2007 Japanese Grand Prix Qualifying Report
Adrian Sutil (car 20, F8-VII/03):
FP3 abandoned after completion of one lap - no time set
Q1: 20th 1:28.628 (10 laps)
Sakon Yamamoto (car 21, F8-VII/04):
FP3 abandoned after completion of one lap - no time set
Q1: 22nd 1:29.668 (10 laps)
The Etihad Aldar Spyker Formula One Team drivers had a relatively
shorter day than hoped for today. Only able to complete one
installation lap of the Fuji Speedway this morning as free
practice was delayed and eventually cancelled due to inclement
weather conditions, the duo were then disappointingly eliminated
in the first 15 minute Qualifying segment.
A September date at a venue set against a backdrop of mountains
rising to over 3,000m led, unsurprisingly, to a wet and misty
morning at the Fuji Speedway. With much reduced visibility,
the medical helicopter was unable to fly and after three delays,
the final free practice session was eventually abandoned on
safety grounds.
Conditions were slightly improved for Qualifying and the
session progressed as normal, but as there had been no chance
to evaluate a wet set-up, both Adrian Sutil and Sakon Yamamoto
struggled to find a good balance to attack the 4.5km Fuji
circuit. Both drivers completed two runs in the 15 minute
session, one run on the extreme weather and one on wet Bridgestone
Potenza tyres as the track dried slightly. Adrian will start
the race from 20th position, with Sakon just behind him on
the grid in 22nd after a collision with Ralf Schumacher on
his final flying lap prevented him from recording a faster
lap time.
Adrian Sutil (car 20)
'Yesterday was much better than today. We had no real running
in the morning in the rainy conditions, so it was hard to
set-up the car. We hoped that we would go better but we had
so much understeer in the high speed corners, there was no
way we could carry the speed through. When the car is wrong
it is difficult to do anything in Qualifying; you just have
to live with it, but we will check what the problems were
and work overnight to be ready for the race tomorrow.'
Sakon Yamamoto (car 21)
'Today was a strange day as the morning session was cancelled
after we had done just one installation lap and we had to
go without any data into Qualifying. We tried the extreme
weather tyres and I felt the track conditions might allow
more grip with wets so we changed, but I struggled to get
a good balance on the car and couldn't improve my times. It
is a shame, but as always I am going to try to do my best
in the race.'
Mike Gascoyne, chief technical officer
'Today we had a very disappointing Qualifying session. After
the running yesterday we expected to be much more competitive,
but in the wet conditions we just had far too much understeer
and weren't able to adjust the balance with the limited time.
We now have to look to get a better performance for the race,
but with the expected wet weather conditions tomorrow anything
could happen.'
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