Friday: There is still work to be done at McLaren’s side

Lewis Hamilton – 1st and 3rd

« We were very competitive during the first session, but during the second session, the gap to the front was bigger, and we started to encounter some issues with the rear tires. There are some areas outside the track where bolts are sticking out from the curbs—they have to deal with such force from the cars. In several corners—corners 3, 13, and 14—the inside and outside curbs have been removed, so some drivers are using the extra track space. We don’t know if the curbs will be reinstalled or not, so we continue driving as if they are there. If they are not put back, we should be able to gain a few tenths by going wider like our competitors. On the other hand, we also need to improve the car tonight; we’re going to make slight changes to the setup. The qualifying session will be important tomorrow because a good grid position is vital for the race. Then, managing the tires well will be key; we will make some adjustments to limit the sliding of our rear tires and make them last longer. »

Jenson Button – 5th and 10th

During the second session, I locked my wheels arriving at turn 14 but managed to avoid the barriers. I engaged reverse and began to back up slowly, but then I had nothing. I tried to turn, but there was no space. So I tried reverse again, and something wasn’t working with the gearbox. We looked into it more closely once the car was back in the pits, and now things are sorted out. I could only try the hardest tires today and didn’t manage to find good settings. It was a bit disappointing not being able to run more because I couldn’t improve the car. But we have good ideas for tomorrow, and I’m convinced we will make progress. I think everyone will struggle a bit with their tires in the race – they seem to overheat quite quickly. So it should be a bit tough, but we’re all in the same boat.