“If we compare today with the same time last year, I think we have made a step forward. We have changed the settings on the car compared to the past, and now we hope we will see the benefits of this choice.”
Heikki Kovalainen:
“A positive start to the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, and I am confident there is still more to come. Towards the end of the second session when I put on a new set of tyres we had made some set-up changes, which were not as positive as we thought they would be.
“In addition I wasn't pleased with my lap, so I am confident that we will continue to improve in Saturday's practice session. It's always great to drive around this track, and it's almost impossible to describe what it feels like. I can't wait for the rest of the Monaco Grand Prix.”
Robert Kubica:
“The two practice sessions were quite okay today. It was a very busy Thursday, and we covered a lot of laps. We now have to see how we can improve the car for Saturday.”
Fernando Alonso:
“Overall the two sessions have gone well for us. The track was very dirty this morning, but we made good progress with our programme and the car reacted well to the changes we made. We seem to be on the pace on the long runs, but we must now improve our performance over a single lap because qualifying here is vital. That is where we will put our efforts.”
Jenson Button:
“It's always very exciting to be back in Monaco and out on-track for the first day of running. We had two good opening sessions and I had a reasonable balance right from the start, particularly on the harder tyre. This afternoon has really been about getting the long runs in, getting used to the balance and making some improvements.
