“Lewis suffered from oversteer throughout, and we will look at all the data overnight to find a solution. As is normal on a Friday both drivers ran with heavy fuel loads on the long runs, but there is no doubt that our competition looks strong.”
Norbert Haug [Mercedes-Benz Motorsport – vice-president]:
“On a difficult and very windy day with changing track conditions, Lewis completed his preparation programme for Saturday and Sunday. The times during the long runs didn’t look too bad, but Lewis felt more comfortable with the car during testing here last week.
“Heikki had an even more difficult day with limited running. Between both sessions, the team changed the gearbox on his car. During the second session he stopped on the track because the engine safety programme set in following a problem with the throttle control.”
Willy Rampf [BMW Sauber – technical director]:
“Although we tested here last week, there is still enough work to do, particularly because the weather conditions were perfect today. As always on Fridays, we totally concentrated on race preparation, in particular on the tyre performance on long-runs. The two drivers ran different programmes and we now have a good basis on which we can build up.”
Pat Symonds [Renault – executive director of engineering]:
“In spite of the poor weather at the recent test, we were still able to complete a lot of work, which meant we could run a slightly different programme today. While it is always nice to see the cars near the top of the timesheets, we have to keep in mind that this is Friday, and does not necessarily represent the complete picture. However, we have moved forward with the modifications that are on the car this weekend.”
Denis Chevrier [Renault – head of engine track operations]:
“It’s still difficult to know with certainty what our position is in the pack. We have certainly made progress, but the gaps between the teams are small and we don’t know exactly which teams really attacked today and what their real potential is.
