12/10/2007
NEWS STORY
Brazil
Sergio Jimenez: "The circuit here is new for me but I like it very much. It is very long and very technical and I spent the first half of the rookie session just learning the track. Unfortunately we then had some problems and we couldn't run so I didn't do that many laps this morning. This afternoon we started with new tyres, like everyone, and the car wasn't so good at the start. We worked on it through the session and I am confident with the improvements that we made. The pace of the car is okay on old tyres and now we just need to work on the pace on new tyres, which we will do tomorrow morning. We need a bit more work but I'm aiming for a top six position in qualifying tomorrow."
Canada
Robert Wickens: "To be honest the morning went better than expected. I made a slight error on my fastest lap in the first half of the session so we ended up seventh but we knew by looking at the data we had a top-three car. The changes we made clicked and I banged in a fast lap at the start of the second session. I certainly can't complain about finishing P1, it's a great platform to build on."
James Hinchcliffe: "It's been a good day. Obviously we were happy to see the pace Robbie had in the rookie session. When I went out in the afternoon's practice on new tires I don't think our set-up was ideally suited to running on fresh rubber. At this track you really only get one lap to get it done so although it looks like we're lower than where we want to be, by mid-session, when everyone's in more of a race-trim on worn tires, we actually had a really competitive car. We just need to do a little more work to make sure we qualify well and get the most from our one-lap runs tomorrow."
France
Nicolas Lapierre: "I went out on new rubber straight away this morning and as I hadn't raced on this track for a year it was a slight disadvantage. Nonetheless, we continued our programme for Sunday. The performance level of the tyres has a tendency to fall off very quickly on this circuit. This will be the key to the weekend. You'll have to know how to get the best out of them over a lap in qualifying, and then nurse their wear in the race itself. It's difficult to overtake on this track so your position on the grid will be of vital important. I think we made a lot of progress this morning and I feel optimistic for the rest of the weekend."
Nicolas Prost: "What was important for me today was to get into the right rhythm very quickly and begin the team's preparation programme by giving them reliable information. I think I managed to do that and this first test gave everybody confidence. The rookies go out on tyres whose state of wear is very varied, and the overall results are of very relative importance as lap times were not a priority. I like the Brno layout very much and I'm happy with my day. Finally, Olivier Panis's input has been very useful and we're all delighted to have him with us.
Germany
Christian Vietoris: "Although we lost half an hour due to a small technical problem we were able to work through our test plan, since the car was well balanced from the word go," reported Vietoris. "The circuit has many fast sections but also challenging combinations of corners. If you don't find a good line there you can lose a lot of time. On the other hand it's possible to overtake there. I tested exactly where I have to brake there today and found a good rhythm.
"We want to further optimise the set-up on used tyres." Tomorrow afternoon the qualifying sessions for both of Sunday's races are on the agenda for the driver from Gönnersdorf. "I am expecting to see quite an improvement tomorrow after assessing today's performance. The strong performance today has done the team the world of good after the mediocre weekend at Zandvoort. You really notice how motivated they all are."
Great Britain
Robbie Kerr: "We're happy with the way the session went and it's great to be back in the car at the top end of the time sheets carrying on the momentum from Zandvoort. We were right on the pace from the start – my fastest lap time wasn't perfect but it was good to be quickest initially, but of course Germany had the advantage of the rookie session this morning which gave Christian a good indication of what to expect from the new tyres and he got the most out of them. I'm looking forward to the weekend – we need to make a few small improvements to keep competitive but I'm sure we'll achieve those goals and will be up there in qualifying tomorrow".
Katie Clements, Team Principal: "This was a good start to the weekend and we are right on the pace once again. Naturally the team is feeling very positive after the win in Zandvoort but there is no room for complacency and the team will be working hard tonight and tomorrow morning to make sure we can maintain our performance into qualifying. Robbie's in good form and looking forward to a strong weekend."
Ireland
Adam Carroll: "Today went well – I was having a few issues with the back of the car stepping out of line into the corners, but we started making some good changes and I am happy with where we are in terms of being ready for tomorrow. It was good on the new tyres this afternoon – I had used quite old tyres in the Rookie Session – and I'm looking forward to qualifying. Hopefully it should be good."
Dan Walmsley, Race Engineer: "We've had a very solid day today and with the changes we made during practice we are know there's more to come tomorrow. Given that it's been quite a few weeks since Adam drove the car and he had to reacclimatize to the Cooper Avon tyres the times were good and we know what we need to do. I think we are in good shape."
Mark Kershaw, Team Owner: "This was a good first day for Adam. We were consistently at the right end of the time sheets and the team seems pleased with the performance and also what has been learned. After the good start to the season with Ralph Firman in Zandvoort two weeks ago we really want to add to our points tally on Sunday, but we go into tomorrow's final practice and qualifying feeling quite confident."
Lebanon
Khalil Beschir: "It felt good to be back racing again at an A1GP event. The session this morning was very productive and we were able to run through the routine tasks of the first day of running, while I was also reacquainting myself with this circuit, which I ran on a few years ago. The car felt good, but I think there's more to come from me and from the car. I know the sectors that I need to concentrate on to give me a better lap time, so tomorrow I'll be able to work on this. I didn't get the best from my new tyres, so I think our overall position isn't reflective of our pace, but tomorrow afternoon is the important session, so we'll work towards this now."
Marcus Koch, Chief Engineer: "We've made a good start today. Khalil has had the chance to learn the circuit in the first session while we also completed some of the standard necessary tasks at the beginning of the weekend. This afternoon we started to work on different setup options, so that we can evaluate these for tomorrow. We'll also be reviewing the data with Khalil and plan our programme to improve the pace in qualifying."
Malaysia
Aaron Lim: "It's a beautiful circuit, very flowing, quite challenging and some very long corners. It's my favourite track so far." Aaron will be with the team for the weekend and says, "It's a bit cold here for me, so I might not be venturing too far out on circuit. I'll watch from the pits and continue to learn from everyone around me in the team and especially Alex."
Alex Yoong: "It's been a little frustrating today. We've set up the car exactly as we did for Brno last year when we were very quick, yet we haven't got the pace we need. I think it's important for us not to panic. We have a lot of oversteer which seems to get worse as the run goes on; we think it might be a problem with the diff, but we're not sure. We just need to work through the problems and that's our plan for this evening now."
Jack Cunningham, CEO: "We're obviously not happy to have been running on the pace of the second half of the grid, rather than the top half, but we'll be looking closely at every aspect of the car set up and performance in efforts to regain ground and I know that everyone will be pushing hard to get the results we want. This morning Aaron drove well and is making steady, positive progress in his driving. He's working well with the team and that's showing through in his lap times in the rookie session."
Mexico
Michel Jourdain: "From the first laps I liked very much this experience. I am very glad to drive the A1 car; it is a lot of fun to drive! I knew that this car for this track was going to be good.
Obviously it was what we have expected, a very different adaptation of how to drive this car than what I have been driving during the last few years. Today it was the first day in the car and we have tonight to think and analyse all the information. I have to improve a lot, but that was expected.
"At the beginning it was kind of easy to adapt, but as long as you get closer to the top times is harder, as we are working on little things that are more difficult to do than others. We only have to analyse well the data with the engineers and see for tomorrow what we have to do to improve our times."
Julio Jauregui, Executive Vice President: "Michel Jourdain Jr. is surpassing our expectations. We knew that the adaptation to the car was going to be difficult, but Michel adapted quickly in terms of braking and others. As he does more laps, he is getting used to more and more. On the last laps he did good times and with a new set of tires for sure he will be able to lower even more his times to get a better position during qualifying. We know that this is going to take time. The adaptation process for Michel has been quicker that we have expected. Therefore, in the team we are pleased and grateful to him with his performance."
Netherlands
Jeroen Bleekemolen: "It went very well. The first run was the quickest because then the tyres are still very fresh and the drop off here is quite significant. There Germany had an advantage over us, they already went out this morning with the same driver. We were competitive from the start and also later on in the session, as the tyres were worn we were still there. Every time we went out we improved the car and apart from that first run we were inside the top three when you look at the times. That's just good and I am confident about the weekend. We can still improve the car and things are looking good. Already we are much quicker than last year. We are driving with a totally different set up, now we are there immediately. That was never the case last year."
Arie Luyendyk jr: "It was great. The first session we were a little bit slower, I had to bed in some brake pads. The second session went much better, with the brakes being bedded. I was quite pleased, considering the fact that I had never been here before. I learned the track more and more. The car had a lot of understeer and we also had a broken brake pad. Those two things considered I am quite pleased with the result. The circuit is quite technical, with a lot of hard braking points. This makes it difficult to find a flow. There are also a lot of chicanes where you have to sacrifice the first corner a bit. In my last lap I took a different line in some and that was my fastest lap. Hopefully the team can make good use of my data and we will see how the rest of the weekend goes."
Jan Lammers: "So far, so good. Friday practice is always the possibility for the teams to get everything in position for the important qualifying sessions and the races. So, today is mainly an indication, where are you?. This first indication for us is that we are quite competitive. Tomorrow the important things have to be executed well and on Sunday the prizes are won. But for now it is good".
