Friday: Wear and grip issues for Ferrari
Fernando Alonso enjoyed driving on the Sakhir circuit even though his single-seater is not the best. The Spanish driver notably struggled with a lack of rear grip but knows that the track will change a lot throughout the weekend, so it is important to stay patient. Like Alonso, Felipe Massa experienced some issues with premature wear on the Pirelli tires.
Fernando Alonso – 13th and 8th
In the past, I have always felt good on this circuit, one of the few where I have won three times. So it’s always a pleasure to drive on the Sakhir circuit and today, once again, I enjoyed it. The first day of the Bahrain Grand Prix is always very difficult because the track conditions are never optimal due to sand and wind. Furthermore, this circuit is very rarely used, which makes Friday’s analysis very difficult, perhaps even more so than elsewhere.
That is why basing all your setup choices on what happened today is never the right thing to do, because it’s important to keep in mind that the track will change a lot between now and Sunday. We have tried our best to check the behavior of the tires: we have the same ones as in Shanghai, but the temperature is very different. There is still a lot to do, especially at the rear, to try to find more grip.
Felipe Massa – 15th and 12th
« It was a very hot day, during which we mainly focused on studying the behavior of Pirelli tires. From what we saw today, the degradation is very pronounced with both compounds, even more so than on other circuits. It was an important task, especially with a view to the race, but also for the session that will decide the positions on the grid. Without a doubt, we still have work to do. The key point will be to develop a car that is consistent in terms of performance and try to reduce the rate of tire wear. »
