Gasly: ​​“With just one practice session you have to take more risks”

Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso) swapped his helmet for his team's cap on the first day of the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. The Frenchman had in fact left his seat at stage local Naoki Yamamoto for the first training session, before returning to his post in EL2.

The Norman took the opportunity to set the ninth time in a tense context. “The last flying lap, I didn't really go to the limit of my abilities, it was just to record a good time in case the qualifying session on Sunday morning was canceled,” He explains. 

The time and effort that goes into gifts like these @PierreGASLY is well impressed! #F1 #JapaneseGP #f1jp pic.twitter.com/p53067If84

- Toro Rosso (@ToroRosso) October 10, 2019

The Japanese event has indeed seen his qualification be postponed to Sunday morning, as in 2004 and 2010. Pierre Gasly also knows the vagaries of the Japanese weather; in 2017, the Super Formula final had been canceled at Suzuka, depriving him of a fight for the title which he entered in second place in the general classification.

This new schedule will require the full attention of the pilots. “I have never done testing and racing on the same day in my career, this will be unprecedented for me. Some of my opponents have already experienced this, in Austin it seems (in 2015. Editor’s note). Normally, race days are well over. If we add the qualifiers in the morning, it will be very busy », he warns.

The 2 GP2016 Series champion will also have to deal with a running deficit compared to his opponents. “ Leaving my place was not an easy way to start a weekend, but on the other hand, it was enriching. In FP2, I had a lot of work. I had to complete a lot of laps, with quite a few procedures to complete. It was intense.

With just one free practice session, you have to take more risks than usual. You are also out of step with other drivers concerning the preparation, the balance of the car. I noticed things about the behavior of the car in EL2 which I could have noted from EL1. »

With such a time on Friday afternoon, one would have thought that the satisfaction of a duty accomplished would shine through in the French representative. “No one knows where he is in the hierarchy. Getting into the top 10 is obviously very positive for us. However, I'm not happy with how we got there, the car isn't really the way I want it to be. I'm not completely comfortable. There is still a lot of work until Sunday. »

Finally, Pierre Gasly will kill time as best he can on Saturday. “We were told to stay confined in hotels. Luckily, I brought my PlayStation 4, we'll probably play a game of Fifa with Carlos (Sainz Jr), Lando (Norris), and Max (Verstappen), plus a few other people. It will be relaxed. »