New Zealand
David Sears, Engineering Team Director: "Jonny felt like he was driving on three and a half wheels, so it was a pretty good effort to be P3," Sears said. "We're confident of sorting out the problem overnight and fully expect Jonny will be quicker tomorrow.
"We'll need to wring every last bit of speed out of Black Beauty because the cars are noticeably quicker this season, more than a second faster in this session compared to last year. Last year 1:45 was a scorching time in qualifying, but laps of 1:44 are likely to be the norm in qualifying this time around."
Pakistan
Adam Khan: "My first time out on track in Brno wasn't great! There seems to be a problem with the car, I'm losing a lot of time, but the car feels like it won't go any quicker. The team are looking at all the data now and I know they will do their very best to make sure we are back on the pace tomorrow. We were finishing in the top ten in pre-season testing – so clearly today's performance wasn't a true reflection of what I and the team are capable of.
"The track is very interesting to drive; it's quite flowing, it has a number of long corners. It's also quite technical as well. I wasn't able to enjoy or get to grips with the circuit properly though as I was struggling with the car throughout the session."
Bobby Issazadhe, Team Manager: "Today's session was a bit frustrating, we have a problem with the car which really held us back today. Unfortunately there appears to be a problem with the differential on the car; meaning that the car is much slower around corners than it should be. Unfortunately, this is exaggerated by the numerous and very long corners at this circuit. However, we think we have identified the problem and I'm confident that the car will be fixed and back up to speed again tomorrow."
South Africa
Adrian Zaugg: "I obviously didn't get the best out of the new tyre run. We still have some work to do, but I am confident we will sort out our problems and be in good shape for tomorrow afternoon."
Wesleigh Orr: "It was really competitive, closer than I expected. The rookie drivers are all pushing for the race seat, so they're all trying really hard. We made improvements during the session. I feel more part of the team now. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and am looking forward to my next opportunity in Malaysia next month."
Mike Carroll, General Manager: "Wesleigh went fairly well in his first rookie session. He is on a steep learning curve and will need time in the car before we can fully assess his potential."
"Adrian didn't enjoy the benefit of driving in the rookie session like some of the other drivers, including Vietoris. He only managed his fastest time on his 4th lap. The tyres went off dramatically in this afternoon's conditions. We hope to be more competitive tomorrow."
Switzerland
Neel Jani: "We had a good second Official Practice this afternoon. Compared to some other drivers, this was the first time I was in an A1 car today on this Brno track and therefore had less running. The first lap was the fastest on new tires, but we did not make the most of our tyres at the beginning but then, near the end of the session we developed a good rhythm and tried lots of technical solutions for the rest of the week-end. We seem to have a good set-up for the rest of the weekend. I am very satisfied."
Natacha Gachnang: "My first ever rookie session was a good experience. I believe I have done a good job preparing the car. We are quite confident for this coming weekend. Knowing the track already - even if it is my first time with the car - has probably made my job a bit easier. I think in the second part of the rookie session I could control the car a bit better even if all the teams had more or less got to the same level. Our car was performing well. I am relatively happy with the set-up of the car and I am sure that Neel Jani will do some good work for the rest of the weekend to try to stay at the top of the sheets."
Max Welti, Team Principal: "I am pleased with what Natacha Gachnang has achieved today. She drove well and can also handle the pressure of the media well. The team will start making some technical changes to build on for the rest of the weekend. We have worked very hard today in the two Official Practice sessions to have a good set-up for this technical track and our car seems to be quite competitive again as it was in Zandvoort . We will now analyse the data carefully and I think we will be at the top again this weekend."
USA
Buddy Rice: "We have another hour of practice before qualifying Saturday and I'm optimistic we can find more speed and put ourselves in good position on the grid. We have learned a great deal today. We know new tires are worth as much as two seconds, but they only last one lap, and we need to have the 'We The People' car set up for that lap."
Charlie Kimball: "I had a blast this morning in the rookie session. The circuit was very dirty and cold to start with and I was bedding a set of brake pads for Buddy to use over the weekend. Then I got a chance to get up to speed, make some changes to the 'We the People' car and set a competitive lap before the session was over.
"I was pleased with my lap as it was on my final attempt at a time and on tires that were at the end of their life. It put me fifth overall in the session and within half a second on the top time. For not knowing the track, I was pleased to be that quick. As a track, it has a lot of different corners, slow speed corners, high speed corners as well as combination corners."
Rick Weidinger, Team Owner: "We should be able to take what we've learned today and, hopefully, Buddy will find additional quickness in the Saturday morning practice and we will be in good shape for qualifying," Weidinger said. "I'm happy that Charlie had his first run in the A1GP rookie sessions and thank him for his input."
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