Friday: Toro Rosso is in good shape
After the first day of testing on the Shanghai circuit, Toro Rosso drivers are showing satisfaction. The morning was somewhat disrupted by the weather, but the afternoon was productive, and the STR7 confirms its good form displayed during the first Grand Prix races of the season, even though Vergne wasn't entirely satisfied with its performance.
Daniel Ricciardo – 9th and 12th
« The FP1 was partially spoiled due to the weather. The wet track meant we only had a few clear laps. But the afternoon was better, and I was happy with the car’s balance on medium tires, but I didn’t feel a great performance gain when switching to soft tires, so that’s something we’ll have to analyze tonight. Maybe the track conditions simply didn’t suit these tires. Overall, we’re in the same position as in the first two races compared to the others, although I think we can be more competitive than in Malaysia. I’m happier with the car here, and I hope that means I can fight for a place in the top 10. »
Jean-Eric Vergne – 10th and 14th
« Another new circuit for me. I enjoyed it and I think I learned quickly even though the few drops of rain this morning limited the number of laps. We managed to work more this afternoon which is positive. Daniel and I used different setups and I think splitting the program between the two cars works well, and the engineers now have plenty of data to analyze tonight. I’m not entirely satisfied with the feeling of the car, but I’m confident that we can have a good car tomorrow. »
