Friday: Too early to judge the new developments at Caterham
While the day was marked by rain, the Caterham drivers understandably believe that the car is improvable. The team specifically states that it is too early to judge the effectiveness of the upgrades to the CT01 for this Chinese Grand Prix.
Heikki Kovalainen – 16th and 19th:
« It was a bit of a tricky day and one of those where I am not sure what we learned. The conditions this morning didn’t help us learn more about the car, but all in all, it was good to gain experience with the intermediate tires. This afternoon, I encountered some difficulties finding the right grip, but we can work on it this evening. I’m pretty certain we can get more out of our package tomorrow, so let’s wait and see where we stand when it gets serious on Saturday afternoon.
Giedo van der Garde – 19th [Free Practice 1]:
« It wasn’t the easiest practice session for me with the team, but I’m satisfied with the work I did and received good feedback from the engineers, so I don’t think I could have done more given the tricky conditions we faced today. »
Overall, the car’s balance was good. There is a lot of traction and the stability under braking has improved since the tests I did in Spain, so it’s a good thing to see the car evolving in the right direction. Keeping in mind the new features we have brought here, it is clear that the team is working hard to join the fight with the front runners, and I’m happy to have had the chance to help them with that, today, in China.
Vitaly Petrov – 20th [Free Practice 2]:
« I experienced a slight interruption during the session this afternoon, which may have cost us a relay, due to premature wear of the front suspension. Nevertheless, I am reasonably satisfied with how the rest of the session went. »
The tire degradation doesn’t seem too bad, no matter the compound, and I think we can improve our times with a few small changes to the mechanical grip, so after working hard tonight, I think we’ll be OK for tomorrow and for the race on Sunday.
