Mercedes GP already in tyre saving mode
The Korea International Circuit in Yeongam saw two wet practice sessions on the first day of running for the 2011 Korean Grand Prix. No dry running could be completed today, although improved conditions are forecast for the weekend.
· Two wet sessions saw Michael and Nico run both wet (P1) and intermediate (P2) tyres while focusing on basic set-up work
· Dry conditions are expected from tomorrow, but both drivers saved new sets of wet tyres in case forecasts should change
· Nico's second session was brought to an early end after a collision in turn one with Jaime Alguersuari's Toro Rosso
· The drivers completed a total of 61 laps today, equivalent to 343 km - or just over a full race distance
Nico Rosberg, MGP W02 / 07:
"I was feeling very comfortable on the intermediate tyres this afternoon, and we tried some different set-up options which worked out quite well. My car was running well in the conditions we had today, but the weather is expected to change for Saturday and Sunday, so it will be interesting to see how it works out tomorrow. The collision was a tricky situation and unfortunately brought my session to an early conclusion but at least I didn't miss out on any dry running."
Michael Schumacher, MGP W02 / 09:
"Today was one of those Fridays where most of what you do is race preparation, knowing that the conditions will probably be totally different when it comes to Sunday. Through both practice sessions, it was too wet to use dry tyres, while the forecast for the rest of weekend is dry. However you can learn a lot about the car and how it works on the track, and that is what we were doing most of the time today. We now have to look deep into the data we gathered and try to work out the best way to approach the rest of the weekend."
Ross Brawn:
"With the changing weather conditions, it's not easy to draw any major conclusions from today's two practice sessions. However we were able to complete some good work on different fuel levels which will be helpful for the weekend. Nico's accident towards the end of P2 this afternoon was unfortunate and one of those situations that happens sometimes on track. With the track staying too wet for slicks, the loss of running time was not too serious."
Norbert Haug:
"It was an unfortunate incident for Nico this afternoon, which prevented him from doing any further laps in P2. Michael posted the fastest time this morning and during P2, both drivers concentrated on finding a nice balance with a variety of fuel loads. It should be dry tomorrow, and it will be a challenge to get prepared for qualifying and the race with just one hour of running. It will be key to get the most out of the soft and supersoft Pirelli tyres which we have here."
Weather: Wet
Temperatures: Air: 17-19°C / Track: 17-20°C
