"Cato Batista" 02/07/2016 3:39:21 ID #953

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Mercedes power reigns supreme in Baku taking the top 5 spots in the faster FP2 session. In terms of drivers it’s HAM showing amazing confidence around this tricky, dangerous place. As expected the Mercedes cars are handling their tyres better than anybody in the warmer temperatures, Lewis was faster in every one of the 3 compounds tested today, and in the single-lap simulation in the red-walled super-soft (the softer for this race) he was almost 7 tenths ahead of Nico. PER, BOT and HUL were by far the best of the rest. Ferrari had MGU-K issues on both cars but its drivers were not comfortable having several moments before their session was cut short. RIC was the first casualty of the day hitting the Tecpro barrier at the exit of turn 15, his mechanics doing an amazing job repairing it on time for FP2. Teammate VER sat most of the first session with an oil leak but recovered nicely in 7th in FP2. The Renault-powered cars falling short on top speed in the 2 kilometre-long straight where the Force India and Williams are hitting past 320 kph.

FP1- HAM (1.46.435) ROS BOT ALO VET PER BUT MAS SAI HUL

FP2 - HAM (1.44.223) ROS PER BOT HUL SAI VER VET BUT RIC

We learn today that F1s can actually make 3-point turns. Taking the escape roads was the order of the day, and the only way out of them is to induce a half-spin or a 3-point turn, the problem with this last is that F1s are not really design to back up, so selecting reverse is a long and complicated process taking about 4 seconds to select the program to get reverse and then another 4 for the software to reprogram the gearbox to go forward again. Many drivers were forced into the escape roads, the one in Turn 3 with the most visitors today, a dangerous spot that demands maximum braking from top speed into a tight corner. If that is the best area for DRS-overtaking, we will see more than one driver finishing his race right there on Sunday.

RAI can’t get the tyres to work, a similar issue as in Montreal last week, and without blind confidence in the car it is impossible to push in this layout that is both very fast and intimidating. It’s literally a winding tunnel lined with concrete walls except for the long and very wide main straight, where catching a tow from another car could make up as much as 1 second a lap. The problem again, is to stop and make the corner without any margin for error. Other serious concerns in Baku are the pit entrance and the loose kerbs along the edge of track. The pitlane entry is located towards the end of the long straight, making the cars coming into the service area at over 300 kph. And some of the kerbs were getting loose on corner exit damaging the tyres, the problem was not solved after FP1 and the drivers had to be warned by radio to stay away from the red-and-white track markers.

Always fascinating to observe how drivers handle a new track for the first time, in particular one as difficult as this one. PER and BOT were superb, full of conviction and faster than most, but HAM was truly amazing, he came here without learning the circuit in the simulator!

Crunch time - QF selections are up: Cato - HAM ROS BOT.

Cheers