Saturday: Sutil, master of the rain in his Force India

Adrian Sutil once again demonstrated his good aptitude for driving in non-dry conditions, whether on a damp track or, as today, under persistent rain. He will start third this Sunday and can rightly hope to score big points and step onto the podium. It is interesting to note that among the top 5 drivers, Sutil is the least experienced by far compared to Barrichello, Trulli, Räikkönen, and Webber.

His teammate, Vitantonio Liuzzi, went off the track at the first braking point during Q2. He spun, perhaps surprised by a Ferrari he only saw at the last moment under the deluge in Interlagos, and ended up in the tire barriers. Without this mistake, the Italian could have aimed for Q3, but like all the drivers, the conditions were extremely challenging.

Adrian Sutil – 5th and 3rd:

Being in the top 3 always feels good, especially after a tough session. This Friday, we didn’t seem to be at our best in the dry, and I was really hoping for rain, and eventually, there was way too much! We had to wait so long during the session and needed to stay focused. The track in Q1 was completely soaked, there was so much water that you mainly had to be careful not to spin out. Then there was a long break in Q2. I set my best time during this part on extreme tires, but you could actually do just one good lap on intermediates at the end, and it was a clear sign to switch to intermediates in Q3. We lost a bit of time before heading out, but I managed to cross the finish line with only a second left to set my best lap, allowing me to rank 3rd. I’m very happy; it’s very nice to be back at the front. I really like this circuit, even if it’s not where we’ve achieved our best results in the past. However, I hope to have a great race tomorrow; I will simply give it my all.

Vitantonio Liuzzi – 16th and 20th (15th time + 5-place penalty):

I’m really disappointed and frustrated that my qualifications ended this way, as I’m convinced I could have made it to Q3, as Adrian demonstrated. The car was responding well on the wet track, and we showed good performance in Q1, even if traffic prevented me from having a better lap. At the beginning of Q2, the conditions on the circuit were very difficult and it was very risky to go out on track. But when the light turns green, you have to go and do your best. I’m sorry for the team because we could have done better, but I became a passenger at one point, and there was nothing I could do when the car got away from me. Despite everything, I think we are in good form for tomorrow, and if the conditions stay like this, the car is well-balanced. So, I’m optimistic for the race.

Simon Roberts – Chief Engineer:

«We are delighted that Adrian [Sutil] made it into the top 3 today. He delivered an excellent performance in very challenging conditions and really got the maximum out of himself and the car. It was difficult to choose the right tires but we were roughly on time when it came to switching from extremes to intermediates. We achieved this fantastic result which should, hopefully, bode well for a good race tomorrow. It’s really unfortunate for Tonio [Liuzzi] but at that moment, the conditions were atrocious and he couldn’t do anything to avoid it. We are obviously happy that he is fine and with the unpredictable conditions expected tomorrow, he can have a great race.»