Scuderia Toro Rosso’s Carlos Sainz Jr. came away from the opening day in Japan with very after an accident cut short his first session and the weather limited his second practice session to an installation lap.
The first Free Practice session saw a dry track and teams trying to make the most of the morning with the knowledge of the incoming rain storms in the afternoon.
Unfortunately Spaniard Sainz was forced to end his session early when he spun after touching a kerb, ending the session in seventeenth place, “A tricky Friday for us!” said Sainz.
“Obviously, the accident in Free Practice One was a bit of a pity… I didn’t expect that to happen, I just clipped the outside kerb a bit too much and it sent me into a spin and then into the barriers. It looked quite incredible on the TV, but luckily it wasn’t such a big one from inside the cockpit.
“We can’t forget that a minimal miscalculation here can make you pay a big price!” he added.
The team got to work as soon as the car was back in the pitlane and managed to reassemble the Toro Rosso for the Free Practice Two, annoyingly for Sainz and the team they could only manage an installation lap as the heavens opened and the rain came down.
“I’m happy that the mechanics could put the car back together for Free Practice Two – they did an amazing job like they always do, pushing for me and the team. We were ready to run in Free Practice Two, but unfortunately the weather conditions didn’t help us and we were only able to complete an installation lap. Hopefully tomorrow is a better day!”
