NH: Well, the main thing is we know the car and the tyres better, but of course the conditions are a lot hotter this time around, so that has an effect on the tyres. Pre-season it was much cooler so we had bigger engine power and more downforce, and we were a bit quicker than we are now. However, generally, the car is stronger now and this should help us today.

Yesterday was challenging, ‘one of those days’ if you like – how far can you move up the ranks today?

NH: I’m actually looking forward to the race quite a lot because I have to and I will do quite a lot of overtaking. As we’ve seen before this season, if you have new tyres you can move forwards, and I’ve got six sets (unfortunately three hard ones are not that quick) but my aim is definitely to get into the points.

Not being able to compete in qualifying yesterday, you do (as you say) have those extra tyres – how much will that help you today?

NH: I think it will help me enough to finish in the points, even whilst starting last. We will see how far I go forwards. For pure lap time, it’s definitely better but I do have a lot of cars to overtake so if I can pass them, I will have a good result.

VP: Yes, I think we have to be proud of our performance and the result we managed today, especially because yesterday it was difficult with the KERS issues in P1 and P2. We did not manage top ten then but we improved today and I managed to get P6 on tomorrow's grid. I could have got an even higher position but I had a poor second section. Still, I'm pleased going into tomorrow's race.

How did the car feel to drive today?

VP: I enjoyed driving today and the balance felt very good, which was important. I didn't sense any issues of understeer or oversteer and generally I'm very happy with how it drove.

What do you make of the tyres you are using, and the level of degradation?

VP: The super hard compound does feel much slower over a lap and during a long run, but on the softs I have been able to achieve some satisfying lap times so I can't complain. It is clear here in Spain, as it has been in the races so far this season, that these tyres do degrade quite a lot so we can expect a very busy race tomorrow. I'm hopeful of achieving a strong result for the team.

Free Practice 3: P23, 1:29.200, 6 laps

Qualifying: No time set

Vitaly Petrov, R31-03

Free Practice 3: P8, 1:24.043, 18 laps

Qualifying: P6, 1.22.471, 14 laps

An action-packed Spanish qualifying session amid hot conditions at the Circuit de Cataluña resulted in Vitaly securing P6 on tomorrow's grid.

With just over two minutes remaining of Q3, Vitaly came out onto the track to secure a time of 1min 22.471 seconds. The Russian finished ahead of both Mercedes cars and Felipe Massa to claim the position and put him in contention at the top end for tomorrow's race.

Nick, meanwhile, was unfortunate in not being able to compete in the session despite the team working flat out to help him get out for Q1. Nick's car was unable to continue after flames appeared in the morning's FP3 session when the right exhaust became too hot and the car suffered a power failure.

Nick will start tomorrow's race from the pitlane, whilst Vitaly will be looking to a strong start to challenge for some good points.

P10, 1:24.366, 31 laps

Vitaly Petrov, R31-03

P12, 1:24.786, 43 laps

During a session full of activity, both cars managed to clock up some laps on both Pirelli's new hard tyres and the softs. At the end of the 90 minutes, Nick finished up 10^th fastest with a 1min 24.366secs lap, two places ahead of team mate Vitaly, whose best lap was timed at 1min 24.786secs.

Nick, continuing with chassis R31 04 drove the car for 31 laps, obtaining some important data from runs with both tyres. Vitaly, meanwhile managed to drive 43 laps in chassis R31 03.

Work on both high and low fuel loads and an understanding of the tyres was the focus of the session.

P8, 1:27.132, 21 laps

Vitaly Petrov, R31-03

P11, 1:27.241, 22 laps

Nick Heidfeld led the way for the Lotus Renault GP Team in first practice for the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona this morning.

Using chassis R31 04, Nick set the eighth fastest time after 21 laps in glorious weather of sunshine and blue skies. His 1min 27.132secs lap was just over a tenth faster than Vitaly's 1min 27.241secs, with the Russian - using the R31 03 chassis - completing one more lap than Nick.

Vitaly ended up with the eleventh fastest time. Both drivers, who used only the Pirelli hard tyres during the 90-minute session, worked on basic set-up on the green track.

Tyre evaluation will be the focus of this afternoon's 90 minute practice.

