Friday: Promising First Day for Lotus
In free practice 1, Lotus conducted aerodynamic evaluations, particularly on its different front wing specifications, using hard Pirelli tires. In free practice 2, Lotus ran with a lot of fuel, focusing on performance in race conditions, with hard tires, then soft tires.
Kimi Räikkönen – 9th and 5th:
« No problem with the car, everything went well today. We tested a different front wing, but in the car, you can’t tell if it makes much of a difference. That’s why the engineers look at the data. I felt good and I think the work done at Mugello and the Windshear wind tunnel has paid off. We’ll need to look at the pace of the others tomorrow in qualifying, because that’s where it matters. We’ve been fast everywhere so far and nothing suggests we won’t be fast here as well. »
Romain Grosjean – 7th and 6th:
« It was quite a good day. The weather is wonderful, the car is very good, and the lap times are promising. I am a happy man! We have an excellent balance with both types of tires, and we were able to accomplish long runs to have good data for Sunday. I am pleased with the car’s behavior, even when the tires reach the end of their performance life. It’s a good sign for the race. It’s very tight, of course, so qualifying will be interesting. I’m looking forward to it! »
Alan Permane, Director of Track Operations:
The car seems to be running very well, and we are very happy with its progress. Our long runs on soft tires have provided us with excellent information for the race in terms of wear and the number of laps they can endure before declining in performance. Based on this, we have a first impression of our strategy for Sunday. No issues were reported on both cars, and both drivers were satisfied. Part of our work at Mugello was dedicated to car settings with low fuel. This resulted in our best overall performance for a Friday since the beginning of the season.
[From the official Lotus press release]
