Liam Lawson (AT04-02, Car 40)
Third Practice Session – Best lap: 1:33.357, pos. 16th, 19 laps
Qualifying – Best lap: (Q1) 1:32.215, (Q2) 1:32.166, (Q3) 1:32.268, pos. 10th

“It’s obviously exciting being in Q3, but we didn’t maximise the performance, and it’s something we have to look at. It’s a shame for Yuki because we have a strong package, and he looks comfortable in the car. For me, it was warm-up related because I didn’t feel the jump in grip for the last lap and there was lots of traffic in the last sector, so that was tricky. I’m happy to make it into Q3 but there’s more potential to be higher up. It’s a shame, but I’m still learning and there’s more to come. Today went well, but tomorrow is the important one. I’m starting in a good position in P10, but two hours is a long race and will be challenging. We’ll focus on maximising our car and driving our race.”

Yuki Tsunoda (AT04-04, Car 22)
Third Practice Session – Best lap: 1:32.945, pos. 10th, 18 laps
Qualifying – Best lap: (Q1) 1:31.991, (Q2) No Time, pos. 15th

“I made a mistake, a lock-up into Turn 14. I’m sorry for my team, it’s a real shame, and I’m very frustrated because the car pace is incredible. We see how tomorrow goes and I’ll try my best to score points.”

Jody Egginton (Technical Director)

“Looking at the big picture, we appear to have made a step forward in performance here. It’s positive and something we need to validate and build on in Suzuka, which is a more conventional track. Looking at qualifying tonight, we believed we had the pace to get both cars into Q3. The pace and balance of the car in Q1 were good, and we looked well-placed to make more progress. However, in Q2 Yuki wasn’t able to set a time on his first fast lap and went off on his second run, so he didn’t set a time, which is very frustrating as his pace in Q1 was good enough to make the cut for Q3. Liam had a smoother qualifying and made good progress. Getting to Q3 is his reward, which is pleasing to see, as it’s his first time here in Formula 1. Our long-run pace looked okay on Friday, so we need to exploit this and be prepared to take opportunities to get Yuki moving forward so he can maximise the package. Overall, there are some positives to take, but tomorrow is when it counts in terms of meeting our objectives.“