Formula 1 Eyetime Austrian Grand Prix – Practice – Friday

Weather: FP1: cloudy and dry, 19-21°C air, 26-29°C track; FP2: cloudy and dry, 21- 22°C air, 26-28°C track
The Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team had a productive day for the free practice sessions ahead of the 2018 FIA Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix. Positioning themselves in the midfield, Marcus Ericsson and Charles Leclerc completed an extensive programme in preparation for the upcoming qualifying and race in Spielberg. Running on all three tyre compounds (soft, supersoft, ultrasoft) for the weekend, the two drivers are advancing to the second day of driving on the Red Bull Ring with confidence.
Marcus Ericsson (car number 9):
C37 (Chassis 01/Ferrari)
1st practice: 11th / 1:06.400 min (32 laps) / 2nd practice: 14th / 1:06.199 min (29 laps)
"We completed a good number of laps and ran on all of the three tyre compounds for the weekend. We built on what we learned in France last weekend, with a set-up that suits my driving style well. We were in the midfield today, which is positive. Tonight, we will work on optimising everything, so that we can have a strong performance tomorrow."
Charles Leclerc (car number 16):
C37 (Chassis 04/Ferrari)
1st practice: 9th / 1:06.215 min (31 laps) / 2nd practice: 12th / 1:06.096 min (30 laps)
"In general, it was a positive day for us. Our pace is quite good and we completed the programme we had planned. It was productive for us to test the different tyres we have for the weekend. I really enjoy driving on this track, and it is a good experience to complete my first laps in a Formula 1 car here. We are looking at our data and making sure we can have a strong performance during tomorrow's sessions. Let's see what will be possible."