Friday: Sauber F1 Drivers Pleasantly Surprised in Sochi
The three Sauber drivers were pleasantly surprised by the Sochi track, which is grippy and enjoyable to drive. But not everything is perfect within the Swiss team as the C33 is still not performing well enough.
Sergey Sirotkin (No. 37) – 17th [FP1]
The Russian was delighted to get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1, especially at home: « It was a positive session. I like the track and it was nice to drive the C33. I took it easy at first to build confidence, as I hadn’t driven the car for about 6 months, but today I was able to quickly get to grips with it. »
Even though he didn’t fully attack, he is disappointed not to have done better, but remains confident for the future: « During my final quick lap at the end of the session, I was a bit unlucky with the traffic and the tires were not at optimal temperature. The conditions were not ideal, which cost me some time in my quick lap. I see a lot of potential to improve, as I took it easy, and I wasn’t really on the limit. »
Esteban Gutierrez (No. 21) – 18th [FP2]
The Mexican did not drive during FP1 but is still pleased with his day of testing: « After missing the first practice session, we had a very productive afternoon. It was important to catch up on the program during FP2. I think we are surprised by the track’s performance because the tires are working well even though the grip level was quite high. We did more than expected today, and we’ll make sure it will be the same tomorrow. »
Esteban Gutierrez also reflected on Jules Bianchi’s accident in Suzuka, whom he still thinks of: « I also want to say that our thoughts and prayers are still with Jules and his family in this difficult time. The most important thing for Jules is to make him feel our strength and send him our positive energy. I will help in every possible way, and at the same time show my support to Jules and his family. Let’s pray for him. »
Adrian Sutil (No. 99) – 15th and 15th
The German driver is happy to race on a new track but still does not have a truly competitive car: « It was interesting to drive on a new circuit, and it was a lot of fun because the track has some beautiful corners. Overall, the car’s balance is not good enough, but we were able to go through our program without any issues. We will try to improve a few details for tomorrow, but I don’t think we will make a big step forward. »
Adrian Sutil hopes, however, to be faster in the coming days as he learns the track: « But I can surely find a few more tenths on this new layout. »
