Friday: Can Toro Rosso afford to believe?

After several months of difficulty, the task once again promises to be challenging for the Toro Rosso team led by two rookies. This is the first time that Sébastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari are heading to Singapore for an in-town and nighttime Grand Prix. As usual, the small Scuderia will sorely lack experience.

Today, no surprises except maybe a 13th fastest time from Buemi in the first session, which is better than the 17th, 18th, or 20th fastest times achieved during the rest of the day. We can only wish the best to both drivers and be cautious of accidents…

Sébastien Buemi – 13th and 17th:

« It’s more or less what I expected as a first experience here, driving at night, without any visibility issues, although you have to be very careful to judge your braking points. The track looks more like Monaco than Valencia, with some bumps and tight corners. It’s a difficult circuit, made more complex by the heat. The track offered very little grip today, but it improved in the second session. The last races haven’t been too good for us, so I hope we can make a step forward here. »

Jaime Alguersuari – 18th and 20th:

« Today, it was doubly difficult for me because it’s an urban circuit and also new to me. Tire degradation was my main issue, caused by high temperatures, so there were many understeers and oversteers. It was tough because an accident can happen very quickly, and I worked hard to stay on track. With each heat, I feel a little better, so I hope I can make good progress before the race. As for my first experience under the spotlight, I had no problem. »