All the talk is on the tyres, and how very different the conditions are this fine weekend in May compared to pre-season when F1 was last in town. Tyre strategies will undoubtedly play another crucial part in this race – something we are fast learning is of the highest importance in the world of Formula 1 in 2011. Mix in the unpredictability of KERS and the Drag Reduction System (DRS) and it all combines to form a perfect recipe for a sport that is feeling very ripe right now.

What can we expect over the next three days? Well, we can be certain that qualifying will again be crucial for our race hopes, and we can expect a flurry of race stops come Sunday afternoon. And once this is all over…it's only the small matter of Monaco!

Here in Spain, we are in more traditional motorsport territory than before and there will be fans a-plenty come this weekend. As we get a little closer to the home of motorsport, everyone can taste that the action is about to get that bit sweeter.

All the teams here tested in Barcelona before the season began, and so the circuit has a feeling of familiarity about it. However, we all know the thermometer reading is higher than it was back in March and that will have a big impact on the driving conditions and the state of tyres above all else.

The next two races are among the busiest on the F1 calendar. The attention on the F1 brand becomes that much greater, and when the circus heads to the Principality of Monaco in a week's time the whole sporting world will be watching. It is at this time of the season that the global brand of Formula 1 needs to shine.

1.1: longest distance in metres on full throttle is 1.1km on the start / finish straight

15.7: the percentage of the lap spent braking

60.8: that's the percentage of the lap spent at full throttle

250: in km/h this is the highest apex at turn 3

3.4: this is the highest g-force the drivers experience in the lap at turn 3 for 3.5 seconds

40: gear changes in a lap of Barcelona

75: in km/h this is the lowest apex speed at turn 10

310: the top speed in km/h

Seventh place in the race in Istanbul and six points for the team - what did you make of the last race?

NH: The race in Istanbul was good, we had good pace and I think generally we've got the speed to compete with the teams ahead. If we have stronger qualifying sessions, we'll definitely give ourselves a good chance each Sunday. This is my main focus now.

You tested in Barcelona pre-season and you've raced there a number of times down the years. How do you like the Circuit de Cataluña?

NH: During testing, we had updates on some days and other teams brought some new parts on other days - it was difficult to draw too much from that experience. This time we will be bringing some more new parts, which will help us improve our performance This is all part of our ongoing aggressive development strategy. Also, we will get into the swing of things quickly because the whole team knows the circuit well, and teams using a simulator won't have such an advantage here.

Do you have any special memories of racing at the track?

NH: Over the years I have enjoyed some good races in Spain - it's a challenging track and it will be interesting to return. I have got many memories - one that I particularly remember is a pit lane battle with Jenson (Button) when we were both exiting at the same time, both at the highest speed limit you are allowed and I think I just got out ahead of him.

We saw a high level of tyre degradation in Turkey – as a driver, how do you feel this can be limited when on track?

NH: "Well, with these new Pirelli tyres, there is not too much you can do to limit the impact of degradation from a driver point of view. However, the good thing is the R31 is quite gentle on its tyres compared to the other cars, which is a real positive for us. I think that through good general usage of the car the driver can help the situation, but what is more important is how the car is set-up. If the car is prepared well beforehand then it can put us in a good position.

You are currently seventh in the Drivers Championship standings - how much can you achieve in the R31 this season?

NH: This season requires a real team effort from everyone. I will need to concentrate on getting the most out of it, but I think it's too early days to speak about final championship positions just yet. Nico (Rosberg) is only a point behind me now and Mercedes have improved a lot over the last two races. However, we scored as many points as they did in Turkey so we can stay clear of them. The Ferraris are not far away - Felipe (Massa) has finished behind me in a couple of races and he is not many points ahead so my aim is to start challenging him in the standings very soon.

You achieved eighth position in Istanbul and scored four more valuable points for the team…

VP: Firstly, it is of course very important that we both finished the race - if you achieve that, you will have a lot more data and information on tyres and other technical aspects. It was also good that we both finished reasonably well and took some good points for the team. On the other hand, I was a little disappointed about the incident with Michael (Schumacher) because that cost me some time and points.

