Friday: Vettel and Ricciardo in Trouble at Red Bull
The Red Bull teammates still had their minds on Japan, with Bianchi's accident, despite the work to be done on this new track. The statements made at the end of the day spoke volumes about the mindset of Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel.
Sebastian Vettel (No. 1) – 14th and 9th
The World Champion was visibly affected in his statements of the day: « Does it help us to get back in the car after what happened [at Suzuka to Jules Bianchi]? Yes and no. It helps to have your mind on something else and to focus on the work – looking for the best settings, comparing the tires, and learning the new circuit, it keeps you busy. But on the other hand, it’s only been a few days, so it’s quite recent and difficult. Apparently, we will struggle here; it’s a beautiful track, but maybe not made for us. »
Daniel Ricciardo (no. 3) – 12th and 13th
The Australian, quite close to Jules Bianchi who was one of his first paddock mates when he arrived in Europe, tries to focus on his work: « After what happened in Japan, you try to do your best. I would be lying if I said I had no other concerns in mind, but you do what you can to make sure you’re 100% committed to driving, and that’s the best way to do our job and for our mental space. It’s the best way, but it was complicated, not as easy as I thought. »
As for the race itself, he states: « It was our last Friday with this engine, so it’s not a problem that it broke down at the end. We tried different settings but we’re not as fast here, the straights are long and we’re struggling a bit. »
