Saturday: The new developments are working at HRT
The HRT team brought some aerodynamic updates this weekend, including a new rear wing, and it seems to be working as both drivers are close to their rivals. Pedro de la Rosa hopes to achieve a good performance in the race, as does Narain Karthikeyan, even though the Indian driver admits he is struggling to get used to the Yas Marina circuit layout.
Pedro de la Rosa – 23rd and 23rd:
We had good practice and qualifying sessions. I was comfortable in the car and I’m sure I could have improved by a few tenths, but like everyone else. The car behaved well and we didn’t have any brake or engine temperature issues on a track like this where it’s very hot, so I’m happy. I think we have a good pace for tomorrow’s race and the first goal will be to get a good start and stay close to the Marussia. We might try a one-stop strategy, hopefully the rear tires will hold up and we can put our rivals under pressure.
Narain Karthikeyan – 24th and 24th:
« It was a difficult qualifying session for me. It’s my first time driving in Abu Dhabi, and with such a technical circuit, I find it more challenging than expected. I can’t put everything together in one lap; I was fine with my first set of tires, but with the second, I encountered traffic, and the rear tires were dead before I could improve my time. Even though I’m not completely comfortable with this circuit, tomorrow I’ll give it my all as always to try to achieve a good performance and finish the race. »
