Pepe Oriola (fastest): “They have definitely improved the asphalt since last year; the braking points were a little bit bumpy but now it’s brand-new asphalt which is really smooth. I think it’s a good change – the last corner, especially, is very different. It was like an American banked oval, but now it dips away and so the line has to be different. I know the other guys will be faster tomorrow, but I’m really feeling good with the car at the moment.”
Jean-Karl Vernay (2nd fastest): “I made too many mistakes, even if it was my first time on track. The first two laps were good, but after we put new tyres on the car I made a mistake on every lap. That’s why I’m a little bit frustrated; I know what I did and I know how I can improve. Pepe is really, really quick and there is no way we can catch him, but I think maybe we can be two-tenths behind him and that will be my target tomorrow. Sometimes I can be a little aggressive and so I know I have to calm down."
Gianni Morbidelli (3rd fastest): “We struggled a little with the setup of the car. It’s difficult to work in this kind of conditions because we only have a short time, although I know it’s the same for everyone. If you already have a good setup, then you don’t have to work too hard and you are already there. I think we are going the right way, although the gap to Oriola is massive. We are thinking what to do to improve the car but at the moment we cannot catch him. Of course, the grip may be better tomorrow – we will see.”
