AUSTIN, Texas – Sebastian topped the Free Practice 2 timesheets this afternoon in Austin, with Mark just behind him in P2.
Our German driver completed 35 laps of the Circuit of Americas track, posting the session's quickest time of 1:37.305, while Mark recorded a time of 1:37.420 after 37 laps.
Earlier this morning, Free Practice 1 was heavily delayed by fog and a problem with the medical helicopter. Mark ended the hour-long session in P8 with a time of 1:39.083 after 17 laps. Seb finished in P18 after his 21 laps, posting a best time of 1:40.662. Fernando Alonso in the Ferrari was FP1's quickest man, sealing P1 with a time of 1:38.343.
CAR 1, SEBASTIAN VETTEL
First Practice Session: Position: 18, Best Time: 1:40.662, Laps: 21
Second Practice Session: Position: 1, Best Time: 1:37.305, Laps: 35
"The circuit was quite slippery today. I was happy with the car, but you always know you can improve here and there. I think we got through the program we were able to test some things, some were good and some not so good, but we will see. Ferrari looked quick this morning and McLaren could be a surprise here, and Lotus and Mercedes will be strong as normal. The track will improve now unless it rains. The car worked well on the tires, so we'll see what we can do on Sunday."
CAR 2, MARK WEBBER
First Practice Session: Position: 8, Best Time: 1:39.083, Laps: 17
Second Practice Session: Position: 2, Best Time: 1:37.420, Laps: 37
"Today was all about tires again – getting info on them and working out how they work best. It's nice to drive the car on fresh tires and it was good to be out there on the circuit on what was a clear day in the end. We were working on both long and short runs today. The car doesn't feel mega yet, there's still some work to do, but we'll work on that overnight."
Pressure Points
From the outside it might seem that all the stress of a race weekend funnels towards the race start, but the truth is that moments of intense pressure strike different team members at different times. Here in Austin, Race Team Coordinator Gerrard O'Reilly explains why, for him, the pressure starts when the checkered flag falls:
"For me, Sunday after the race is the busiest time. Particularly on a back-to-back like this, we always have tight deadlines to meet so that we get to the next event on time. As soon as the race finishes we start packing. We don't dismantle anything before the race finishes. We could start before the checkered flag, but we're here for a race and I don't think it looks professional, so as soon as the cars cross the line, we get changed, crack on and start packing up. Taking this race as an example: If it finishes at 3 p.m., I'd like to think we'll be gone by 10 p.m. and that means packing 30-plus tons of air freight and 15 tons of sea freight. The whole team gets involved. The engineers will pack down their office, the marketing and comms people will sort their stuff out, everybody mucks in – even Seb occasionally. He was surprisingly good in India - many hands make light work. There is a rhythm to what we do, particularly by this stage of the season. On fly-aways like this, all the containers are configured the same so everybody knows where everything goes. It's pressure but there is a routine, so I try to not get too stressed. We have a plan that specifies how things will happen, such as networks being switched off, so that everyone is aware of the timeline on a Sunday. Even though it is a busy time and everything needs to happen quickly, it happens quite smoothly. Put it this way: We've never missed a deadline or a flight yet!"
About INFINITI
INFINITI Motor Company Ltd. is headquartered in Hong Kong with sales operations in approximately 50 countries. The INFINITI brand was launched in 1989. Its range of premium automobiles is currently built in manufacturing facilities in Japan and the United States. Production in China and Europe will start soon along with the expansion of the brand’s portfolio.
As the Title Partner and Vehicle Performance Partner of INFINITI Red Bull Racing, INFINITI has a far-reaching technical collaboration with the Formula One team, and Sebastian Vettel, its four-time World Champion driver, serves as INFINITI’s Director of Performance.
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About INFINITI in Formula One
INFINITI, the premium automotive brand, starts the 2013 season as Title Partner and Vehicle Performance Partner of INFINITI Red Bull Racing. With a deepened technical collaboration across people, process and technologies, an ‘open door’ approach is enabling both sides to access a pool of innovation, new technologies and R&D resources in the shared pursuit of precision and performance.
Since the partnership’s inception in 2011 it has already seen the launch of the INFINITI FX Vettel Edition and product development input from Sebastian Vettel and test driver Sebastien Buemi for the all-new INFINITI Q50 premium sports saloon. INFINITI continues to be the most visible automotive brand in Formula One, and the deepened partnership will ensure closer alignment on an increasing number of future team collaborations.
For interesting content on INFINITI in Formula One visit: www.infiniti-gp.com, www.youtube.com/INFINITIGP or follow on Twitter @INFINITIGP.
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