Thursday: Grosjean doesn’t waste any time but Räikkönen does!
Kimi Räikkönen and Romain Grosjean took to the track under various conditions for the first two free practice sessions on the streets of Monaco. While Grosjean seemed at ease, taking second place in each of the two sessions, Kimi Räikkönen once again struggled to accommodate his steering.
Romain Grosjean – 2nd and 2nd:
« I think the car suits the track well and I love Monaco. It’s good to be here and see so many fans. The car was good this morning and this afternoon, we are working in the right direction. Unfortunately, we had a bit of rain this afternoon and couldn’t complete the planned program. But we have a great base, it shouldn’t be a big problem. Let’s see what the weather has in store for us tomorrow and what we can do. I think we’re well-prepared, whatever the conditions. »
Kimi Räikkönen – No time and 19th:
« It’s good to be back in Monaco, even if I didn’t get much driving done today. The steering wasn’t right for me this morning, so the team changed it. It’s something you adjust for Monaco, and there’s no way to know beforehand how it will turn out. In the second session, the car was fine, but it was obviously very slippery on the wet track. I would have liked to spend more time in the car. But I’m familiar with Monaco, the circuit hasn’t changed much in recent years. Let’s wait for tomorrow. »
James Allison, Technical Director:
« We are happy with our performance today because we arrived with some questions about our level of competitiveness. It’s disappointing to have missed the first session with Kimi’s car to change its steering settings. But he’s grown enough to find the right pace on Saturday. The performances delivered by Romain in both sessions are certainly encouraging. All the developments in Monaco seem to be working well, and the E20 is very satisfactory throughout this very particular circuit.
[From the official statement released by Lotus]
