20/09/2013
NEWS STORY
Fernando Alonso: "We can't say this was a good start, because we weren't competitive, but if we consider that last year, at the end of a difficult weekend we managed to get on the podium, we definitely aren't throwing in the towel yet. We have yet to analyse the data, but we certainly have to be realistic, because when you have one car in sixth place and the other in fifteenth, it's clearly not the result we were hoping for, without taking into consideration the updates we have brought for this race. Now, we have a lot of work to do to find the right set-up and the best strategy. Then we will need to put in a very good qualifying lap and attack from start to finish in the race. However, we know that won't be easy because on tracks which require high downforce, we suffer more and, just as in Hungary, apart from the fact that Mercedes seem to be on a par with Red Bull here, there are others who also look strong, like Lotus and McLaren".
Felipe Massa: "This was a difficult day, because I struggled to find the right way to move forward in both sessions. In the first session, we concentrated on evaluating various aerodynamic components, while in the second one, we managed to complete the programme, doing a long run, starting on the Supersofts and ending on the Mediums. Along with the team we decided to go in another direction to try and find a set-up with which I was more comfortable on this track. Unfortunately this did not produce the results we were expecting. I think that for tomorrow's qualifying we need to retrace our steps, trying to improve the balance of the car. I am sure it will be better and that I will manage to once again find the car I'm used to driving".
Pat Fry: "As usually happens on a street circuit, the evolution of track conditions is a key factor, especially when you are working on finding the most suitable set-up and aerodynamic configuration. Therefore, we mustn't get caught out by the track improvement, but rather concentrate on what the drivers are feeling. Today we tried to get a good understanding of the car's handling and turned most of our attention to the behaviour of the Medium and Supersoft tyres, which come under a lot of strain because of the temperatures here. As has been the case for the past few Grands Prix, in both sessions, Fernando and Felipe worked on different programmes, so as to acquire as much information as possible, to get the most out of the package we have this weekend. It will be important to have good front end grip, while optimising traction from the rear to tackle the sequence of corners that make up this high downforce circuit. On Friday, it's never easy to understand where one is compared to the others, but certainly our main rivals seem to have something extra".
Check out our Friday gallery, here.