Saturday: McLaren anticipates an eventful Grand Prix
Despite his accident at the end of free practice 3, Sergio Perez managed to qualify for Q3, securing 9th place on the grid, thanks to the incredible work of his team of mechanics. His teammate, Jenson Button, only reached 13th place due to a lack of grip.
Sergio Perez – 3rd and 9th
First of all, I want to thank all the guys on the team – they did an excellent job modifying the car between free practice 3 and Q1 this afternoon. It was a big crash but we didn’t lose any time on the track – it was very impressive, so thank you guys. At the start of Q1, I still felt a little uncomfortable in the car, which is why I only aimed to reach Q2. However, my lap in Q2 was pretty good – we made quite a few changes on the car in one day – so I am confident that we will have a better car for the race than before. As for our pace, we knew we weren’t going to qualify in the top five – we opted for medium tires in Q3. This tire choice should give us a better strategy for the race tomorrow. We will be the first car on mediums, so I think we are in a pretty good position for tomorrow.
Jenson Button – 9th and 13th:
« When we have new tires, I can’t get enough grip at the front of the car – we did our best – so I’m struggling. In a way, it’s positive because it means we have added downforce to the rear of the car. And thankfully this situation will change for the race, when you can play a bit more with the things in your cockpit, and there’s generally less rear grip for everyone. I’m a bit disappointed because I was hoping for more here. I think this because it has been difficult to balance the car – but, fortunately, we will show a bit more pace in the race. I’m sure we can still have fun tomorrow. »
