Friday: The Ferrari takes a rollercoaster ride
Ferrari was able to prepare properly today, without any hitches. Fernando Alonso set the fastest time during Free Practice 1, which was disrupted by fog and a red flag, but the Spaniard could only manage the 10th fastest time in the afternoon. The same for Massa; performances dropped with rising temperatures. The weather variations don't seem to be the cause of this significant difference in performance between FP1 and FP2. Massa indeed points to the lack of new developments on the Ferrari for a few races now.
Fernando Alonso – 1st and 10th:
« I didn’t have any problems with my return to the track today. My back is fine, and I was able to drive as usual. Compared to last year, track conditions seem better: for the circuit’s first year, the track was new and probably still too slippery, whereas there’s more grip this season. As we expected, there’s little tire degradation with Pirelli’s very conservative choice: mediums and hards. In general, there aren’t many surprises, so we’ll wait and see how things unfold until Sunday. »
Felipe Massa – 7th and 12th:
« The day was difficult to describe. At first, we started well and it seemed that the track suited our car, but the afternoon session showed that our times were not competitive enough. For several races, the car has remained the same, so we should not expect significantly higher performance levels. However, it’s very important to try to understand the car and why there is such a difference between the two sessions, especially since compared to last year, the track has gained rubber and therefore grip. I don’t think the increase in temperatures in the afternoon is the cause, but maybe the wind didn’t help. Now, we still have a lot of work to do to best prepare for the rest of the weekend. »
