Ferrari’s Sporting Director Laurent Mekies says the team has to remain reactive to any “surprises” that may arise in Formula 1’s Eifel Grand Prix on Sunday.
Inclement conditions around the Nurburgring stunted preparations with Friday practice abandoned due to thick fog which prevented the medical helicopter from being able to fly.
Teams only had one hour of practice, along with the three-part qualifying session, to gather data and experience of the venue, which was last used by Formula 1 in 2013.
Air and track temperatures are set to remain low for Sunday’s race.
“I think if someone could draw the relative race pace now, they would be very, very talented,” said Mekies.
“I don’t think it will be an exact reflection of qualifying at all. I think there will be surprises because we haven’t had the chance to do the long runs.
“So, that part of the tyre life and performance is an unknown, we’ll make a good challenge in terms of how fast teams will be able to read the race in the opening laps and to adapt to whatever is going to be thrown at us.
“It’s probably a good format for everybody to get a little less perfection.”
Formula 1 has suggested ideas of shortening race weekends into the future with an eye at hosting more races, and has handed the Emilia Romanga Grand Prix at Imola a two-day weekend as an experiment for logistical reasons.
“As a team we are all competitors and racers and its a very challenging and positive aspect to go into the race with the consciousness you will need to read something you haven’t prepared for and to react to, so that’s very good,” he added.
“That’s a challenge we are all embracing.
“There is a lot of different answers you will get into these sorts of weekends because again all the teams are putting a huge effort into preparing before they arrive with simulations, all these would be to try and to be in the best possible shape on Friday.
“But then of course on Friday, you learn just a lot, to what the reality of the racetrack is from whatever your information has told you.
“Somehow to have a weekend without that, is also giving us indications about our preparations, so there are always things to learn and will want to improve on such a weekend.”
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