You are currently seventh in the Drivers Championship standings with equal points to Nick - how much does this team competition help?

VP: It's good. We are both fighting for the points, which can only be good for the team because it helps bring our performance up a level. It's very important to get as many points as we can for the team and to fight for the Constructors Championship. Mercedes are now quite strong and taking some points, so we must stay focused and work even harder to try and stay ahead of them. We'll now look to the next race and both of us drivers will be trying to get the maximum number of points we possibly can.

You tested at the Circuit de Cataluña before the season started - do you enjoy driving at this track?

VP: I've been at this track many times before, and I have a lot of experience of racing here in GP2 and F3000 when I won some podiums. I've also driven here in Formula 1, and of course the testing earlier this year. However, the weather then (during testing) was quite cold so the preparation this time around will be different. It's going to be an interesting weekend because everyone knows this track quite well, so it will be a close fight and the lap time gaps will be quite small.

We've had four races this season already - how far can LRGP go in Barcelona and throughout the rest of the season?

VP: F1 never stays the same, it is always changing. Things change on a daily basis, with teams building new parts and working on new aspects. In Turkey, Red Bull were quickest, but before that McLaren won and of course we've been third quickest in two races already this season so things never stay still. It is impossible to predict what will happen throughout the season because anything is possible. We'll be bringing new parts each weekend to try and improve the car further; we will take it race by race and stay focused.

Both drivers scored points in Istanbul however post-race you said that the team must push harder - what are your feelings after Turkey?

It is good to have both cars competing at the same level and scoring points together but obviously when you have chased podiums each time with different drivers you would expect to have a better finish than 7^th and 8^th. This is why there was maybe an expectation to do a bit better.

Nick and Vitaly fought hard for position in Turkey - what is your opinion on the team's drivers battling it out at a race?

My opinion is very clear. They have the same car so if they compete together throughout the race that means we have a good pair of drivers. This has to be done fairly, and it is always tricky when they have to battle against each other because they're racing drivers and they don't want to give their position away. We have now cleared the situation up but it is good to see them battling.

Teams are very familiar with the Circuit de Cataluña, especially with all the running done there during winter testing - will it suit the R31?

Since we last drove there in testing, we have added upgrades to the car so we will be performing better than in the winter. The situation is also different: it is a race weekend and the way we approach this is different from testing. We hope to make another step forward to fight again for the top six.

We have witnessed some great F1 racing with lots of action, overtaking manœuvres and pitstops recently - surely this is positive for the sport and for the fans?

As long as the sport stays understandable for the fans, it's good. I think everybody was asking for a better show and for more overtaking manœuvres. For a number of years now I have heard people complaining about the lack of overtaking so we shouldn't complain about the situation now! We have to balance things to make sure the sport remains understandable but that's it. I think we have found a good compromise now.

Spain is not known for its overtaking opportunities – will we see any now?

I think that with the DRS, anything is possible. Mainly because of the tyre degradation, there is a need for some aggressive strategies that allow overtaking on track and of course a very good race finish too.

"Robert has made another step forward in his rehabilitation process and doctors are pleasantly surprised by the way in which his condition is improving", he said."Now, it is a matter of time and even if patience isn't Robert's first quality, he is fully aware that rehabilitation could be quite a long process.

"We spoke about the latest developments of the car and of the team, and he was also interested to hear more on the details of the R31, tyres and strategies. Robert is still very much involved, keeping in touch with his engineers, and we have been keeping him informed of every important decision the team has taken. He may not be with us all of the time this year, but he's very much a part of the Lotus Renault GP family."

Three months after Robert's accident, doctors now consider the first phase of his recovery over. Thanks to Robert's strength and to a highly-attentive medical plan, the delicate period was overcome positively and without any complications.

With the progress of his recovery, we are now entering the second phase, which is heavy rehabilitation aimed to restore functionality. More small operations are planned to remove the unavoidable adhesions that are affecting the functionality of his forearm and elbow muscles. This is considered routine practice.

The first one was done today and everything went according to plan.

