Sebastian Vettel’s Friday in Korea was spoiled by a puncture on his prime tyres that forced him to use his options earlier than planned.
The softer tyres were thus well past their best as the track got quicker during the afternoon, stranding him in seventh, more than 1.2secs off team mate Mark Webber. Nevertheless the German was happy with progress.
“I think we all got a crash course in sliding around, drifting,” he said. “It was good fun! Fortunately this afternoon obviously the track time was more valuable. We had a puncture early on, and that affected our running early on quite a bit, so we always had to go early. The tyres in the end didn’t say thanks for that. All in all it was not so bad. We went quite early with the soft tyre, and the circuit ramped up.
“I think it should be fine. I think the pace is there. Obviously for me not quite this afternoon, but I think Mark had a calm afternoon, and it looks pretty competitive. I think in general it’s tight. We know that the first sector is not in our hands, and we have to fight back even harder in the second and third sector.”
Vettel says he likes the track, but in common with other drivers, is concerned about the pit entry.
“I think pit entry is right on the edge. It’s blind, it’s on the edge, so if someone goes in obviously he has to go slower than someone who’s staying out. Especially if you are behind someone trying to pass and he decides to pit it could be quite difficult. Other than that it’s just the fact that it’s so slippery and so dusty and dirty offline it makes it very tricky.”
Adam Cooper F1 
As for the pit entry, they need to build a bridge – literally not metaphorically. It would add a unique touch to the track and also solve the problem very well.