on Jul 10, 2011
After an interesting weekend (both on and off track), we asked the drivers and the team management for their thoughts on the 2011 British Grand Prix…
Car 1 Sebastian Vettel, Finish Position: 2nd, Start Position: 2nd
“I had an excellent start and with hindsight I wouldn’t have minded if there had been more rain because I really liked the conditions when we were racing on the intermediate tyres. We seemed to be in very good shape and I was pulling away. We probably waited a little but too long to go onto the dry tyres, but it was right as there was no need for us to take a risk and we were in control. At the pit stop we had a problem – the car was already back on the floor, but then we had to lift it back up again. By then I had lost the lead and came out in third. I struggled to pass Lewis, I thought I could go much quicker, but I never really had the chance. Once I was very close, but it didn’t work. We got him at the pit stop, but by then Fernando was already gone. It was a good result for us, but we had some problems and, if you’re not at your optimum, then there’s always someone there to beat you. Ferrari was very quick all weekend and they deserved the victory today.”
Car 2 Mark Webber, Finish Position: 3rd, Start Position: POLE
“It was a mixed race, it was very slippery at the start with the intermediate tyres, half the track was dry and half was wet and we had to wait for the slicks to come into play. Michael pitted first and we were waiting to hear what his pace was like. On my in-lap I had a massive moment in Becketts, so Fernando closed on me a bit, I went across the grass, so it was a bit scrappy there – then we had an interesting race after that. I felt strong at the start of each stint, but less so towards the end of the stints – both Seb and I were having trouble with the tyres at the end of the race. I tried to pass him, but not quite, and that was the race.“
Christian Horner, Team Principal: “After a very interesting race that initially started very well for us on the intermediate tyres, second and third is still a very strong result at this circuit, considering everything that has gone on this weekend. Unfortunately we had a rear jack failure on Sebastian’s second pit stop, which cost him a lot of time in the pits and dropped him behind Fernando. Having said that, Fernando was very fast today, but at least we would have had the track position going into the latter stint. Having run second early on, Mark had an issue at his second pit stop, but he managed to re-pass Hamilton with a brave move into Turn six. In the closing laps and with the two cars going wheel to wheel, from a team point of view it made absolute sense to consolidate a big haul of points today and not risk having both cars in the fence, which nearly happened to Lewis and Felipe on the last corner. From a team point of view it’s been a very strong day – we gained 33 points and both drivers are now first and second in the Drivers’ Championship. On the exhaust issue, hopefully we have now achieved clarity on this and can draw a line under it going forward.”
Cyril Dumont, Renault: “All in all, it’s a pretty good result today. I would have loved for us to have finished first and second, but for the Constructors’ Championship, it was a good team result. Unfortunately we had a rear jack failure, which cost Sebastian some time, but I think we are in a good position and we will be ready for the German GP in two weeks time.”
Credit: Red Bull Racing Formula one Team (www.redbullracing.com)
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