Friday: Positive Test Day for Vergne and Toro Rosso
The Toro Rosso drivers did not shine in the rankings of the first two practice sessions in Malaysia, but there is a reason: Vergne and Ricciardo mainly focused on long runs and both men are quite satisfied with the performance of the STR8. However, there is still work to be done to improve the setup, particularly to reduce tire degradation.
Jean-Eric Vergne – 17th and 15th:
« I think it was a positive day, especially from a reliability point of view, which is important. We focused on long runs and got good responses in this area, which is the most important, rather than trying to set fast times. Regular lap times over a long distance are more important. For tomorrow, we can now look to find more pace. Tire degradation is quite high, but we expected that and it’s the same for everyone. If it doesn’t rain during the race, tire management could be tricky. I didn’t learn much from the intermediates, apart from the fact that driving the car in the rain with a lot of fuel is difficult! The heat? I’m acclimating well. »
Daniel Ricciardo – 18th and 17th:
« We learned a lot about the tires today. This morning, they seemed to struggle with the heat, and we made some changes between the two sessions to manage this issue. We managed to improve the car’s balance to extend the lifespan of the tires. We still have work to do on that front, though. The heat doesn’t affect the brakes too much because there is time for them to cool down, but you have to watch the engine temperature as well as the body temperature, because looking in the garage, the guys seem to be just coming out of the shower! It’s a more physical race than the others and it’s very hot, but having been here several times before, I am prepared and I enjoy it. »
