Sep 10, 2011
Getty Images
Rows 8 and 9 of the grid is not the best of starts for the Italian Grand Prix, but there’s no rule that says you will do well at your home race.
In the first part of qualifying this afternoon, both our drivers did two runs: one of 4 laps on the Medium tyres, followed by the same number on the Softs. While Sébastien was seventeenth fastest, squeezing through to Q2, Jaime was one place behind and his afternoon’s work was at an end. Then Sébastien tackled another four lap run on the Soft tyres in Q2, moving up one place to finish sixteenth. Pundits who reckon this is very disappointing after our showing in Spa a fortnight ago are forgetting that several cars that normally finish ahead of us on the grid had problems that day in Belgium, thus putting some perspective on today’s result.
It was not for the lack of trying, as the team back in the factory and in the wind tunnel had worked very hard in recent weeks to deliver new parts, new front wings and other updates specific to this unique circuit. In addition, our engine supplier Ferrari had come up with new exhaust solutions aimed at increasing the car’s aero performance. However, we did not get off on the right foot, set-up wise, on Friday and then Buemi’s crash in the afternoon robbed us of more track time and data. From then on we were always playing catch-up. The favourite cliché in the world of F1 press releases on Saturday afternoon is to say that the race will be long and anything could happen. The first comment definitely does not apply here, as the Italian Grand Prix is always the shortest, timewise, as it is run at such a high average speed. However, the anything can happen bit is very true and those first chicanes can catch out the unwary on the opening laps. The weather will play a role, as it will be interesting to see the effect of high temperatures on tyre degradation: the timing of the first pit stop could be one of the deciding factors in the race, because if one can stay out on the first set of rubber for as long as possible without losing too much in terms of lap time, then it might be possible to get through the 53 laps with fewer stops. We are not the type to give up hope, so the team is still working hard on the cars, until the parc ferme rules come into play at 18h30 tonight and then it will be down to the two drivers, team work and a clever strategy and hopefully a bit of Italian buona fortuna.
Credit: Toro Rosso (www.scuderiatororosso.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment