The first day was marked by the traditional praises to the circuit, which always falls in love with the riders with its fast corners and, also, by the problems of understeer widespread, especially in the first sector. Mercedes returned to dominate a day, but Red Bull promises to give war or, at least, animate the race.
The classification yielded a new duel between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton which ended in favour of the German by just thirteen-thousandths of a second. Kimi Räikkönen led the offensive against Mercedes ahead of his teammate and the Red Bull, which on this occasion disappointed. Although, for disappointment, the McLaren, that she even came to offer a performance inferior to that of 2015, with Jenson Button eliminated in Q1 and Fernando Alonso only two posts later on the grill.
below, we review a pilot to pilot the highlight of your weekend.
Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton
Friday: Good day without drawbacks.
Saturday: Day complicated, but positive, taking account of the difficulties she has had to find the right setup.
Nico Rosberg
Friday: Began with a lot of understeer and, in the afternoon, the medium compound has not behaved so well as they had hoped. In contrast, the soft is perfect to a turn, the car goes very well.
Saturday: It feels tremendously confident and comfortable with the car. Both he and his companion shot without the extra power that is commonly used in classification to prevent problems such as those of Malaysia.
| Pilot | Free 1 | Free 2 | Rows L1+L2 | Free 3 | Vtas | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HAM | 1:32.646 (2nd) | 1:32.322 (2nd) | 21+35 | 1:33.284 (7th) | 12 | 1:32.218 (4th) | 1:31.129 (2nd) | 1:30.660 (2nd) |
| ROS | 1:32.431 (1) | 1:32.250 (1) | 24+35 | 1:32.092 (1) | 14 | 1:31.858 (3rd) | 1:30.714 (1) | 1:30.647 (1º) |
Ferrari
Sebastian Vettel
Friday: focused on the medium compound in the first session, moving on to hard in the second. Not used the medium and still need to find balance in the car, that subvira in excess.
Saturday: Lost time in the last sector of his last lap of Q3, but is very satisfied with the progress of the car.
Kimi Räikkönen
Friday: has Not been found comfortable with the excess understeer, but his best lap of the second session was very good.
Saturday: positively Surprised with the progress of the car, but still has some understeer. Expected to be even more competitive in the race.
| Pilot | Free 1 | Free 2 | Rows L1+L2 | Free 3 | Vtas | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VET | 1:33.525 (3rd) | 1:33.103 (5th) | 19+34 | 1:32.731 (3rd) | 13 | 1:31.659 (1) | 1:31.227 (3rd) | 1:31.028 (4th) |
| RAI | 1:33.817 (4th) | 1:32.573 (3rd) | 17+26 | 1:33.011 (5th) | 12 | 1:31.674 (2nd) | 1:31.406 (4th) | 1:30.949 (3rd) |
Williams
Valtteri Bottas
Friday: Happy with the balance of the car, but do need to improve the performance of the tyres.
Saturday: Disappointed with the result, but that’s because the car has more speed to show.
Felipe Massa
Friday: Based its programme of work to improve the treatment of the tires, as well as in to squeeze the maximum possible for each compound.
Saturday: Very surprised by the performance of the Haas, he struggled to make the new tires.
| Pilot | Free 1 | Free 2 | Rows L1+L2 | Free 3 | Vtas | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOT | 1:35.381 (10th) | 1:34.028 (9th) | 31+33 | 1:33.865 (13th) | 9 | 1:32.383 (5th) | 1:32.315 (11th) | – |
| MORE | 1:36.169 (16th) | 1:34.127 (11th) | 23+33 | 1:33.271 (6th) | 13 | 1:32.562 (10th) | 1:32.380 (12th) | – |
Red Bull
Daniel Ricciardo
Friday: His fast lap was aborted by the period of drive of a virtual security, but believes it may be ahead of Ferrari in qualifying and pace on the hard compound is very competitive.
Saturday: I Expected a lot more of the rating, lost a lot of time with his team-mate in the straight and don’t know the cause. The tires began to falter in the third sector.