As I've said before, I think it's very clear that the car is really competitive, to have two cars finish in the top ten at this stage of the season is great. I enjoyed the race and I had a little moment of real pride when I was watching the post race coverage on RAI (Italian TV and F1 host broadcaster), they had an exclusive interview with Red Bull Racing's Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey and they asked him what had surprised him most this season and he said Lotus Renault GP and the clever exhaust system. Newey is widely regarded to be at the top of his game and to have him say this about the R31 is just fantastic!

It seemed to be a very interesting race from a strategic point of view, what did you think of LRGP's four-stop strategy?

I think the team played things perfectly. The tyre wear for Pirelli was really intense which made for some very entertaining racing. LRGP pitched it just right, I think they have a really good feeling for exactly what works for the cars, drivers and the tyres. To be fourth in the Constructers Championship after just four races is very promising, Heidfeld is only three points behind Felipe Massa in the Ferrari – I think that speaks volumes!

What can we expect from the next couple of races?

If the team continues the way they are, I can't see why there won't be another top ten finish in Barcelona, but where I really think the car will shine is in Monaco, the week after – the unique street circuit should suit the R31's special characteristics really well.

Well yesterday our questions were answered, and whilst we did not witness the spectacular start we had seen at the first two races this season, we did see a healthy, strong team performance. The outcome was a further 10 points next to the Lotus Renault GP name in the Constructors Championship Standings, which gave us all a good deal of satisfaction.

Things in Formula 1 never stand still, as our very own Russian is only too aware of. “Things are always changing in F1, they are always flexible. One thing is for sure - it's very difficult to predict the season ahead”, said Vitaly this morning when reflecting on his 8th place in yesterday's race. He (and all of us) know that whilst we can expect certain things to materialise throughout the next six months, there will also be surprises and changes in the order. As the cars on the grid are upgraded, the fractions of seconds that it takes to change a result will become ever more noticeable.

This year more than ever, the tiniest detail can have a dramatic effect on the final result: one second lost during a pit stop or a set of tyres too many used in qualifying can have very painful consequences. Performance is not only about the car and its development, it's the whole environment of the team we're trying to improve, race after race.

At the very heart of the changeability of the season that lies ahead will be our own team's ability to adapt - there will be upgrades, differing strategies and approaches at the various circuits. Some tracks will suit teams' cars more than others. As Technical Director James Allison said yesterday, “Monaco will suit our car more than other circuits as it has done in previous years”. We can expect to fight at the top when the glamour and glitz of Monaco comes around later this month. For the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix, we'll also be looking to better Turkey's performance, and achieve atleast a top six placing because the car should be racing with a few upgrades. With an upgrade package comes expectation. And come Barcelona, we will be expecting to see both cars high up in the points.

Satisfied rather than happy is the truthful answer. Satisfied because we did better with our finishing positions than we had managed in qualifying, but satisfied rather than happy because the gap to the guys in front, who won the race, was quite large.

Strategically it was a very challenging race; how do you plan for a race like that when you know there's likely to be quite a few stops?

The work on Friday reveals to you roughly how the soft and the hard, the prime and the option are going to perform relative to one another and you can calculate from that roughly what sort of a race it is going to be. From Friday it was apparent that it was going to be a four stop, but maybe you could tickle it into a three. In the end we opted for a four stop strategy from the outset and I think that the balance of the evidence would suggest that it was the right choice as it seemed to be what most people profited from.

What can we expect to see from the car in Spain and Monaco?

Monaco will certainly suit our car as it has done in previous years. Spain I think will be much like Turkey, albeit we do have some further improvements to bring to the car before then. The next races will be part of our ongoing effort to keep putting performance on the car quicker than our competitors can.

So far this season we've managed to maintain or actually close up on the gap to pole position, and also the gap to McLaren and Ferrari. Mercedes did rather better in Turkey, but we are nibbling into the lead of the guys in front.

The top six is certainly not outside the bounds of possibility, far from it.

• Both Nick and Vitaly adopted a four-stop strategy: soft / hard / hard / hard / soft

• Vitaly stopped on laps 8, 19, 34, and 45. Nick stopped on laps 10, 22, 36 and 46.

• Nick and Vitaly are now on equal points in the Drivers Championship – 21 points.

