Saturday: McLaren and Hamilton Confident After Qualifying
After promising free practice sessions, McLaren showed during these qualifications that their drivers will be contenders for the race. They are positioned in the rearview mirrors of the Red Bulls.
Jenson Button – 2nd and 3rd
« We worked all night, and it paid off because the car is now very good. We can be proud of the work done so far. However, the qualifications were tricky because, on this track, it’s about finding the right balance in the three sectors. I still think we can be satisfied with the settings. Of course, I would have liked to be in second place to challenge Vettel right from the start. On reflection, being in 3rd position is not so bad because I’ll start on the clean side of the track. But it will be a long race, and many things can happen. I’m really looking forward to it! »
Lewis Hamilton – 5th and 4th
« I experienced quite a hectic qualifying session. In Q1, I damaged my floor by running over the curbs, but the mechanics did an absolutely fantastic job, and I would like to say a big thank you to them! In Q2, the tire sensors detected a loss of pressure, but we still don’t know the cause. Finally, in Q3, we had a refueling issue. I couldn’t go out for a final lap. It’s unfortunate, but that’s racing! Overall, I’m satisfied because my times and pace were good. »
Martin Whitmarsh – Director of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
« Jenson did a terrific job today by achieving the third fastest lap in the qualifying session. The same goes for Lewis, who will be alongside Jenson at the start tomorrow. He could have done a better final lap if we hadn’t had that refueling issue. Unfortunately, the session was eventful for him… In summary, we are very confident for tomorrow’s race, and I am convinced that our drivers will show their fighting spirit! »