Max Verstappen
Friday: Could have been faster had it not been for the safety car virtual, which made his soft tyres to lose temperature. The car is very strong and believes that has been one of the best Friday of the season.
Saturday: I Wanted to be in front of the Ferrari, but the car was not well balanced.
| Pilot | Free 1 | Free 2 | Rows L1+L2 | Free 3 | Vtas | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIC | 1:34.112 (5th) | 1:34.150 (12th) | 23+29 | 1:32.394 (2nd) | 10 | 1:32.538 (9th) | 1:31.719 (6th) | 1:31.240 (6th) |
| SEE | 1:34.379 (6th) | 1:33.061 (4th) | 26+29 | 1:32.784 (4th) | 9 | 1:32.487 (8th) | 1:31.489 (5th) | 1:31.178 (5th) |
Force India
Sergio Pérez
Friday: The car is highly tuned, both in terms of classification as a career.
Saturday: Ended up with the same time as Grosjean, but was classified ahead having won the time before. Very satisfied with his lap of Q3.
Nico Hülkenberg
Friday: Positive with the performance of the car, which in addition has behaved very stable.
Saturday: he Lost some tenths in the last chicane, but ended up very satisfied with the result.
| Pilot | Free 1 | Free 2 | Rows L1+L2 | Free 3 | Vtas | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PER | 1:34.767 (8th) | 1:33.570 (6th) | 30+37 | 1:33.921 (14th) | 11 | 1:32.682 (13th) | 1:32.237 (10th) | 1:31.961 (7th) |
| HUL | 1:34.530 (7th) | 1:33.873 (7th) | 28+35 | 1:33.646 (10th) | 11 | 1:32.448 (6th) | 1:32.200 (9th) | 1:32.142 (9th) |
Renault
Kevin Magnussen
Friday: The car is driving well and was able to complete many laps.
Saturday: Lost performance compared to the third free practice session. Made a mistake in the last chicane, losing the option of moving to Q2.
Jolyon Palmer
Friday: An electrical problem prevented him from filming what was planned in the first session, but recover in the second.
Saturday: Happy by moving to Q2, but a yellow flag on his last lap cost him time. Think that might have been the twelfth or thirteenth.
| Pilot | Free 1 | Free 2 | Rows L1+L2 | Free 3 | Vtas | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAG | 1:36.822 (19th) | 1:34.339 (15th) | 30+36 | 1:33.639 (9th) | 10 | 1:33.023 (18º) | – | – |
| PAL | 1:37.992 (22nd) | 1:34.760 (18th) | 13+40 | 1:33.639 (8th) | 13 | 1:32.796 (15th) | 1:32.807 (16th) | – |
Toro Rosso
Daniil Kvyat
Friday: focused especially on the work with the tires.
Saturday: Very pleased with your performance, don’t you think that would have much more where to get, both in Q1 and in Q2.
Carlos Sainz
Friday: Good feelings, like the Friday in Malaysia, but expected back positions as we move through the weekend. Very well in the first sector.
Saturday: complicated Day, missed the third free practice session due to a problem with the engine control unit and ended up off the track at Spoon on his last attempt of fastest lap in Q2.
| Pilot | Free 1 | Free 2 | Rows L1+L2 | Free 3 | Vtas | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KVY | 1:35.446 (11th) | 1:34.305 (14th) | 23+27 | 1:34.037 (15th) | 12 | 1:32.645 (12th) | 1:32.623 (13th) | – |
| UPS | 1:35.672 (12th) | 1:34.086 (10th) | 27+33 | 1:56.323 (22nd) | 3 | 1:32.789 (14th) | 1:32.685 (14º) | – |
Sauber
Marcus Ericsson
Friday: Tested various aerodynamic configurations in the first session. By the afternoon, could not roll with a little fuel by the yellow flags.
Saturday: The car has been more complicated to put to the point that in Malaysia and you are not satisfied with the result.
