Friday: Numerous problems on Gutierrez and Sutil’s side at Sauber F1
Adrian Sutil and Esteban Gutierrez weren't spared from problems this Friday in Suzuka, and while the Mexican remains confident for the rest of the weekend, the atmosphere seems rather defeatist for the German even before the qualifications.
Esteban Gutiérrez (no. 21) – 18th and 18th
The Mexican made a mistake during FP2 and apologizes to the Sauber team: « Unfortunately, I lost the car in turn 13 during the second practice session. With the speed you have at that point, it’s difficult to avoid an impact. I’m really sorry for the team, and I’m sure we will come back for the qualifiers. »
But aside from this problem, things are complicated because the Sauber is not as competitive as hoped, even though Gutierrez appears confident: « During the first practice session, we had difficulties with the car’s setup. I think we found a good compromise during the second session, and we will analyze all the collected data to prepare everything for tomorrow. »
Adrian Sutil (No. 99) – 16th and 17th
Problems are also plaguing Sutil, who has yet to find the perfect setup for the Suzuka circuit: « During FP1, we had issues finding a good balance with the car. The hard tires didn’t work as we hoped. They had little grip, which made it difficult to set a good lap time. For FP2, we made some changes to the car’s setup, which improved the situation with the hard tires, but then we struggled with the mediums. »
But the German is not very optimistic for the rest of the weekend: « Overall, the car’s balance is not satisfactory. Our main problems come from the power unit, which is disappointing. Unfortunately, I don’t see how we can change that for tomorrow. »
