Brazilian GP Practice&Qualifying thread 2016

[Rob]

WE HAVE A LOT OF TRUST”

Kimi looks forward as “issues have been understood”

Interlagos is a great and unique place. I have great memories here from 2007, it was my first year with Ferrari and I won the Championship at the end of a tricky season. Driving has always been good here, there’s a lot of history and heritage with great Brazilian drivers and people are very passionate about Formula1. It’s the kind of track that always produces better racing than others.

Obviously the layout is a big key, because you can follow the people and the long straight creates opportunities to overtake. There are not many corners here and it’s very close between the teams because the lap time is a bit shorter. To have a good car you need the same stuff you need in any other race tracks, the car has to be strong everywhere. We have been trying to improve our performance all year, we need more grip and more power to go faster, it sounds very simple but unfortunately it’s not. So far we understood quite a lot of things and I have a lot of trust that we will fix these issues.

This is also the last home race for Felipe, we have been teammates and we have always had a good relationship. As long as he’s happy, that’s the best thing to do and I wish him the best for his future.

“WE ARE HERE TO GIVE IT ALL”

Seb: Brazil is a special place for me

Brazil has always been a special place for me, always with good racing: be it for the atmosphere, the weather conditions, we always had some crazy races here. And I’m sure on Sunday there will be a good race also, we are not in the fight for the championship but we’ll try to fight for a win. We had a tough year, but if you take the last races I think it’s actually a good example.

We started seventh because we didn’t performed well on Saturday, but we’re here to fight and I think that is what the people should see. This team is really made of fighters. Racing means the world to me, it means the world for Ferrari, it’s in our DNA. We really cared, we really wanted that podium. This year the performance hasn’t been as good as we expected but we are here to fight. In the last two races we want to finish showing how we give everything we have.

The people in the factory are focused on the next year, the target obviously is come out with a lot of good ideas and to be competitive. As a team we’re still growing, there has been a big shift to the better in the last two years, so in that regard I think it’s also fair to give us a bit of time.

[Rob]

Press Release

Scuderia Ferrari has submitted a request to the Stewards of the 2016 Mexican Grand Prix to review their decision to penalize Sebastian Vettel for breach of Article 27.5 of the 2016 F1 Sporting Regulations as a consequence of his driving behavior in Turn 4 of lap 70.
This has been the first application of Article 27.5 of the 2016 F1 Sporting Regulations as interpreted on the basis of the Race Director’s notes on “defensive maneuvers” and effective from the 2016 US Grand Prix.
Scuderia Ferrari considers that a number of new elements have come to light after the decision was rendered that make the decision reviewable under Article 14.1 of the International Sporting Code.
Scuderia Ferrari is aware that championship rankings will not change, regardless of the outcome. But in light of its importance as a precedent for the future, and in order to provide clarity in the application of the rules in future events, Scuderia Ferrari believes that the decision should be reconsidered by the Stewards

[Rob]

Vettel Q&A: Phone call helped ease Verstappen tensions

Mercedes' Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton's looming title fight isn't the only source of interest in Brazil this weekend - indeed a lot of attention has been directed the way of Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who staged a dramatic - and acrimonious - finish last time out in Mexico. According to Vettel, though, all parties have already moved on - meaning his focus now switches to the final two opportunities to score a 2016 win…

"We've been able to overcome any friction - I do not have any issues with him...
Sebastian Vettel on Max Verstappen"

Q: Sebastian, two weeks have passed since Mexico but events continue to be hotly debated in the paddock. Have you digested everything that happened - and has your view changed in any way?

Sebastian Vettel: It is digested, as we are now here in Brazil and preparing for this race weekend. But yes, the penalty was pretty painful, as we lost P3.

Q: Is there any change in your relationship with Max Verstappen?

SV: I have been talking to him afterwards. It is clear that in such a situation there are always two sides to the matter, but I would say that we've been able to overcome any friction so I do not have any issues with him.

Q: Did you call him?

SV: Yes.

Q: What about the radio issue? Max already said before the Mexican race that he got ‘wise' and will reduce his conversation to simply yes, no or okay. What about you?

SV: I would say that I have learned my lesson. In the end it is a matter that should be debated - whether emotional outbursts in a race situation should be aired or not. I suppose in the future there will be much less talking!

Q: How would you describe Max's driving style?

SV: We must never forget that he is doing a fantastic job given his age. So it should be normal that he still has got a lot to learn - that this is not a crowbar competition but racing.

Q: After all the discussions about driving styles and penalties would you say that you too have to adapt your driving style?

SV: No, I don't think so. The penalty was bitter and of course I am not happy about it, as I don't believe I deserved it. I was defending my position as I usually do - and did - so there was nothing in that situation that stood out compared to many similar race situations in the past. So the outcome - being suddenly called to the podium and hours later being downgraded to fifth - was not a happy moment. But now is a new weekend and we will focus on that.

Q: How important was it for you to apologise to FIA race director Charlie Whiting?

SV: Well, I think everybody can imagine what was going through my head in that very moment - that Max has kept his position - so even if I addressed Charlie, it was more the situation that I was upset about. So the natural thing is to apologise and I was happy that he accepted it.

Q: There are few other sports where the audience can follow the instructions of the players. With F1, fans can hear their heroes - but it is tricky when some audio is questionable. Should F1 rethink the radio access to drivers?

SV: I can imagine that the fans like it when they can witness a driver giving it their all - but you also can overshoot when everything goes on air. I imagine that many conversations among soccer players would not be fit for airing -but obviously it is different in F1. Of course you learn from such an experience!

Q: Interlagos in many respects is a very special circuit. As someone who has had their moments here in the past, how would you describe it?

