Team boss, Colin Kolles is hoping though they can do better in Bahrain this weekend: "I am disappointed we didn't get the chance to show the progress we had made with the car last weekend. We knew over the longer runs we were confident of showing an improvement in pace. We'll carry the developments onto Bahrain, where we'll hopefully be able to demonstrate how far we've come," he stated.
Albers, who has yet to finish a race this season has only one goal for Bahrain, namely to make it to the chequered flag. Despite not lasting long in Sepang, he was more or less happy with the set-up on the F8-VII.
“I’ve found my way with the car set-up, and I’ve got a little more confidence. It was not of course meant to be a testing weekend [in Malaysia], but at least I’ve found a car that’s driveable, and that’s good,” he continued.
“‘Hopefully we can make more progress in Bahrain, and then hopefully we can also finish a race, which will be nice. We just need more time in the car, and try more possibilities to get a better set-up, and it will be OK.”
Sutil has similar thoughts: “In general it will not easy, but I think we will get more out of the car this time round in Bahrain as we don’t have to make the basics work,” he added. “We will be closer to showing our potential.”
Super Aguri F1 – Takuma Sato (#22), Anthony Davidson (#23):
Although unable to match its sparkling Melbourne form, Super Aguri still showed enough to prove that its debut with the SA07 was no fluke, with Takuma Sato getting into the second phase of qualifying and Anthony Davidson running in the top ten in final free practice.
Neither driver had a good time of it on race day, with Sato finishing 13th and a 'flu-stricken Davidson 16th, but both would have taken some satisfaction from again battling with the 'works' Hondas. Team boss Aguri Suzuki is naturally looking forward to returning to the Bahrain International Circuit.
"Oh, time flies!" he said, "If we look back one year, the 2006 Bahraini Grand Prix seems like it was just yesterday. Surely, we must have done very well to be coming back here again
"In reality, we are small, under-funded, independent team competing in the pinnacle of motorsport against a number of large car manufacturers. But we have to do as much as we can in our current situation and use, to maximum effect, the advantages of being a small, close-knit team. Our objective is still to achieve tenth position in the world championship, and I believe that this year it is truly possible."
TYRES:
The Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix will, like the Malaysian Grand Prix, be all about heat for the
Bridgestone Potenza tyres, with the hard and medium compounds again being used as the prime and option rubber for the race. The medium tyre, as at Sepang, will be distinguished by a white marking within the grooves.
