Pierre Gasly: I'm sure our situation will improve tomorrow.
As a result of Friday's practice sessions in Suzuka, the Alpine drivers found themselves in the middle of the second ten, and while Pierre Gasly is complaining about balance issues with the car, Franco Colapinto has yet to achieve the necessary confidence behind the wheel, as he is racing on this track for the first time.
Pierre Gasly (14th): "Overall, the day was challenging. I had balance problems in the first practice, but by the second session, we made noticeable improvements. The feeling behind the wheel still leaves much to be desired, so during our preparations for tomorrow, we definitely need to find a way to improve further.
Behind the drivers of the three top teams starting from 7th place, the results are very tight. Just a couple of tenths separate the 7th time from the 15th, and I am sure that qualifying will also be very close. If we can achieve even slight improvements, I think it could significantly impact the final result, so we need to keep working. I am confident that our performance will be better tomorrow."
Franco Colapinto (17th): "There were plenty of challenges during the practice sessions, but we learned a lot. This is my first time driving on the legendary Suzuka track, and I really enjoyed the experience of navigating some of its special corners.
With each lap, our confidence grew, and by the end of the first practice, we were in a better position, although I still don't fully trust the car, especially in the fast sections of the track.
The picture repeated itself in the second session, so we need to analyze everything, make some corrections, and hope that we can perform better in tomorrow's qualifying."
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