“We have a lot of work to do tonight in terms of studying the data to understand where the issues lie. I felt very confident after the test, and although there is an improvement in the car here, we still have work to do to achieve our expectations of progressing to the third session of qualifying. It’s going to be difficult but not impossible.”
Sebastian Vettel:
“Even though I know the track and the circuit, I haven’t tested here since February and conditions were obviously very different today. It was quite a productive day, but there is still a lot of room for improvement.
“We identified various areas to work on. The good thing is that in the afternoon we made progress with that and moved on from the morning, even if from the outside you cannot see the improvement in terms of pace. I am not sure where we are in terms of the order, but this is definitely going to be a tough weekend. Of course we will continue working tomorrow and keep fighting.”
Sébastien Bourdais:
“The conditions are very different to our last test here in February, and our main job today was to try and make the most of the package we have got. Our potential is not strong enough to be a midfield contender at the moment, as everyone has made big steps forward with their newer cars. The wind moved around from the morning to the afternoon, affecting the balance of the car.
“Overall, though, I think we made a step forward from the morning. It’s going to be tough and now we will see where we are in qualifying when we take the fuel out, which makes the car a different animal. If things go well, maybe we can get through to Q2.”
Takuma Sato:
“It’s nice to be back behind the wheel in Barcelona again, because I have not been here since the race last year where we scored our first point. This weekend started during a difficult time for the team, and I am proud of the way everyone has pulled together.
