Friday: Mercedes hopes to compete with Red Bull
The Mercedes seem in good shape at the start of the South Korean weekend: the drivers are pleased with the changes made to the track. Lewis Hamilton topped the first two practice sessions, and Nico Rosberg hopes to give the Red Bull drivers a run for their money.
Lewis Hamilton – 1st and 1st
« I was very happy with how the sessions went today, and it’s the first time, as far as I can remember, that the second practice session went really well for me. We didn’t change everything, but the day just went smoothly and the team’s program worked well. I like this circuit: it was clean from the start, it promises a good race on Sunday, and it becomes increasingly challenging throughout the lap. You have the first sector which is good for overtaking, then you have more and more corners, and the last two sectors require precision. You need a good aerodynamic package too, and the car seems good. We can always make improvements tonight, but there are things I want to work on with the settings, but it was a good start for us. »
Nico Rosberg – 4th and 3rd
« The track is really excellent and the small changes that have been made this year are good improvements, especially the pit exit which is much better. Overall, we had a good day but Red Bull is still very difficult to beat. We were quite close to them today and I hope it continues all weekend. My only problem after the long runs was graining on the front tires, which is something we need to work on in the evening. We brought some new parts to Korea that work well and make us optimistic for a good result this weekend. »
