Friday: McLaren drivers draw no conclusions from this disappointing day
As in the last two Grand Prix, the McLaren drivers seem to be trailing behind their direct competitors. But as Lewis Hamilton points out, everything can change on Saturday.
Lewis Hamilton – 5th and 7th
« It was a productive day. We accomplished our schedule for the day, and my pace on the long stints is better than it was at Silverstone, which is a good thing.
We have made some improvements to the car and it seems they are working, which is quite positive. But it’s only Friday, and it’s too early to draw conclusions—and, moreover, we don’t know the other teams’ programs.
The Ferrari drivers seem to be doing well here, and the Red Bulls seem fast too, but anything can happen in the race and we will work hard tonight and tomorrow to maximize our chances.
Jenson Button – 6th and 11th
« It’s a frustrating day for me. I couldn’t find the right balance in the car this morning, and once I found a bit of grip at the rear, my KERS system stopped working. This cost me some time on the lap during braking and on the exits of braking.
Then, in the last 20 minutes of this afternoon’s session, an issue with an experimental exhaust outlet caused me to finish my session earlier. It was a part to be tested and sometimes there are issues when you’re testing new things on Friday.
For tomorrow, I think it will be difficult to be faster than the Red Bull in qualifying. But our goal is to fight at the front Sunday afternoon.
