Sunday: Team Lotus is not quite close enough yet
The two T128s once again saw the checkered flag but were unable to repeat their Shanghai performance, due to tire issues for Jarno Trulli and hydraulic problems for Heikki Kovalainen.
Jarno Trulli – 18th
« It was quite a good race, especially in the early laps. I got off to an incredible start again but was blocked at the first corner and couldn’t really take advantage of it. At the beginning, I started struggling with the tires, so we switched to a three-stop strategy that worked quite well. However, today’s result doesn’t really show how much our performance has improved, so I think when we have the new aerodynamic package in Barcelona, we’ll really be able to mix it up in the midfield battle. »
Heikki Kovalainen – 19th
« It was a rather difficult afternoon. I encountered some mechanical problems, with a small hydraulic leak that affected the DRS and the differential, and I think our strategy didn’t work as we hoped. Despite everything, it was another good weekend for the team, and finishing with both cars is always a challenge here, but now we need to look ahead to Spain, and we are all focused on making a step forward there. »
Thierry Salvi, engine manager
« It was a good race because both cars reached the finish, which is a good sign from a reliability perspective. It’s the second time we’ve achieved this and it’s the team’s primary goal, so it’s a good result for us. We had some problems with Heikki today, but I think it was a bit easier for Jarno and we could see that we need a bit more time before we can catch up with the teams in front: I’m sure it won’t be long. »
