F1 nightmare
The 2020 Formula 1 season was Ferrari's worst for 40 years as it slumped to sixth in the standings. A repeat performance will not be acceptable for the proud Italian team, which has adopted a notably pragmatic approach to forging its path back to the top
Why Aston Martin’s arrival is more than just new green livery
In the most eagerly anticipated Formula 1 team launch of the season, the rebranded Aston Martin squad’s changes go much further than the striking paint job. But rather than a restart, the team hopes to build on top of solid foundations.
The car Aston Martin begins its new F1 journey with
The team formerly known as Racing Point gambled successfully on a Mercedes look-alike in 2020 as it mounted a strong challenge for third in the constructors' race and won the Sakhir GP. Now clothed in British racing green, Aston Martin's first Formula 1 challenger since 1960 provides the clearest indicator yet of what to expect from the new-for-2021 regulations
The tricky driver conundrums facing Mercedes in F1 2021
Ahead of the new Formula 1 season, reigning world champions Mercedes will take on challenges both old and new. This also can be said for its driver conundrum which could become key to sustaining its ongoing success...
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021...
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
The pointed note that starts Ferrari's Leclerc vs Sainz era
Ferrari is starting its post-Sebastian Vettel age by welcoming Carlos Sainz in alongside Charles Leclerc. But while Sainz has a tough challenge to match his new teammate, Ferrari is also sending a message that previous intra-team spats must end
The mantra Ocon must follow to challenge Alonso at Alpine
OPINION: It's been an uneasy ride for Esteban Ocon since his F1 comeback - and fresh challenges lie in wait as he's joined by double world champion Fernando Alonso in the newly rebranded Alpine team. STUART CODLING sets out a roadmap to success…