Vitaly Petrov, P8, R31-04

"It was an interesting race, and strategically it was challenging for all the teams. I think what really affected my position today was the collision with Michael early in the race. He hit my car and then I was stuck behind some slower drivers after the first pit stop. If this had not happened, my race would have been much stronger and I could have pulled away. However, I was pleased to overtake Sebastien (Buemi) at the end, which took me back into eighth. We must be positive, we have both cars in the points and it's another ten points for the team."

Nick Heidfeld, P7, R31-03

"It's always good to score points, but I think I could have finished even higher up today, even though I started in P9. I am not totally happy with the race -I was stuck in traffic for quite a while, overtaking was difficult and Vitaly made contact with me- but my pace was good, especially at the end of the race when the car was light on the soft tyres. I also think our strategy was the right one. Overall, to finish in P7 and take six points for the team is good, given that I did not qualify in a higher position."

Eric Boullier, Team Principal and Managing Director

"Today, going for four pit stops was the right decision. There was no spectacular start from our cars but we pitted at the right time to ensure both drivers finished in the points. We definitely need to work harder on Fridays to understand the tyre degradation, which will allow us to know where we stand for the rest of the weekend. From here, we will push even more as the result today was not as strong as it could have been – we will be striving to get back into the top six. "

James Allison, Technical Director

"Today we opted for a four stop rather than a three stop race, and the balance of the evidence suggests that was the right choice. In all honesty, I feel satisfied rather than happy with today's performance - satisfied because our finishing places in the race were stronger than our qualifying positions, but not happy because the gap between us and the cars that finished on the podium was too large. We have more improvements planned for the car and we will be aiming for top six finish or better in the coming races at Barcelona and Monaco."

Riccardo Penteado, LRGP Engine Support Leader, Renault Sport F1

"Another double points finish for Lotus Renault GP, which after the issues of the last race is a good result. We planned an aggressive strategy to try and catch Jenson (Button) at the end and fuel consumption was very high, even higher than in qualifying, so we were very tight on fuel with both cars. It almost worked and Nick wasn't far away – just over a second. It was a shame that we got caught in the traffic and could not get ahead but the most important thing is that we got another 10 points and consolidated our position in the championship."

• Did you know?

Nick clocked up the fifth fastest lap of the race, 1'30.158 on lap 52, which was quicker than Fernando Alonso.

Looking at the classification of the top 10 positions after yesterday's Qualifying, there was a feeling amongst the media fraternity that it was somewhat predictable. Red Bulls at the top, Mercedes beginning to show their true colours, McLaren pushing hard, and the Ferraris and LRGP amongst it. Complacency, however, can be poisonous and with today's race likely to feature three or more pit stops it could all become rather interesting.

After a choppy start to the season for some teams still looking to find their feet, the hierarchy in the grid is beginning to form its pattern. There will, undoubtedly be surprise results here and there. There will be tracks that suit some teams more than others, but the teams in the grid are now beginning to acclimatise to 2011 Formula 1 life – KERS, DRS and the tyres are now more familiar than they were in Australia or the far reaches of Asia.

With the popular Spanish Grand Prix just around the corner - and a much tighter corner than the renowned Istanbul Turn 8 – all twelve names in the paddock will be looking to solidify their position in the pecking order and make moves further up the ranks as the European season begins in earnest.

Come 3pm today, all of us in black and gold will be looking for one of our strong starts off the grid and hoping for a delightful race performance before the Turkish sun finally sets.

Dawson's Creek star Joshua Jackson joined LRGP in the garage for the Turkish GP Qualifying today where he watched Vitaly and Nick secure P7 and P9 on the grid.

The 32-year-old Canadian, who also once featured in the famous sports film The Mighty Ducks , took time out of his holiday to enjoy an afternoon as a guest of the team.

"I'm really enjoying the day, and I think I have a great position here watching the action from track level. It's my first time to a Grand Prix, first time to Istanbul and so first time at the Turkish Grand Prix!

After a challenging P3 session, LRGP improved throughout Qualifying allowing Vitaly and Nick to finish in P7 and P9 respectively.

• P7 and P9 grid positions are on the clean side of the track, which could allow for a strong start tomorrow.

