An ecstatic Lance Stroll admits his first Formula 1 pole is a “great way to bounce back” from his recent slump.
The Canadian hasn’t scored a point since his podium at Monza and missed the Eifel Grand Prix with what was later diagnosed as Covid-19.
However, all that was put behind him on Saturday as Stroll conquered the incredibly tough conditions to give Racing Point their first pole since Giancarlo Fisichella at Spa in 2009 – when the team was known as Force India.
“I’m shocked,” said Stroll, who also became the first Canadian since Jacques Villeneuve at Jerez in 1997 to finish P1 in qualifying.
“I didn’t expect us to be up here after P3. There were a lot of things that we weren’t sure of coming into qualifying. We didn’t look too competitive in P3, but I’m so happy right now.”
The key to Racing Point’s result was the decision to switch to intermediate tyres as the track continued to dry in Q3, ultimately denying Max Verstappen what looked like a certain pole.
“I really put that lap together at the end. I was under a lot of pressure and I only had one lap to do it there at the end because we started on the wet tyre,” Stroll explained.
“We boxed for inters and I had one lap where Valtteri [Bottas] spun in front of me, and then I had one lap at the end to do it, but I had the confidence in the car and I just nailed pretty much every corner, and pieced it together nicely.
“It’s such a great way to bounce back after a few rough weeks and since Mugello really it’s been a rough ride for me so. Yeah. Feels good. Feels really good right now.”
Teammate Sergio Perez was the first to highlight the performance of the intermediates but ultimately dropped to third after Stroll and Verstappen improved.
“It is a great result for the team and something we weren’t really expecting,” said Perez, who ended up third behind Verstappen. “In the end, we were just unlucky.
“My final lap, when the track was at its best, I had Antonio Giovinazzi in front and he simply didn’t move out of the way and then I lost my lap,” the Mexican said.
“Obviously, track position was key today: to be able to maintain your temperature in the tyres and I think we are in a good position. I definitely prefer P3 [on the grid] than P2. I think tomorrow that will make a difference.”