Saturday: Lotus Hits Rock Bottom

Romain Grosjean (No. 8) – No time and 21st [20th on the grid]

After not setting any time in free practice 3, the Frenchman didn’t have better qualifications. He was hampered by issues that prevented him from fully expressing himself: « We had a lot of problems today, and every time we fixed one, a new one appeared! The guys are working very hard, and it’s a difficult situation for everyone. We just have to learn every time we put the car on track. Yes, it’s frustrating, but I’m the one who has it easiest because I’m not working on the car all night. »

Grosjean remains confident and knows that the Lotus team can bounce back: « The whole team is here to win, so when things do not go as planned, it’s not pleasant. If we put everything together, the car could still be very competitive. We have been through tough times in the past, so we will find a way to get out of it. »

Pastor Maldonado (No. 13) – 18th and no time [22nd on the grid]

Things are not better for Pastor Maldonado who also encountered problems, but he knows that everyone is working hard to improve the situation: « It has been quite complicated today. We are working very hard and we must be optimistic. The positive side is that we are not the only ones with problems. We will continue to work tirelessly and try to do better than the others. »

The Venezuelan was unable to set a single time but was still authorized by the stewards to take part in tomorrow’s Grand Prix and remains optimistic for this first race: « It was an issue related to the power unit which meant we got out on track late. At that moment, it started raining and then, it was over! We need to try to stay focused and keep working, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do. For the race, we will do our best. Our pace should be good; we just need to string the laps together. »