Yann Ehrlacher: “We won’t have the straight line speed to overtake”

After topping the free practice sessions at Estoril, the Lynk & Co Cyan Racing drivers fell down the order in qualifying and reigning champion Yann Ehrlacher expects tough races tomorrow.

“The races will be tough as we won’t have the straight line speed to overtake due to the Balance of Performance,” said Yann Ehrlacher.

The Frenchman qualified ninth and will start the first reversed grid race from second position behind Hyundai driver Gabriele Tarquini.

“We had just enough speed to be in the top ten,” said Ehrlacher. “Front row for the reversed grid is some consolation and we will try to score good points in that race. We will as always fight hard.”

His uncle Yvan Muller will start right behind him in the first race after securing the eighth fastest time of the session, echoing his nephew’s concerns.

“It’s not really a surprise that we are seventh, eighth, ninth and twelfth. We lose six km/h on the straights. But it is as it is. Even if we have one of the best cars in the field – with the current BoP, we could not have done much more than this,” said Muller.

Santiago Urrutia was fastest of the Cyan Racing drivers with seventh position.

“It was an ok result considering our Balance of Performance level, we are very slow on the straights due to this. So our goal was to reach the top ten and we have done so. Now the focus is on the races tomorrow where we need to score as much points as possible,” said Urrutia.