The work we did with the car, the set-up, etc, was also interesting. We follow the programme we had this morning and everything went well with some clear results - some positive and some negative. We need to analyse everything tonight and tomorrow hopefully start with the best car possible.
Q. Are you expecting a stronger than normal weekend?
FA: I don't think so. More or less, we will be in a similar situation compared to some other weekends. I think it is true that our normal position is a little bit unclear because sometimes we are eighth, sometimes we are seventh and sometimes we are 11th on the grid – so maybe this weekend is one of the good ones where we can be sixth or seventh. Obviously with Ferrari and McLaren there are four cars that are unbeatable, so you are fighting for fifth if you beat BMW Sauber and all these teams. So it is difficult to get something more than that.
Q. Is this a circuit where the driver can still make a difference?
FA: Obviously you have more chances to make a difference. It is true that circuits like Valencia, where it is only braking and accelerating, we all try to brake as late as possible and accelerate as soon as possible. When the car is good you can do it, but when the car is not good you cannot do it.
Here in Spa there are some challenging corners where you need to play a little bit more with the racing line, the gearshift, with taking a bit more kerb or a bit less. The driver has something more to choose here in Spa than some other circuit. So obviously you can be a bit more important here.
Q. How can you explain that on Friday you are top, but you are not expecting the same for the rest of the weekend?
FA: I think it is unfortunately very clear. We ran with less fuel, probably, than the others – or I want to guess that. I cannot imagine that people, our competitors, they do not go as quick as they can on Friday. Everyone is trying the best on Fridays, but fuel loads are a big factor in F1 and our philosophy and strategy is to prepare the race and to prepare the qualifying as well. And, maybe some other teams they only prepare for the race.
Q. Are you able to confirm that Renault are putting all their effort into next season's car?
FA: I don't know. That is a better question for Flavio. I know that there is some work going on with the R29 for next year, but I think there is still some new parts coming for Monza with the R28. So it is not still 100 percent focused on next year, I think it is still 50/50.
Q. Are you expecting rain for Sunday?
FA: Not for Sunday. Our forecast is more optimistic for Sunday, with little chance of rain – no more than 20 percent. For tomorrow it is a bigger chance, like 50 percent, we have a clear possibility for rain.
Q. How much more difficult is it to qualify with rain?
FA: Very difficult I think. I don't remember many qualifyings in wet. We did Fuji, Shanghai I guess last year as well. And it is stressful because with this format you need to be on the track all the time because you never know if it is going to rain heavier at the end of that 15 minutes. Or if it doesn't rain the best lap will be the last lap. So you need to be on the track until the chequered flag. It is a very stressful hour, because you need to be on the track all the time improving the lap times – and we know Spa is dangerous in wet conditions. The white lines and kerbs are very slippery, and we saw this in GP2 and our practice. So a wet qualifying will be difficult for everybody.
Q. How difficult is it for you to keep up your motivation now that you don't have such a competitive car?
FA: You change your targets. We all want to win, we all want to fight for the championship but when you realise it is not possible you need to make a new target. For me now it is to help Renault finish in fourth in the constructors' championship, so my target from now until the end of the season is to beat Toyota. It doesn't matter if we are fifth or sixth, or 11th or 12th, we need to finish in front of them and hopefully in the points. That is the new motivation – you arrive to Monza, Spa, China, wherever, all weekend you are very, very focused because you want to reach your target.
Q. It is only Friday but is seeing your name at the top of the timesheets a personal boost?
FA: Yes, absolutely. It is only Friday and in Valencia I was P2 on Friday and I was out of Q3, so I don't know if it is a good start to the weekend! But Spa is also a special place. We all want to do well here in Spa and Monaco, these type of places, so the weekend has started very good and tomorrow is a much bigger challenge if we want to do well in qualifying.
No comments:
Post a Comment