Will Stevens struggles to keep up in Abu Dhabi

Will Stevens is unsurprisingly behind in comparison to Kamui Kobayashi. If the Caterhams bring up the rear at the end of the first day of testing for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina, the Briton is more than a second behind his Japanese teammate who serves as his reference this week -end. The task of the rookie, whose last experience on the CT05 dates back to the tests carried out at Silverstone (Great Britain) last July, was further complicated by mechanical damage which limited his driving to 14 laps during the first session.

“I have waited a long time for this day to come”, commented Will Stevens who has three seasons in Formula Renault 3.5 Series. “It didn't start as I hoped because a slight technical problem forced me to dismount after my installation lap. But fortunately the team was able to do a very good job and quickly resolved the issue, which allowed me to concentrate on the rest of the day looking for grip by completing as many laps as possible. I felt more comfortable in the 2nd session. I'm happy with my weekend so far. It's a real learning phase but I'm ready to take on the challenge. »