Reasonably optimistic - Fisico
The Italian ING Renault F1 Team driver, Giancarlo Fisichella, carried out a number of long runs, which seem promising in view of the Bahrain race, and hopes to achieve at least as good a result as in Malaysia.
"Not too bad at all. We’re a bit far down the time sheets but it doesn’t really mean a lot. I set my fastest lap fourth time round and then we concentrated on long runs. I must say that we were pleasantly surprised, as we’re not far off the quickest times in these conditions."
How do you see the weekend unfolding?"I think we’re going to find it a bit difficult to break into the top ten in qualifying, but our race pace will be competitive. So I’m reasonably optimistic."
Have you found the same sensations with soft and hard rubber as in testing?"Absolutely. We’ve had no surprises in that area. The soft tyre is quick over a lap and consistent over a run. It seems to us the best choice as in Malaysia."
What’s the difference between the two types over a lap?"I’d say about 0.4 seconds."
What problem has to be solved to make the car more competitive?"The R27 is more difficult to drive than the R26. We’re working flat out to understand why. To put it in a nutshell, we lack grip. As a driver the car makes you a little less confident; it understeers into the corner and then oversteers on the exit."
So it’s the same problem since Australia?"Well yes and no. The lack of grip is still there but the car’s behaviour is also unpredictable. It acts differently from one day to the next, from one session to another, sometimes even during the same session without any warning. So I’m always in for a little surprise each time I get into the car! We’re working very hard to get to the bottom of the problem, and as soon as we’ve found the solution, we’ll be back at the front. I’m convinced of that."
Source Renaultf1