SV: It is a fantastic track with all the ups and downs - and with a clear tendency for drama. I know what I am talking about! (laughs) I am very much looking forward to race here again.

Q: It will again be a fierce fight between Nico Rosberg - who could leave Sao Paulo as the new champion - and Lewis Hamilton. How does it feel, not being part of that title fight for a third consecutive year? And will that change in 2017?

SV: We clearly have the expectations to have a say on the title outcome in 2017. Unfortunately it was not meant to be this year, but for the two remaining races we want to show the world and especially our fans that we are real fighters and that we give everything that we have!

[SilverSpeed]

Fonzo doing his yearly I'm at the side of the track thing again .

[stefa]

So what is the order? Just from curiosity...

[f412]

It seems William's are ahead of us..and red bull too..looks like FIA granted same advantage to williams that they gave red bull..so that massa can put on a show for his home crowd in his last Brazilian gp

[Warp]

FP2 Results
WRNx6Mx.jpg

[wisepie]

Seb and Kimi only 7th and 8th behind both Williams and Red Bull....I know it's only FP1/2 and I'm all in favour of Felipe having good pace for his last Brazil GP, but Kimi under investigation for cutting in front of Sainz in FP2......another one of those 2016 Ferrari weekends? God I hope not.

[bondilad]

Seb and Kimi only 7th and 8th behind both Williams and Red Bull....I know it's only FP1/2 and I'm all in favour of Felipe having good pace for his last Brazil GP, but Kimi under investigation for cutting in front of Sainz in FP2......another one of those 2016 Ferrari weekends? God I hope not.

Sebs pace on the medium was really good. But we all know how sensitive our car is to temperature changes so have to wait for Sunday I guess.

[stefa]

It seems William's are ahead of us..and red bull too..looks like FIA granted same advantage to williams that they gave red bull..so that massa can put on a show for his home crowd in his last Brazilian gp

You are really into that conspiracy theories?!

[F1NAC]

Sebs pace on the medium was really good. But we all know how sensitive our car is to temperature changes so have to wait for Sunday I guess.

about what pace are you talking about? Based on times from FP2 long runs we are clearly behind RB and Mercs

[IulianFerrari]

You are really into that conspiracy theories?!

Im not a big fan of them but to be honest, I believe them to exist in F1 too.

[stefa]

Im not a big fan of them but to be honest, I believe them to exist in F1 too.

[Rob]

FREE PRACTICE 2: ALL TYRE COMPOUNDS COME INTO PLAY

Seb 7th, Kimi 8th, a lot of race simulation work

Sao Paulo, 11 November – First impressions from the Interlagos circuit, where the second free practice session for the Brazilian Grand Prix has just come to an end. Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen both ran Soft tyres on their Ferraris for a qualifying simulation. Then, when it came to working on race pace, they chose different paths. Vettel ran one set of Mediums, setting the seventh quickest time of 1.13.002, ahead of Raikkonen, who started and finished on Hard tyres, setting a 1.13.047, to secure eighth place. Towards, the end, Kimi’s session was disrupted by a problem with the left rear brake, after a tear-off visor from another driver blocked the cooling duct.
Lewis Hamilton was quickest for Mercedes in 1.12.271.

[Rob]

Kimi Raikkonen: “It was a pretty normal Friday: we tried different things to make it better for tomorrow. It was a bit tricky to find the balance, the set-up is not ideal yet, but we are going in the right direction. I only did a few laps with the Soft, it felt pretty ok and obviously it has the best grip. Unfortunately at the end of the second session we had an issue with one visor which obstructed the cooling duct: the brakes overheated and I had to stop.”

Sebastian Vettel: “I think it was a tricky day. The track was very slippery, the temperature hot, and I think everybody was struggling with the tires. It was a bit difficult to find the rhythm. The long run was a bit better for us: I haven’t seen what the others were doing, but I felt a bit more confident with more time and more laps in the car. So in total we tried a lot of things, and now we need to go and see what actually was best. Towards the end of the day it seemed to calm down a bit more, finding the rhythm, which wasn’t the case for the short run, for the fast lap, where I wasn’t very happy. The good news today are that the gaps were very close. Mercedes for sure, as expected, is a bit up front: but other than that, if it stays like this, it bodes well for tomorrow.”

[Rob]

[WS6TransAm01]

Love the level of activity. I think most of us have given up. Sadly.

I was so happy after Tuesday night that I totally forgot there was a race this weekend lol.

Only a couple races left. Let's limp home and regroup. Hope for the best over the winter.

[Hornet]

For me, the competition was long over for us this season.

I just watch (whenever I can) to see Ferrari and the others doing some racing on track, without really worrying where we will finish.
I don't really follow FP anymore.

Of course this will all change once we start fighting for the title again someday

[Rishu]

Good that we have wet weekend, probably spice up things

[stefa]

Good that we have wet weekend, probably spice up things

It is wet?! NICE

[stefa]

It is wet?! NICE

Judging by the lap times, I would say rather no....

[Rishu]

Was referring to Q & R where rain has been forecasted. Seems we are fighting RB in dry so don't know what to hope?

[Warp]

FP3 Results

tldYCYj.jpg

[stefa]

Was referring to Q & R where rain has been forecasted. Seems we are fighting RB in dry so don't know what to hope?

Thankx

[phsyklone]

Stream

http://cricfree.sc/sky-sports-f1-live-stream-f1-uk

[IulianFerrari]

Great lap from Kimi there. 3rd and 5th is a good result

[wacc]

Yes, Good job, Kimi!

[stefa]

Well done KR

[LivingHitokiri]

wow we managed to get 3rd, not bad.

[Driver]

Nice 3rd and 5th, probably wet race tomorrow.