• Vitaly Q1: new hard, new soft, Q2: scrubbed hard, new soft, Q3: new soft, new soft.

• Nick Q1: new hard, new soft, Q2: new soft, new soft, Q3: new soft

Vitaly Petrov, P7, R31-03, 1:26.296

"I'm not fully satisfied with where I qualified today because we're capable of finishing even higher than seventh on the grid. However, for both of us to secure top 10 positions should be seen as a positive thing and it is good that we don't have any mechanical problems. We can still continue to work and push hard to make sure we can be fighting closer to the front of the grid tomorrow."

Nick Heidfeld, P9, R31-04, 1:26.659

"It's not too bad to be in P9 – I struggled earlier in the day and in Q2 I found the balance and grip from the tyres that I was looking for. It could have been even better as I had some understeer problems with the front tyres but it was ok. I feel more confident going into tomorrow, we know that with the DRS we can overtake better, we've seen that already so we can finish higher than our grid position. Usually the car is better on race pace, and we know we can get good starts so gain some strong positions."

James Allison, Technical Director: "I think both drivers did a good job in bullying their cars as far up the grid as possible today"

James, P7 and P9 – how pleased are you with the performance of the cars today?

I'm pleased; it's a starting point that should allow us to have a good race tomorrow.

Given the speed off the mark we've seen from both cars in a couple of races this season, how can we expect tomorrow's race to go?

Tomorrow's going to be a very busy race. We've seen some races with two stops, other which are borderline three. I think tomorrow will be busier than that – you only have to look at the attempts made by all the teams to conserve race tyres during qualifying to see this. Both drivers start on the clean side of the grid and with a good getaway we hope we can take the race to some of the cars ahead of us.

What challenges have the engineers faced over the last couple of days?_ Yesterday the challenge was to squeeze our race preparation into a single session as a result of rain in the first session. Today the challenge has been to negotiate our way into an increasingly competitive Q3 session before bullying our way as far up the grid as possible while keeping the tyres in good shape for the race. I think both drivers and car crews did a good job in achieving that today.

• Did you know?The team just launched its online Interactive fan map, bringing LRGP fans the world over closer together. Click here to register

Eric, you recently took up the position of Vice Chairman for FOTA (Formula One Teams Association), can you explain what the position entails?

EB: The position of Vice Chairman involves working very closely with Martin Whitmarsh and to ease his duties within FOTA, and for what he is doing everyday.

What are the topics cropping up at the moment, what is on the agenda?

EB: Well, there are a lot of different things going on. We are obviously working on a different subject that is the core for FOTA which is the RRA. And we're also working on making a lot of forums for the fans which we did last year and was very successful, so we'll have a couple of them this year. We are working as well on some environmentally friendly surveys, and especially carbon emissions for our teams. We did a lot of work on an audit and with an external company to bring up all the latest information and have someone to work on this - it's available on the FOTA website. We have a lot of stuff like this actually going on and obviously we try to make the team work together and promote Formula 1.

How do you divide up your time for this role and your main role for Lotus Renault GP?

EB: Obviously my role with Lotus Renault GP is my priority and it's my first mission. FOTA is on top of this and, depending on the agenda, we always find some free time to do it.

You mentioned the topics that are on the agenda at the moment – what's your vision for FOTA? Along with Martin, what do you think in a year's time will have taken place?

EB: It's very early days for me. I'm very honoured to be doing this to be honest and to work for FOTA. I'm full of reconnaissance to the other teams who put me there, and I'm very proud to be next to Martin Whitmarsh as I have great admiration for him. It's a bit early to be setting up some goals. FOTA definitely has one mission –to do the best for the Formula 1 team – it's the Formula One Teams' Association – so if we can work in this way and achieve some reasonable targets then it will already be a victory for FOTA.

Formula 1 has expanded into new territories in recent years – we are going to see the first Grand Prix in India this year. How do you think F1 can attract a bigger fan base and stay ahead of the rest of the sport and entertainment marketplace, which is becoming increasingly competitive? EB: I think Formula 1 is a global brand today and obviously a global sport so it's going all over the world and obviously going to new places. If we activate the F1 honours with all the FOTA teams and the promoters – if we can all run together to make Formula 1 not more affordable but closer to the fans then that will help a lot.

