Friday: An encouraging first day for Ferrari

Felipe Massa – 5th and 1st

The weather made the day difficult, with rain affecting both sessions. However, it seems to me that the car performed quite well on a wet track, which is positive for the rest of the weekend, given that there is a chance of rain. This is also the reason why I used only one set of intermediate tires: I had a bit of graining on the front set, especially at the beginning of the second session, but by the end, the situation improved, and the tire performance kept getting better.

However, it is difficult to say where we stand compared to others as track conditions were continuously changing, and it is also not easy to have an in-depth assessment of the new elements we have brought here.

Fernando Alonso – 7th and 15th

It’s always nice to come to Silverstone, a historic circuit for Formula One and for Ferrari, which claimed its first victory there just 60 years ago. I like the new paddock: the only odd thing is the final part of the pit lane which is lower than the track, meaning spectators can’t see the pit stops from the stands.

Definitely, the rain did not help us on a day that was supposed to allow us to test the aerodynamic innovations we brought. We tried to do what we could, using only one set of intermediate tires, both because we wanted to keep the others for tomorrow and Sunday, and because this way we have at least one stable parameter that allows us to evaluate the aerodynamics.

At the end of the first session, I ventured to put on soft tires to see if the conditions were acceptable, but the track was still very wet.

For what a driver can learn behind the wheel, it’s difficult to say if the aerodynamic updates have helped us make progress, but they seem to be working well in the end.

On the wet, the car wasn’t so bad, as we were able to see in Canada: this is positive because it might rain again, particularly tomorrow.

Should I support Webber for the championship? No, I support Ferrari!