The ING Renault F1 Team was back in action
today at the Bahrain International Circuit to begin its preparations
for Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
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Fernando Alonso, R28-03
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Nelson Piquet, R28-01
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Free Practice 1: P10, 1:33.815, 19 laps
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Free Practice 1: P13, 1:33.981, 24 laps
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Free Practice 2: P12, 1:33.755, 26 laps
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Free Practice 2: P10, 1:33.247, 37 laps
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Windy conditions prevailed throughout the day, but the team was still
able to make use of both free practice sessions to complete a set-up
programme and evaluate the weekend’s tyre options. In particular the
team chose to experiment with running heavier fuel loads in preparation
for a race that is traditionally very demanding on the brakes. It was a
solid start to the weekend and the team will look to make the most of
the information gathered in preparation for a strong qualifying session
tomorrow.
Fernando Alonso
“It has not been an easy day for us. We concentrated on preparing a car
that is suitable for the race, but we were not especially quick and it
was not easy to get good traction on the circuit today, and this is
something we need to focus on for tomorrow. We do need to find more
speed and we will try and do this when we analyse the data tonight. ”
Nelson Piquet
“We made progress throughout the day and so it was a more productive
afternoon. We spent a lot of time working on the brakes because they
tend to suffer a lot here and by the second session the car was
behaving well and I felt more comfortable on the track. It is clear
that we must still improve our pace, but I am convinced this will be
possible tomorrow and that we will have a good chance in qualifying.”
Pat Symonds, Executive Director of Engineering
“In spite of the windy conditions, the circuit was not in bad condition
today and we were able to start our morning programme earlier than we
had expected. We concentrated on running with high fuel, particularly
as this circuit is so demanding on the brakes, but the track did not
give up much grip and there is still a lot of work to do on the balance
of the car. However, we have amassed a fair amount of data, which we
will evaluate tonight to help us optimize the car for tomorrow.”
Denis Chevrier, Head of Engine Track Operations
“That was a fairly normal day for both cars and we were able to work
through our programme without any interruptions or incidents disturbing
the session. This evening it is necessary once again to try to improve
the car and to make the most of what we learnt today, especially
concerning the tyres and the usage with the traction that we have here.
There is certainly some room to progress tomorrow, but we must take
into account that our competitors our likely to improve also.”
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