We're catching up with Nick after free practice on day 1 at Istanbul.

Nick, how did the day go?

NH: Not too bad. Obivously, because of the rain this morning, we could not do a lot of useful work. This said, I have been able to use the extreme tyres for the first time. The afternoon was dry, so I did a long run with a high fuel load.

Have you been able to learn for the first races?

NH: Yes, quite a bit, not just from China but from the first three races because there was a bit more time to investigate and understand.Obviously we found places where we could improve, but on the other side it also seems that we have done some good races, and got some good results with the two podiums.

Is the future promising?

NH: There is definitely room for improvement, though, and personally I am not really happy with the amount of points we scored as a team in the first three races. I think the potential was clearly there for more. I am very happy if I look at the calendar that there have only been three races, and that there are so many more to come because I believe that I can score a lot better and higher consistently. That should bring me in a good championship position, and also the team especially, to fight with the big guns.

So you like the car?

NH: Yes. I have a positive feeling that our car should suit all circuits. This said, I am not 100% sure that the R31 will be as good as it was on low speed tracks, because it really was very good in the last one or two years there. That will be interesting to find out.

Are you confident for this weekend?

Nick: We have a reasonable package here, but we know and see there is more potential to come. We see in the wind tunnel that there are some new directions, some bigger steps and bigger changes, obviously, and you obviously want things to move quicker. But on the other side, if you look at the development speed of Lotus Renault GP, I think it is already very good and you always want more!

Nick and Vitaly kicked off their Turkish campaigns today as free practice got underway at Istanbul Park Circuit.

What we learned today:

• Nick was able to trial the extreme wets for the first time today - There were no major issues reported.

• By the time we had an opportunity to fit intermediates in P1, the track was too wet to make sensible use of them.

• Following the pattern of the first three races, our car is looking increasingly competitive as the qualifying session approaches and the programmes of the various teams point towards a maximum performance with a low fuel load.

• Based on what we have seen today, we would expect our drivers to earn a place in an increasingly competitive Q3 and then go on to both score good points in the race.

James Allison, Technical Director - Technical programme notes

• Like all the teams, Friday work is focused on race preparation rather than maximising qualifying performance.

• It was tricky to read too much from this morning's times. The rain ebbed and flowed throughout the session and the pace of the competitors varied accordingly. We were pleased to get through the session unscathed.

• The afternoon session was a more regular affair. We appear to be more or less where we have been on a Friday in the first three races of the season.

• We ran our new tyres early in the session and ran relatively long stints on heavy fuel in the second half of the session

Nick Heidfeld, R31-01

Free practice 1: P4, 1:40.338, 9 laps

Free practice 2: P13, 1:28.475, 35 laps

Nick: "It was good to finally get an experience of the wet conditions by using the extreme wet tyres, because I haven't used them before in testing properly. That went quite well I have to say. We didn't want to destroy them – as we hadn't tested them before, we didn't know how long they would survive and the forecast was still not clear for Saturday and Sunday. Unfortunately we didn't get into a position to be able to drive the intermediates. Then, as the second session was completely dry we were able to completely focus on our programme, which was to get a long run in towards the end, whilst having a high fuel load."

Vitaly Petrov, R31-03

Free practice 1: P5, 1:40.401, 10 laps

Free practice 2: P7, 1:27.517, 37 laps

Vitaly: "It was a bit difficult today with the weather conditions. We didn't use inter tyres in the first session which was a pity. We wanted to save tyres, which is why we only had 10 laps. In P2 we knew it would stay dry. We need to be happy with today. As expected, we achieved quicker lap times and there's still some more in the car. Judging by our performance in P2, I think there are encouraging signs ahead for the rest of the weekend."

Did you know?

Vitaly took his first win of the 2009 GP2 Series season here at the Istanbul Park Circuit.

Another feature of Round 4 is the arrival of all the teams' motorhomes including our very own slick, black version which is looking in pristine condition (thanks not only to the team members, but also due to the heavy raindrops falling from the Turkish sky).

