Friday: Mercedes and Rosberg Remain Wary
This first day of free practice went well for Mercedes as they consistently placed a driver at the top of the timesheet. However, Hamilton and Rosberg do not downplay the challenge of this Grand Prix and are wary of the competition, which seems to be closer than in Melbourne.
Nico Rosberg (No. 6) – 3rd and 1st
For the first winner of the season and championship leader, returning to Malaysia was a chance to face the extreme temperature: « It was crazy conditions. It was really very hot and it’s a real challenge to put everything together. » The heat and the 2014 version cars make tire management difficult: « The cars are at their limit and tire degradation is more significant than expected. We are sliding more this year, probably due to the reduction in downforce. »
Not everything is perfect for Mercedes, who also noticed a close-in – to be confirmed tomorrow – from the competitors: « We still have some small issues, and we couldn’t maximize everything today. The best teams seem closer than in Australia, so we still have work to do to improve our performance level. »
Lewis Hamilton (No. 44) – 1st and 4th
On the British side, the positive prevails and the day has been studious: “I’m happy with the progress made during today’s two sessions. We were able to complete our program. The car is performing well and our goal was to try to understand the tires and ensure that the balance was good.” However, he doesn’t let his guard down: “There are areas where we can improve, so we remain focused on our work rather than being distracted by what others are doing.”
As for many, the hot and humid weather conditions are a constant concern: « It was very difficult with the temperatures and humidity. It is very important to stay hydrated here. » The key is still to perform well despite the difficulties of Sepang: « We would like a good result this weekend, particularly because it is Petronas’s home race but it’s impossible to make predictions at this stage. It’s one of the most challenging races of the year and we need to make sure to put everything together. »
