Dave Robson, Senior Race Engineer: We were expecting a difficult day and that is indeed what we have had. The incident in FP1 with George’s car was unfortunate and frustrating. Not only did it cause extensive damage to the car, but it also cost us the opportunity to complete the testing that we had planned. Fortunately, though, George was unhurt. With FP1 cancelled, we opted to use an additional set of tyres on Robert’s car in FP2 to give him the best possible opportunity to understand the track. The remainder of the weekend will be tough but in FP3 we will have the spare chassis built and ready for George to begin to catch-up following his lack of running today. Qualifying in Baku is often a chaotic affair and we will look to take advantage of any opportunity that presents itself.
Robert Kubica: It was not an ideal day losing FP1, I think everybody would have liked more track time, especially on a street circuit and for me this isn’t one I’ve raced on before. The track is very tricky. I spent time discovering it in FP2 but I don’t have much confidence, we are struggling overall with the grip and we cannot push the car as the tyres are not able to remain in the operating window. Additional time was lost during FP2 due to the red flags and it’s a shame we couldn’t drive both cars on the circuit.
George Russell: It has been a tough day, it’s a shame for the guys to spend yesterday preparing the car to only do a couple of laps. I was going down the straight and I felt a big bang through the chassis and everything turned off; it’s just unfortunate. The plan right now is to go into debrief, listen to Robert’s comments and see what the guys have planned for tomorrow. Overall, today has been a bit of a frustration, but we must make the most of the situation and I will remain positive for the weekend ahead.
No comment