I think we can feel quite positive about today. It was all pretty straightforward and the data looks quite encouraging. The hot conditions were tricky for everyone and the car was moving around quite a bit, but we’ve ended the day with a pretty sorted car that is working well in the low and high speed parts of the lap. I’m certainly feeling more confident with the car compared to recent races and I think we are looking reasonably competitive here.

You certainly felt the heat today and the car was quite loose and difficult to drive at times. Apart from that it was business as usual – doing the long runs and getting the tyre data. We also had an extra set of the 2013 tyres available this morning so it was interesting to get a taste for them and do a direct comparison with this year’s tyres. It’s difficult to judge where we stand at the moment, but we have all the information we need, so it’s just a case of trying to understand things more tonight to be ready for tomorrow

Two productive practice sessions today have left us well prepared going into the weekend. There were some aero test items on the cars this morning and we also had a chance to sample the 2013 development tyres. That proved extremely valuable and we made the most of the opportunity to try and get a head-start on next year. In the afternoon the temperatures continued to rise, with the track reaching a high of 55°C – one of the highest peaks we have seen all year – and the drivers said the car was sliding around quite a lot, as you would expect in such conditions. More warm weather is forecast for tomorrow, unless the rain arrives, and there is also a high risk of rain on Sunday.