Vettel banks on right strategy
28 Oct 2013 4:47 AM IST
Selecting the right set of tyres at the Buddh International Circuit might hold the key to success in tomorrow’s Indian Grand Prix, but defending champion Sebastian Vettel feels the 60-lap race is long enough for a team to adjust its strategies.
High degradation on the soft Pirelli tyres was the greatest cause of concern for the drivers during Friday’s practice sessions and there is a feeling among the experts that most of the teams will go for long-lasting medium tyres in tomorrow’s final race.
‘What is the right strategy we will find out tomorrow. The race is long so we will have plenty of time to make up and adjust the strategies,’ said Vettel, who positioned himself perfectly for a fourth straight world title after securing his third consecutive Indian Grand Prix pole position on Saturday.
Vettel came out with a flying lap of 1:24.119s to grab his third straight pole in India, seventh of the season and 43rd of his career as he pipped Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg by 0.752 seconds.
Rosberg was followed by his teammate Lewis Hamilton (1:24.941s) as Mercedes prevented a Red Bull lock out by pushing Mark Webber (1:25.047) to the fourth spot.
‘I really like the circuit specially the middle sector is very challenging with fast, high speed corners. The car has been very strong since Friday morning. We didn’t have to adjust that much. It was a good result for me as well as for the team with Mark sitting on the fourth spot,’ Vettel said.
‘As a team we have been working very hard so as to make sure that we are on top of our game. It is a team effort at the end of the day. The team is pushing very hard and you also feel that you have to deliver. As part of the team I got to do my bid to find out the right set up,’ the German added.
Rosberg, meanwhile, admitted that medium tyre strategy is a consideration for Sunday’s race.
‘Medium tyre was always a consideration (for today). It is a consideration for tomorrow but today we decided that soft tyre was the best way to go. It was the best thing to do from my point of view. But medium tyre strategy is also good one,’ he said.
Rosberg, meanwhile, admitted that medium tyre strategy is a consideration for Sunday’s race. ‘Medium tyre was always a consideration (for today). It is a consideration for tomorrow but today we decided that soft tyre was the best way to go. It was the best thing to do from my point of view. But medium tyre strategy is also good one,’ he said.
The second position on the grid is Rosberg’s best qualifying this season and the German was satisfied with the effort his team had put in this weekend.
‘Coming here I knew that I had to be the best. So it was nice to secure the second place. I am pleased with today’s result. It has really been a tough weekend. We have pushed our limits to get extra out of the car and till now we have been successful.,’ Rosberg said.
Pirelli threatens to quit over testing
GREATER NOIDA: Pirelli has warned it may be forced to quit Formula One if it is not given enough time to test its tyres before new engines are introduced next season, reports said.
Paul Hembery, motorsport director of Formula One’s official supplier, said Pirelli wouldn’t be able to provide tyres if there were no tests before the end of this year. The Italian manufacturer wants to try out the tyres before cars roll out with their new turbo motors, ordered in a shake-up of engine specifications, in official testing late January in Spain.
‘It (testing) must be able to run before the end of the year otherwise we cannot make the tyres in time for the first test at Jerez,’ Hembery told reporters at the Indian Grand Prix. ‘We have to do some testing, if we can’t then we’ll not be able to provide the tyres,’ he added.
Points a possibility, say Force India
GREATER NOIDA: A slight ‘improvement’ in the car makes Sahara Force India drivers confident that they can fight for points in their home race on Sunday despite managing P12 and P13 on the grid.
Paul di Resta, who will begin the race ahead of Adrian Sutil, said he was pleased with his qualifying result. ‘I think we can be satisfied with the job we’ve done today. My lap in Q2 was very good, although I made a small mistake in the second to last corner, so I was maybe a couple of tenths away from the perfect lap. It definitely feels like we’ve made some progress recently and my confidence is growing with the way the car is working at the moment,’ Di Resta said.
High degradation on the soft Pirelli tyres was the greatest cause of concern for the drivers during Friday’s practice sessions and there is a feeling among the experts that most of the teams will go for long-lasting medium tyres in tomorrow’s final race.
‘What is the right strategy we will find out tomorrow. The race is long so we will have plenty of time to make up and adjust the strategies,’ said Vettel, who positioned himself perfectly for a fourth straight world title after securing his third consecutive Indian Grand Prix pole position on Saturday.
Vettel came out with a flying lap of 1:24.119s to grab his third straight pole in India, seventh of the season and 43rd of his career as he pipped Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg by 0.752 seconds.
Rosberg was followed by his teammate Lewis Hamilton (1:24.941s) as Mercedes prevented a Red Bull lock out by pushing Mark Webber (1:25.047) to the fourth spot.
‘I really like the circuit specially the middle sector is very challenging with fast, high speed corners. The car has been very strong since Friday morning. We didn’t have to adjust that much. It was a good result for me as well as for the team with Mark sitting on the fourth spot,’ Vettel said.
‘As a team we have been working very hard so as to make sure that we are on top of our game. It is a team effort at the end of the day. The team is pushing very hard and you also feel that you have to deliver. As part of the team I got to do my bid to find out the right set up,’ the German added.
Rosberg, meanwhile, admitted that medium tyre strategy is a consideration for Sunday’s race.
‘Medium tyre was always a consideration (for today). It is a consideration for tomorrow but today we decided that soft tyre was the best way to go. It was the best thing to do from my point of view. But medium tyre strategy is also good one,’ he said.
Rosberg, meanwhile, admitted that medium tyre strategy is a consideration for Sunday’s race. ‘Medium tyre was always a consideration (for today). It is a consideration for tomorrow but today we decided that soft tyre was the best way to go. It was the best thing to do from my point of view. But medium tyre strategy is also good one,’ he said.
The second position on the grid is Rosberg’s best qualifying this season and the German was satisfied with the effort his team had put in this weekend.
‘Coming here I knew that I had to be the best. So it was nice to secure the second place. I am pleased with today’s result. It has really been a tough weekend. We have pushed our limits to get extra out of the car and till now we have been successful.,’ Rosberg said.
Pirelli threatens to quit over testing
GREATER NOIDA: Pirelli has warned it may be forced to quit Formula One if it is not given enough time to test its tyres before new engines are introduced next season, reports said.
Paul Hembery, motorsport director of Formula One’s official supplier, said Pirelli wouldn’t be able to provide tyres if there were no tests before the end of this year. The Italian manufacturer wants to try out the tyres before cars roll out with their new turbo motors, ordered in a shake-up of engine specifications, in official testing late January in Spain.
‘It (testing) must be able to run before the end of the year otherwise we cannot make the tyres in time for the first test at Jerez,’ Hembery told reporters at the Indian Grand Prix. ‘We have to do some testing, if we can’t then we’ll not be able to provide the tyres,’ he added.
Points a possibility, say Force India
GREATER NOIDA: A slight ‘improvement’ in the car makes Sahara Force India drivers confident that they can fight for points in their home race on Sunday despite managing P12 and P13 on the grid.
Paul di Resta, who will begin the race ahead of Adrian Sutil, said he was pleased with his qualifying result. ‘I think we can be satisfied with the job we’ve done today. My lap in Q2 was very good, although I made a small mistake in the second to last corner, so I was maybe a couple of tenths away from the perfect lap. It definitely feels like we’ve made some progress recently and my confidence is growing with the way the car is working at the moment,’ Di Resta said.
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