Felipe Nasr
Friday: in the afternoon focused on the balance with little fuel and different compounds of tyre.
Saturday: he could Not bring the tyres up to their ideal temperature in the second attempt of Q1.
| Pilot | Free 1 | Free 2 | Rows L1+L2 | Free 3 | Vtas | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ERI | 1:36.294 (18th) | 1:36.318 (22nd) | 19+26 | 1:34.544 (18th) | 13 | 1:33.222 (19º) | – | – |
| NAS | 1:35.967 (15th) | 1:34.824 (19th) | 15+26 | 1:34.388 (17th) | 12 | 1:33.332 (20º) | – | – |
McLaren
Fernando Alonso
Friday: Suffered a spin in the first session, which damaged the rear wing, had to change the exhaust and lost some time on track. You are not happy with the set up of the car.
Saturday: it Has been difficult to find the balance between top speed and grip in fast cornering, disappointing result.
Jenson Button
Friday: The pace of long runs is a problem, the degradation is important and believes that there is something wrong with the car.
Saturday: Happy to finish so close to your partner after having to adopt its set point after a Friday very negative. Claims that the McLaren doesn’t perform well in curves of medium and high speed, or changes of address.
| Pilot | Free 1 | Free 2 | Rows L1+L2 | Free 3 | Vtas | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALO | 1:35.003 (9th) | 1:33.985 (8th) | 10+37 | 1:33.714 (11th) | 12 | 1:32.819 (16th) | 1:32.689 (15th) | – |
| BUT | 1:35.677 (13th) | 1:34.938 (16th) | 24+29 | 1:34.548 (19th) | 11 | 1:32.851 (17º) | – | – |
Manor
Pascal Wehrlein
Friday: Very happy to drive at Suzuka, the sensations are better than in Sepang and the initial set up is good.
Saturday: Penalized five positions for the replacement of gearbox. Also had a mechanical problem in the free 3.
Esteban Ocon
Friday: Happy with the car and delighted with the track, especially with the areas fast.
Saturday: Made a mistake in turn 14 and think you could have passed the Sauber.
| Pilot | Free 1 | Free 2 | Rows L1+L2 | Free 3 | Vtas | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEH | 1:37.966 (21st) | 1:35.292 (20th) | 24+30 | 1:37.256 (21st) | 10 | 1:33.561 (22º) | – | – |
| OCO | 1:37.797 (20th) | 1:35.400 (21st) | 29+37 | 1:35.230 (20th) | 13 | 1:33.353 (21º) | – | – |
Haas
Romain Grosjean
Friday: Still with problems with the brakes and the balance of the car should be improved a lot.
Saturday: The new front wing worked by the end and feels very relieved to have left behind the brake problems the last few races. Failed the DRS in the zone of entry to target.
Esteban Gutierrez
Friday: Did a lot of testing with a view to improve in all areas of the car. Had a breakdown on the turbo which made him finish the second session ahead of time.
Saturday: Very proud that the team has overcome the problems.
| Pilot | Free 1 | Free 2 | Rows L1+L2 | Free 3 | Vtas | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRO | 1:35.688 (14th) | 1:34.241 (13th) | 17+33 | 1:34.272 (16th) | 13 | 1:32.458 (7th) | 1:32.176 (8th) | 1:31.961 (8th) |
| GUT | 1:36.219 (17th) | 1:34.643 (17th) | 21+11 | 1:33.787 (12th) | 16 | 1:32.620 (11th) | 1:32.155 (7th) | 1:32.547 (10th) |
The decisions of the commissioners
- Pascal Wehrlein is punished with five places on the grid for replacement of the gearbox before the completion of the cycle of six races.
- Kevin Magnussen is sanctioned with a reprimand for exceeding the time reference between the two lines of Safety Car.
- Felipe Massa is sanctioned with a reprimand for exceeding the time reference between the two lines of Safety Car.
The tyres available for the race
photos
The chronicles of the Grand Prize
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