The feelings with which Ferrari has started the Grand Prix of Spain are unbeatable. The Italian team dominated the time table of the first free practice session, led by Sebastian Vettel, while Kimi Räikkönen remained in second place in the evening session at Montmeló, beating Lewis Hamilton.
For Vettel, fourth in the second session, the results have a relative importance. He was satisfied with his performance in the afternoon on the long runs, and expected to improve Saturday:
“Although today has not been the perfect day, it should go better tomorrow. I think that this evening has been a little more complicated for us, and not as good as it was the morning, but we can still work on the car and improve tonight. Normally, we are pretty strong in this. In the end, only is a Friday, so we have to be careful with our judgments. I think that the first impression about our pace today is good. We can confirm this morning will also depend on what the others were doing today. I think we can take the step and be stronger tomorrow”.
Räikkönen did not venture out on the Ferrari’s performance with respect to Mercedes and their most immediate pursuers, emphasized the greater ease at the time of heating the tires in Montmeló with regard to Sochi, and cleared any outbreak of concerns about a possible mechanical problem:
“it Has been a Friday regular, we have been focused on our program. There was a time when I went back to the garage to check something in the car: we wanted to be sure that all was well. Was only a small problem, and at the end of the session we manage to do everything that we wanted. It is difficult to say where we are compared to our rivals: it has not been a bad day, but of course it can be improved. This is a circuit very hard for the tyres, and the final part is very twisty, but it is the same for all. Compared with Russia, it is easier to make the tires work, but we still have work to do to be happy 100% with the balance of the car. In the afternoon, we will work to improve and, with luck, be strong”.
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