News
11th October 2014, 15:50
Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel on their contrasting fortunes in qualifying; Daniil Kvyat on the elation of securing a career-best grid spot on home soil; Caterham on their improving form, and almost progressing into Q2. The drivers and senior team personnel report back after the first Formula One qualifying session on Russian soil...
Red Bull
Daniel Ricciardo (7th, Q3 - 1:39.635)
"It's tough to get a lap together around here, for a new track it's really high in grip but at the same time it's hard to read the grip; it's not such a natural feeling that it gives us behind the wheel, but it's fun and a new challenge. We were trying to get the fronts in and get grip out of them and on the last lap I lost the rear. We're better off than we were yesterday, but I was hoping for more than seventh."
Sebastian Vettel (11th, Q2 - 1:40.052)
"I wasn't comfortable in the car today. It was very difficult, I think we took a step back from this morning and we expected the rear to be a lot stronger and the track to pick up more than it did. The car felt nervous, so I couldn't take the speed into the corners, I lost the rear many times around the lap and therefore wasn't quick enough."
Christian Horner, Red Bull team principal
"A difficult session for both our divers, finishing what will become sixth and tenth. We seem to have struggled to have one lap pace so far this weekend, hopefully our long runs have looked stronger and we can make some progress from those grid positions tomorrow."
Thierry Salvi, Renault Sport F1
"Daniel did a good job to qualify sixth, but it was a difficult session for us today. We didn't get on top of our set-up issues and weren't quick enough to challenge those at the front. Straight-line speed seemed to be an issue too, and that's especially important at a track like Sochi. Power Unit-wise, at this stage of the season it's important to manage the mileage and prevent any reliability issues. That could prove vital tomorrow in helping us to score a good result."
Toro Rosso
Daniil Kvyat (5th, Q3 - 1:39.277)
"It feels great securing P5 in today's qualifying here in my home country. It was already looking quite promising yesterday, so I'm very happy we could put it all together and achieve my best ever Qualifying result today. The car felt very good and everything worked out well, so well done to the team. I will do my best in tomorrow's race and I will definitely aim to finish the race at least in fifth position."
Jean-Eric Vergne (10th, Q2 - 1:40.020)
"I was extremely slow today and I don't know why. I lost time everywhere around the track and I'm wondering if there was a problem somewhere, which did not allow me to get the best out of the car. We will have a look at all the data, trying to understand what happened and be quicker again tomorrow."
Phil Charles, Toro Rosso chief race engineer
"We are clearly very pleased, both drivers in Q3 is great, especially on a new track, and the team work well to put the set up together. Daniil has done an absolutely superb job throughout the three qualifying sessions, where he kept improving, using his head, refining his driving each lap and learning from the lap before. He was able to extract a little bit more each time and get better and better and that was the secret for him. As for Jev, he's been unlucky, as something a little bit strange occurred during his Q3 and he could not manage to match his Q2 time. We will have some work to do tonight, as we need to understand what happened exactly. I feel sorry for him as he was looking really good and he would have deserved a better result today."
Ricardo Penteado, Renault Sport F1 track support leader
"Needless to say that was a fantastic qualifying session for the entire team, and especially Daniil who is obviously delighted to be lining up fifth in front of his home crowd tomorrow. The fuel and energy management were both very good but we'll keep working hard this evening to give both drivers all of the necessary tools with which to fight tomorrow. Finally, it was nice to out-qualify our big brothers over at Red Bull. But we're not counting our chickens just yet!"
Caterham
Kamui Kobayashi (19th, Q1 - 1:43.166)
"It's not being the easiest of weekends for me here in Russia, as I haven't completed that many laps up until now and I am still learning the track every time I go out. Having said that, I think I've improved a lot in a very short time here in Sochi and, even though my qualifying lap was not perfect, we were able to qualify ahead of a Lotus as well as a Marussia. I'm sure I will be much more confident in the race tomorrow and I look forward to tomorrow
More... (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2014/10/16485.html)
Red Bull
Daniel Ricciardo (7th, Q3 - 1:39.635)
"It's tough to get a lap together around here, for a new track it's really high in grip but at the same time it's hard to read the grip; it's not such a natural feeling that it gives us behind the wheel, but it's fun and a new challenge. We were trying to get the fronts in and get grip out of them and on the last lap I lost the rear. We're better off than we were yesterday, but I was hoping for more than seventh."
Sebastian Vettel (11th, Q2 - 1:40.052)
"I wasn't comfortable in the car today. It was very difficult, I think we took a step back from this morning and we expected the rear to be a lot stronger and the track to pick up more than it did. The car felt nervous, so I couldn't take the speed into the corners, I lost the rear many times around the lap and therefore wasn't quick enough."
Christian Horner, Red Bull team principal
"A difficult session for both our divers, finishing what will become sixth and tenth. We seem to have struggled to have one lap pace so far this weekend, hopefully our long runs have looked stronger and we can make some progress from those grid positions tomorrow."
Thierry Salvi, Renault Sport F1
"Daniel did a good job to qualify sixth, but it was a difficult session for us today. We didn't get on top of our set-up issues and weren't quick enough to challenge those at the front. Straight-line speed seemed to be an issue too, and that's especially important at a track like Sochi. Power Unit-wise, at this stage of the season it's important to manage the mileage and prevent any reliability issues. That could prove vital tomorrow in helping us to score a good result."
Toro Rosso
Daniil Kvyat (5th, Q3 - 1:39.277)
"It feels great securing P5 in today's qualifying here in my home country. It was already looking quite promising yesterday, so I'm very happy we could put it all together and achieve my best ever Qualifying result today. The car felt very good and everything worked out well, so well done to the team. I will do my best in tomorrow's race and I will definitely aim to finish the race at least in fifth position."
Jean-Eric Vergne (10th, Q2 - 1:40.020)
"I was extremely slow today and I don't know why. I lost time everywhere around the track and I'm wondering if there was a problem somewhere, which did not allow me to get the best out of the car. We will have a look at all the data, trying to understand what happened and be quicker again tomorrow."
Phil Charles, Toro Rosso chief race engineer
"We are clearly very pleased, both drivers in Q3 is great, especially on a new track, and the team work well to put the set up together. Daniil has done an absolutely superb job throughout the three qualifying sessions, where he kept improving, using his head, refining his driving each lap and learning from the lap before. He was able to extract a little bit more each time and get better and better and that was the secret for him. As for Jev, he's been unlucky, as something a little bit strange occurred during his Q3 and he could not manage to match his Q2 time. We will have some work to do tonight, as we need to understand what happened exactly. I feel sorry for him as he was looking really good and he would have deserved a better result today."
Ricardo Penteado, Renault Sport F1 track support leader
"Needless to say that was a fantastic qualifying session for the entire team, and especially Daniil who is obviously delighted to be lining up fifth in front of his home crowd tomorrow. The fuel and energy management were both very good but we'll keep working hard this evening to give both drivers all of the necessary tools with which to fight tomorrow. Finally, it was nice to out-qualify our big brothers over at Red Bull. But we're not counting our chickens just yet!"
Caterham
Kamui Kobayashi (19th, Q1 - 1:43.166)
"It's not being the easiest of weekends for me here in Russia, as I haven't completed that many laps up until now and I am still learning the track every time I go out. Having said that, I think I've improved a lot in a very short time here in Sochi and, even though my qualifying lap was not perfect, we were able to qualify ahead of a Lotus as well as a Marussia. I'm sure I will be much more confident in the race tomorrow and I look forward to tomorrow
More... (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2014/10/16485.html)