Friday at Interlagos: Red Bull hopes for rain to rival Mercedes

The Red Bull drivers were well placed during the first practice session with a cooler track. They appeared slightly behind during the afternoon session, and were even outpaced by the Williams drivers.

Daniel Ricciardo – 4th and 5th fastest times – admitted to having an average day. He reported: « It was really hot. We noticed that the tires suffered a lot, which means we weren’t as fast as desired. During the long stints, I realized towards the end that we weren’t as consistent, but I noticed that once the track is cooler it’s completely different. We are a bit closer to the Mercedes than we thought. There is still something to get out of the car, but to have a real chance of winning we’ll need the help of the rain. »

On the Dutch side – 2nd and 6th fastest – it’s more or less the same observation. More on form during the morning session and less comfortable when the temperature rose, he declared about his day: “The first session was very good this morning. During the second session, we made changes, which affected my pace on the short stints, in addition to the heat. On the other hand, with these changes, the pace on the long stints was positive.”

Positive day. Our initial changes for #FP2 didn’t work, but we got it right again for the long run! #keeppushing #BrazilGP pic.twitter.com/PQONbF2iIH

— Max Verstappen (@Max33Verstappen) 11 novembre 2016

Max Verstappen continued his remarks by acknowledging the domination of the Mercedes in front, while hoping for rain on Sunday: « The Mercedes are still well ahead in my opinion, but after them, we are competitive. I hope it rains on Sunday to narrow the gaps and give us a good chance to win and add excitement to the race. On the other hand, if conditions remain the same, it will be harder for us to be in front. »