Friday: Still work to do at Caterham

Marcus Ericsson (No. 9) – 21st and 21st

The Swede began his Canadian weekend well with a large number of laps completed during the first practice session: « 33 laps in free practice 1 means that we completed the entire program and even though there was little grip at the start, by the end of the session, we were able to find a balance that worked well. »

But things did not go as well during the second session even though Ericsson remains happy with his day: « We made several changes during the lunch break to improve the balance, but in my first stint in FP2, it didn’t seem to offer a step forward, so we reverted back. However, after 13 laps, I lost the transmission and had to stop. That was the end of the session which was obviously not ideal, but with 33 laps in the morning and then 13 in FP2, it wasn’t a bad day. »

Alexander Rossi (no. 45) – 22nd [FP1]

For his return to the wheel of an F1 in free practice 1, the American driver was satisfied with his studious session: 27 laps and no problem, it’s a great way to finish my first free practice of the season. It was my first time driving the 2014 car on a circuit and I must say it’s very different from the 2013 one, but I enjoyed it. However, my goal was to help the team establish a good baseline with the settings and start trying various options, and I’m delighted with how the day went.

Kamui Kobayashi (No.10) – 20th [FP2]

The Japanese driver had difficulty finding the right rhythm and managing his tires but remains confident for the rest of the weekend: « The tire temperatures and problems with braking and grip hindered my FP2. With both tire compounds, I struggled to efficiently bring the tires up to temperature, which cost me time and also contributed to a lack of grip. There’s clearly more potential to extract from the package here. »