The motorhome is at the very heart of paddock life. In the LRGP's two motorhome structures, which sit side-by-side halfway down the paddock's path, you will find at any given time a combination of team members, management, sponsors, guests and a healthy number of media. The left hand 'home' is where the drivers and management are based, and the team eat. On the right is based the marketing and the press team upstairs whilst downstairs media await that crucial driver interview and sponsors enjoy the team's hospitality.

The motorhomes, making the first of their nine appearances throughout the F1 season, have made quite a journey to get here. It's interesting to think that all the pieces of the home – which is stored near Stuttgart in Germany – were transported to the circuit in five trucks in time for last Friday (five trucks is notably fewer than many of the other teams on the grid). With seven staff working non-stop, it takes two days to set-up the motorhomes and a further day to give them a good polish and to do justice to that splendid black and gold sparkle. Panels, windows, flooring, ceiling, tables, chairs and an endless number of nuts and bolts are all packed away only to be put together again for the next round of the season.

Following the race here, the much-loved homes will be packed up and taken to Trieste where they will travel by sea to Italy before continuing their journey by land to Barcelona in time for the next race. What a jet set lifestyle they lead!

It has been suggested that the team hasn't been running to its full potential up until now. Do you feel you've found the full potential in the break that we've had since China?

We've brought some new parts here, some new upgrades and we hope to fight with the Ferraris and McLarens. This track's not easy but this is why we are here – to put the pressure on and to be in front, so let's wait to see what happens this weekend.

Do you think you can make the jump to compete alongside Ferrari and McLaren?

That's a difficult question, but with this weather we have now anything is possible because when the rain comes it is completely different. McLaren and Red Bull are still quite far away, but Ferrari are not so far. So we need to just stay focused and do our job.

This year it appears that there's much more focus on strategy – even if you have the fastest car you may not finish first?

It is clear Red Bull has had the fastest car so far but you can see from the last race (in China) how McLaren destroyed the others with the tactics. For example, last year we would spend 20 minutes discussing what to do and what strategy to use, this year we spend longer. So, there is much more concentration on the strategy. I think this year it's much more exciting, there's more thinking to be done, deciding on whether to come in (to the pits). This is how it is, but it's definitely more exciting.

Perhaps it may seem a bit early in the season to be considering F1 to be attaining a 'crossroads', but the term is in some ways appropriate for this particular point in the racing calendar.

We've just reached Istanbul, a city once known as both Byzantium and Constantinople. After a few weeks off, the first batch of European fixtures are now firmly upon us with the Turkish, Spanish and Monaco Grand Prix all in the diary for this month. With the first 'Asian swing' of races now behind us, the Easter / Royal Wedding break was seen by many as the first small milestone in a long season. For teams (and LRGP included) it was a time to take stock, look at what went right, what did not go right and what improvements can be made as we all launch into one of the most challenging tracks on the calendar – the anti-clockwise Istanbul Park Circuit.

The morning flight that we took from London today was packed full with F1 personnel – Team Principals, Drivers, Engineers, even the odd Press Officer, and it was a flight that had one of those feelings that we (the F1 circus) were heading to one of the most important races. This might be seen as one of the more noticeable trips due to the fact that it's taking place after a small break, and with all our energy tanks now running on full again there was a noticeable buzz as we touched down at Ataturk airport.

The most symbolic 'crossroads' moment was when crossing the bridge over the famous Bosphorus river from the European to the Asian side. The race itself is on the Asian side, though it is generally viewed as the first European race of the Formula 1 calendar. Here, we were stuck in appalling traffic just trying to make our way to our next port of call when, as we reached the bridge (and crossed continents), the traffic eased. It felt like we'd officially arrived at the next stage of the season. Three races down, three races to go this month before a hop across the Atlantic to Canada.

For a number of the teams, this weekend will be a crossroads moment too. Here at LRGP we'll be looking to further advance our cause by proving that we can repeat the podiums we saw in Australia and Malaysia. McLaren will be looking to show that they can compete at the very highest level with Red Bull, Mercedes will be hoping that the impression they made in China is a lasting one. For all the teams, Turkey represents a real opportunity to press forwards with the starts they made to the season. And with a wet weekend forecast, it will be anyone's guessing what the outcome will be.