Vasseur: "The most important race is always the last one, or the next one”

Alfa Romeo Racing team principal Fred Vasseur is happy with the way his drivers have been performing recently, despite the team scoring just three points since the summer break.

Kimi Raikkonen has not scored a single point since the break, with the C38 seemingly not being able to compete at the top of midfield as it has done earlier in the season.

However, the Finn has scored 31 of Alfa's 35 points in 2019, with teammate Antonio Giovinazzi not getting on the board until the Austrian Grand Prix. However, the Italian has scored three more points in Italy and Singapore and he's out-qualified Raikkonen for the last three weekends now as he's still not confirmed to stay on-board at the team for 2020.

“Perhaps at one stage it was a bit difficult, but he had a tough weekend in Spa," Vasseur told RaceFans.net.

"He was very close to achieving [a points finish] and he didn’t do it. The reaction was very strong. Because for me the week after we had Monza, his home race, huge pressure from the press, from the 200 guests of Alfa Romeo, and so, after Spa, and he [finished ninth].”

"And then he did a good job again in Singapore, [he] didn’t know the track, and he had a very strong weekend from the beginning. We can’t complain.”

Giovinazzi looks favoured to stay at Alfa for next season, although Nico Hulkenberg, who doesn't have a drive for 2020, has a very good relationship with Vasseur, so the German can't be ruled out to get a seat next to the already contracted Raikkonen.

Speaking on Giovinazzi, and what he has to do to maintain his seat beyond 2019, Vasseur explained "everybody is under pressure", including himself. 

"He has to perform," he continued, "he knows perfectly the situation, and he’s improving. The most important race is always the last one, or the next one.”