Friday: A good start to the weekend for Sauber
Even though everything is not yet ideal, particularly with regards to positions in the hierarchy, the two Sauber drivers were quite pleased with their first day of testing in Hungary. The new features seem to be working well and the performance seems to be there or almost there.
Nico Hülkenberg – 16th and 15th:
« It was a good Friday. I think the level of performance is a bit difficult to judge. We still need to work on our pace with low fuel, especially for qualifying. My stint with the mediums wasn’t the best, so there’s room to improve that. The long stint was quite consistent and in terms of pace, it seemed good. We have a good foundation and have done all the necessary tests. The tires have been quite straightforward [to understand]. Now we need to keep working, improve a few small things and see where we end up tomorrow. »
Esteban Gutiérrez – 11th and 14th.
« Overall, it was a productive Friday. We were able to draw conclusions about the new parts brought here, and everything seems to be working as expected. But we still have to wait and see what will happen in qualifying. We are clearly going to fight to improve. The weather is a challenge for the tires, as we saw this afternoon, but it’s something everyone has to manage. It’s about finding the right balance between attacking and how long you want your tires to last during a stint. The tire behavior is different. They are a little more challenging to heat up, but they last longer. Now, we need to adapt as quickly as possible. Overall, I am confident that we can achieve a better result than in previous races. »
