Frédéric Vasseur: “In pure performance, we are here! »

While 7 points separate Alpine de McLaren in the Manufacturers' Championship for fourth place, only 4 decide Alfa Romeo et Aston Martin for the sixth two steps from the goal.

While it was firmly clinging to P6 at the end of the first half-season, the second took on the appearance of a descent into hell for the Italian-Swiss team which only managed to score two points while, in the same time, the British added 29 units to their capital!

« They hyper-performed when conditions were complicated, notes a smiling Frédéric Vasseur but far from minimizing the situation. They were not a threat and became one. It is in two races that they score a maximum of points (12 in Singapore and 8 in Japan. Editor’s note). It was more complicated for us because we were not able to realize the opportunities. Now, performance-wise, Mexico was our best qualifier!

We have been performing well for 3 or 4 weekends, even more than at the start of the season, but we have had bad starts, experienced collisions, received penalties. We didn't manage to get everything in order! »

It will absolutely be necessary on the Interlagos track this weekend to, at the very least, preserve the advantage with the hope of increasing it.

« We were faster than Aston Martin two weeks ago, would like to emphasize the French manager. Our two cars were ahead in Mexico, and if they manage to be ahead again during qualifying, we should be fine... The most important thing is that in pure performance we are there! »

Now, the drivers will need to be able to exploit it and get the most out of it. Rather behind since the resumption of Spa last August, Valtteri Bottas made its expected return to the Top 10 in Mexico City. It was time after 10 Grand Prix without any point which began to suggest a breakdown of morale on the part of the Finnish star.

« Demobilized, Valtteri? Not at all ! Vasseur annoys. A few complicated starts, a few first laps where he was not in the right place at the right time like in Austin where he was shot by Pérez and lost 4 places, penalties, reliability problems, he did not improve on a long, quiet river in recent months, but it has risen more than ever. »

If Bottas remains the best ace up the boss's sleeve, his teammate Guanyu-Zhou demonstrated this season that he deserved his place among the elite.

Now, the Hinwil stable is not safe from the last stand of a Sebastian Vettel determined to end his career in the best possible way.

First elements of response this afternoon on the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in Interlagos.