Friday: Ferrari and Alonso save rain tires
Interlagos did not benefit much from the Scuderia cars on Friday, as both drivers chose to save rain tires for the last two days, which could potentially be just as rainy.
Fernando Alonso – 5th and 11th:
« It’s always difficult to drive a lot when it rains here because the water level on the track is never constant and can affect lap times by two or three seconds. Every time you go beyond the track limits, you then have to try to understand the track conditions at that precise moment because there are no absolute data. But, given that the forecasts for the weekend are similar to today, we can say that, even if it was short, they were good practice sessions. Qualification and the race will be very complicated from a strategic point of view and, from this perspective, tonight we will have to come up with a good plan. To do well here, you also need a bit of luck because in these conditions, being in the right place at the right time always helps. »
Felipe Massa – 11th and 7th:
« It was a difficult day, made complicated by the rain in the morning and afternoon. With the track constantly wet, we chose not to run much and what we did was on intermediates. This way, we managed to save the wet tire sets, in anticipation of variable weather conditions over the weekend. It’s hard to determine how the weekend will unfold, because even though we’re not fast today in the rain, it’s too early to say which conditions will suit our car best. It will certainly be important to use the tires correctly and to have confidence on the track. For me, it’s a very special weekend, my last race with Ferrari at home. I’m racing here with an all-red helmet and a fantastic suit, which was given to me as a gesture of affection by my team, with whom I hope to finish the season in the best possible way. »
