Friday: Sauber drivers not satisfied with their car
Despite a positive first contact with the Circuit of the Americas, the Sauber drivers were not satisfied with their car. While for Kamui Kobayashi, the issue lies with the warming up of the Pirelli tires, for Sergio Pérez, the problems are related to the balance of the Mexican's C31.
Kamui Kobayashi – 8th and 9th:
The high-speed turns of the new circuit are very enjoyable, I really like driving here. The first session was about getting familiar with the circuit and waiting for the tarmac to improve in terms of grip level. At the beginning of the session, I completed a 20-lap stint on hard tires before taking a forced break due to an exhaust failure. But the mechanics quickly fixed the car, and I was also able to go out with the Medium tires. I must say that I have significant temperature rise issues with both compounds. It doesn’t work in qualifying if you need 10 laps to get the tires to work. We will now look for solutions.
Sergio Pérez – 10th and 14th:
« We had a good day as far as sticking to our schedule without any issues. The circuit is extraordinary, and above all, I really like the first sector. I truly believe we will see a great race here and I can’t wait to race in front of so many Mexicans. However, I am not yet satisfied with the balance of my car, but I am confident about being able to improve it. »
