Saturday: Hamilton keeps McLaren afloat
Outpaced by the Red Bull, the McLarens had a mixed qualifying: while Lewis Hamilton managed to secure third place with an intense lap, Jenson Button had to stop in Q2, falling victim to a mistake and yellow flags that prevented him from achieving better.
Lewis Hamilton – 2nd and 3rd:
« It was quite a tough weekend in terms of our pace during quick laps, so third place on the grid is very satisfying. In Q3, I’d readily admit that I pushed the car to its limits and got everything I could out of it, and yet both Mark [Webber] and Sebastian [Vettel] say they still had a bit left in reserve. We will see. In any case, Jenson showed yesterday that our pace in long stints is promising, so I’m really looking forward to racing tomorrow. Beating the Red Bulls will be a matter of getting a good start, making all the right strategic decisions, and not making any mistakes. There will also be a good opportunity to slipstream at the start and in the first corners. I’ll give everything for the victory tomorrow. »
Jenson Button – 3rd and 11th:
« I locked the wheels in the last sector on my first lap in Q2, went wide, and had to downshift to first – losing a lot of time in the maneuver – so I believe there were a few tenths I could have shaved off. Then, on my last stint in Q2, I lost time due to yellow flags. I knew I could have gained a few more tenths in the last sector, but as things turned out, I couldn’t improve because of the yellow flags. It’s just one of those things, but I’ll move forward from here tomorrow. »
