Perez, Stroll To Lead SportPesa Racing Point Charge In Australian GP

NAIROBI, Kenya- Mexican Sergio Perez and his partner for the 2019 Formula One (F1) season, Lance Stroll are excited and all set to make an impact as the 21-race circuit kicks off in Australia today (Friday).

The dynamic duo, who are driving alongside each other for the first time will lead the SportPesa Racing Point Formula 1 team at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne.

Formerly known as Force India, the Mercedes-powered engines in the team rebranded after entering a lucrative partnership with entertainment and technology business SportPesa.

The practice sessions will be held today before each team participates in the heated qualifying tomorrow, the race, which is the main attraction, is set for Sunday morning.

Perez, commonly referred to as the Mexican Wunderkid, expressed his eagerness to get back to racing but was cautious to admit the technicality that comes with the Australian track.

“The track in Melbourne is bumpy and very technical, as well as being quite narrow.

“It’s certainly a big challenge as the first race back after the break,” Perez stated.

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The former McLaren driver, who took his first F1 podium at the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix, went on to state his excitement to put his car to the test and start the season well under their new flag.

“I am also looking forward to the on-track battles – winter testing showed me that the cars are losing less downforce when following closely, so that should help the show.

“So far, I think F1 has done a great job with the new rules, but we need to wait for the first race and for our first experience of racing with more cars around you and on similar pace,” Perez added.

Despite the level of focus needed on a huge sporting weekend like this, the confident Perez also wishes to unwind and explore the Australian countryside, a place that he terms as one of the most incredible places on earth.

“Away from the track, I hope to find some time to see the country.

“I love Australian wildlife – it’s not just kangaroos and koalas, you know! It’s one of the most incredible places on earth and every year I wish I had the time to explore a bit more,” the 29-year concluded.

Though there might be a nine-year age difference between both SportPesa Racing Team’s drivers, the amount of talent possessed by Perez and Stroll holds the promise of an unforgettable season for the revamped side.

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Stroll, son of billionaire businessman and former co-owner of Force India Lawrence Stroll, is being talked about as one of the most entertaining drivers to ever grace the sport.

“Testing went pretty smoothly from my perspective. The second week was when we really found our stride and we did some good race preparation work,” Stroll explained.

The Canadian-Belgian driver is exuding confidence and will be seeking to add to the podium finish he achieved at the 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix during the 2019 season.

Stroll is no stranger to the racing world having been crowned the Toyota Series champion in 2015 and emerging the 2016 FIA European Formula 3 king before a four-year stint at the Ferrari Driver Academy.

“The car is giving me confidence and we’ve already found a good direction with the overall balance. I know we have more updates coming to the car this weekend, but I think we’ve done a good amount of our homework already,” Stroll added.

Speaking on the venue for the race down under this weekend, the 20-year old revealed, “Albert Park is pretty cool. The Aussie fans have great energy: they love F1 and we get a great welcome when we arrive at the circuit each morning.

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Stroll replaced Esteban Ocon and remains the second youngest driver to finish an F1 on the podium and the youngest to do so in their rookie season; he remains modest ahead of the new season.

“I’m not heading into the race with any defined expectations. There are too many unknowns at the moment for me to make predictions.

“We will take it as it comes and focus on our programme, building speed with each session. I’m just really looking forward to being back in the car and working with the team again,” he concluded.

The series will head to Sakhir in Bahrain after this weekend from March 29-31, before the third race set for Shanghai, China set for April 12-14.