Nico Rosberg (Williams): “We may not have finished where we would’ve like, but it was another strong weekend for us. We qualified well and then taking the lead at the start was great. It was just a shame circumstances didn’t go our way as I was looking good for another podium.
Shanghai’s a driver’s track. There’s a great mix of corners and then there are those two long straights so plenty of overtaking opportunities around the lap which will be good for the racing. Sepang showed that the team seem to have fixed the problem we had last year on these types of circuits so it’s now looking like we have consistency. I’m confident that we’ll have another competitive weekend in China. Top eight for sure.
“I enjoy visiting Shanghai. Experiencing a different culture is always very interesting and there are some great places to go, like the malls for shopping or the restaurants and bars in the evenings. The fans are also very enthusiastic which is nice!”
Kazuki Nakajima (Williams): “Even though I qualified out of the top ten, I was looking to make some progress through the field as I was on a good strategy. Unfortunately, the rain completely compromised that. Starting the race lower down the grid, I was alongside a lot of the KERS car who are able to make better starts so my aim is to improve my qualifying position in China.
“Shanghai is definitely a challenging circuit, but at least I’ve now had some experience of it so it’s not new for me anymore. Last year, we struggled on tracks like China, but now our car is looking quite strong. It’s well balanced in the high and low speed corners so I’m hoping we’ll go much better there this year and I can score my first points of the season.
“Like Nico, I like this part of the world and for me it’s close to home so I get to enjoy something similar to my own culture for a little longer.”
Jarno Trulli (Toyota): “I am really optimistic about the Chinese Grand Prix because we have started the season very strongly. It shows how much progress we have made since last season that in Malaysia I was a little disappointed with fourth because I wanted to finish on the podium and fight for the win. Last year in Malaysia I finished fourth and that was more than we expected.
“We are second in the Constructors’ Championship so it’s clear we are one of the top teams and both Timo and I have consistently been fighting at the front which is great. So the goal for me in China is to fight for the podium again and I think we have a really good chance. China is one of those circuits where I have never had much luck and it was the same last year when I was hit from behind at the first corner, so I’m determined to have a better weekend this time.”
Timo Glock (Toyota): “Malaysia was a crazy race but it was a great result for the team and it gives us a lot of confidence for the Chinese Grand Prix. We were really competitive in all conditions which is a good sign because it confirms we were right to be optimistic before the season started.
“We have had both cars finish in the top four in both races so far this season so we are definitely aiming to challenge for the podium again, but of course it’s pretty close so we will have to do another good weekend. It seems strange to be going to China in April because it has always been later in the season; the weather looks like it could be a bit cooler than usual. I quite enjoy racing at Shanghai because it’s an interesting track. Last year I went well there and scored points, but I’m hoping to get more than seventh place this weekend, that’s for sure.”
Pascal Vasselon, Senior General Manager Chassis (Toyota): “Shanghai is a track which offers a very wide range of cornering speeds so you cannot optimise the car just for high-speed or low-speed corners; you have to find a good balance. The unique aspect to the Shanghai track is its very long corners; turn one and turn 13. It is extremely important to get the balance of the car right in turn 13 because it comes out on to the main straight and you want to exit at the highest possible speed.
“These two corners and the specific lay-out in general are also demanding on tyres so overall Shanghai is quite severe in terms of tyre wear. If you have a compound which is too soft it is likely to have graining issue. So it will be interesting to see how the super soft and medium compound tyres behave this weekend.”
