07/04/2017
NEWS STORY
Adverse weather caused both practice sessions for this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix to be disrupted. Sergio Perez completed just three out laps this morning, while teammate Esteban Ocon was limited to two laps of the Shanghai track.
Sergio Perez: "It's always frustrating when you cannot do any running because it's a lost chance to prepare for the weekend. It's also a shame for the fans: the grandstand had a good crowd and they have been so supportive throughout the day. The hope is that the rest of the weekend will give them something to cheer about. Missing all today's running is a challenge, not just for tomorrow, but also for Sunday because FP3 is a very short session to recover all the lost ground. I am still positive about our weekend: I think today's lack of running can turn into an opportunity for us and I hope we can benefit from it and come away with a strong result."
Esteban Ocon: "With just two out-laps to my name, I didn't really learn very much today. It was useful being in the car because I was able to get used to the various elevation changes on the track and I got to try the intermediate tyre, but of course I would have preferred to do a lot more running. Tomorrow looks like it will be a very busy day, especially in FP3, so let's hope conditions are better and we can get on with our programme. I hope the fans are not too disappointed by today's lack of action: hopefully they'll keep coming to watch and they'll be rewarded by an exciting race on Sunday."
Robert Fernley: "It's always difficult when plans get disrupted, but everyone on the grid is in the same boat. Tomorrow's practice session will be crucial to get an understanding of the tyres and prepare for qualifying. This is a totally new track for Esteban and he hasn't had the chance to complete a competitive lap yet, so he will need to maximise his time tomorrow. The weather has perhaps turned this weekend wide open, so tomorrow we will need to be on top of our game to make the most of any opportunity."
Check out our Friday gallery from Shanghai, here.