It was a physically taxing 57-lap Grand Prix under the lights in Qatar with three pit-stops for both drivers during the race.
Esteban made a strong start, moving up to fifth place, with Pierre maintaining seventh. Both drivers later settled into a rhythm with double points the target with varying pit-stop strategies up and down the grid.
Esteban settled for seventh with a comfortable run to the line while Pierre was on the receiving end of three separate penalties for track limit infringements in the midst of fighting for the top ten. In the end, he finished in twelfth place.
Esteban Ocon, started P8, finished P7:
“What a tough and physically difficult race for all of us! In the end, it was a great result for us in seventh place and six points in the bag. We had a great start to move up to fifth and credit to the team too for a well-executed strategy and pit stops. The conditions were extremely tough in the car and I did not feel well physically in the first half of the race. I was able to pull it together and focus on what I needed to do. We had a couple of good overtakes along the way and we brought home six valuable points for the team. Now it’s time for rest and recovery and then prepare for a demanding triple-header in the Americas and we’ll look to carry this momentum into Austin.”
