Friday: Sauber on the right track
Sauber surprised in Valencia last year by making only one pit stop. The C31 seems to have inherited the same quality as its predecessor by being very gentle on the Pirelli tires. The weekend therefore does not look bad for the Swiss team, which can approach the rest of the competition with a smile following Kobayashi's third fastest time.
Kamui Kobayashi – 12th and 3rd:
« For me, the day went well except for a hydraulic problem that prevented me from doing long stints in the afternoon. In the morning, we tested different parts. It worked well and that’s why I didn’t look for performance in the first session. Despite not having much time to work on the setup, the car performed well on the soft tires. Tire management will be key here and it will depend not only on driving but also on the setup of the car. For the race, it’s important to put everything together so that the tires don’t lose performance too quickly. But tomorrow we must first focus on qualifying. Grid position is more important here than on other tracks because it’s difficult to overtake. »
Sergio Pérez – 13th and 16th:
« For me, it was a difficult day because I was not satisfied with the balance of my car. I had a lot of difficulties with low fuel, whereas things went better with a full tank. Kamui and I had different programs today, so we have a lot of data to compare and analyze. I think we found something that could help us for tomorrow. »
