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Speaking ahead of the 2021 Mexican GP weekend, Aston Martin F1 team drivers Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll analyzed their expectations at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriquez circuit. Previewing the race weekend, the two drivers spoke of their preparations and key factors that will contribute to a strong race weekend.
At the USGP weekend, which did not start very strongly for the two Aston Martin drivers, Vettel scored a single point, finishing tenth. Meanwhile, Stroll finished outside the points in the 12th. The German four-time world champion had a full engine and components replacement prior to the race, which placed him 18th on the starting grid.
Aston Martin team drivers preview the 2021 Mexican Grand Prix, expressing their expectations from the weekend
Looking ahead to the Mexican race weekend, the senior Aston Martin driver said,
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“I have always enjoyed coming to the Mexican Grand Prix. The fans are so passionate, and the lap is really challenging, so I’m excited to get going.”
Vettel expressed his expectations for the weekend, saying,
“We want to pick up where we left off in the US and build up a run of points scores. Preparation and reacting well is key because tyre performance is critical and the race can be interrupted by Safety Cars and Virtual Safety Cars.”
While Vettel has raced at the Mexican venue five times before, Stroll has lesser experience around this circuit, having raced there only thrice. Speaking of the break between the two weekends, the junior Aston Martin driver said,
“It’s been good to have the week between the US and Mexican Grands Prix to reset and come back stronger.”
Reflecting on the previous race weekend, Stroll said:
"While our US GP didn’t quite go to plan, we showed good race pace on Sunday, so the goal is to qualify well and fight for points in the race.”
On his expectations from at the Mexican GP, he added,
“It’s quite a short lap in Mexico, but the long straights offer lots of slipstreaming and exciting racing.”
Although Aston Martin F1 has not confirmed any engine penalties for the race weekend, Stroll, who is still on his third engine, is anticipated to switch to a fourth in Mexico. Since Vettel’s engine swap was executed in Austin, there is speculation suggesting a similar swap for their second driver this weekend, as Brazil is considered an unsuitable venue for engine changes or penalties.
The Silverstone-based team is currently placed seventh in the Constructors’ Championship with a total of 62 points. In the Drivers’ standings, Vettel is 12th with a total of 36 points, and Stroll is 13th with a total of 26 points.
