Q. Mark, there is only one question to ask you. A crazy, crazy session but tell us what it means finally to have your first pole position.
Mark WEBBER: It is a very special day for me to get pole. I have been close a few times in the past and also been on pole fuel corrected a few times but that doesn't count. Today we are here. The team have done a great job. We have been quick all weekend. We got really tested, all the teams and drivers, in that session. It was very, very chaotic but to have still delivered the lap time when it actually counted was important to me, so to do the best time was fantastic.
Q. What made the difference today for you?
MW: I think that obviously the car is working very well here but I was talking to my engineer and I was saying we were doing two time, one time, inters, wets. It was just so hard. The track conditions looked reasonably dry but the slicks just wouldn't take it at all. We learnt a little bit in Q2 with Rubens on that little window he had. He did a very good lap. I was out on the inters at that stage and it was just very chaotic to try and read what we needed for that last 10 minutes, so the key was three clean sectors for me in the end. That is what got me pole.
Q. Rubens, you are second on the grid but you look completely exhilarated. You loved that session, didn't you?
Rubens BARRICHELLO: I did, I did. It was very, very nice and it is nice when you have the right tyres at the right moment. We all went on slicks but all came back as we saw (Felipe) Massa just going out into turn 12 and I think everybody just came back into the pits for the intermediates. I was on my timed lap when I decided that is not the right tyre, let's gamble a little bit more and I came in. I had no reply on the radio. It was really chaotic on the radio. There was a big confusion but then they were ready for me. I put the right tyres on and I was safe with the third place. It was a really nice session.
Q. Jenson, you had to abort a few laps that session. Tell us how hard it was for you?
Jenson BUTTON: Yeah, it is great for everyone who is in the top ten. That Q2 session was madness. It was good fun and we are struggling with tyre warm up anyway but when you chuck a little bit of water in there as well it is quite difficult. It is great to see Rubens and myself up here in the top three. Mark got his first pole position, so congratulations to him. Tomorrow is going to be an interesting one. The weather is looking similar to today, so it is going to be wet dry, wet dry. It is a little bit of luck but also looking at what other people are doing and trying to make the best out of the situation, so I am looking forward to it very much.
Q. Mark, it is a fantastic performance but how do you keep your head in a situation like that and making sure you are making the right decisions at the right time?
MW: Well, obviously you call on your experience. Obviously you have got a great team of people around you as well. They are on the pit wall and making the right calls for you. They have obviously got a lot of experience at looking at what the other cars are going through. These are the best drivers in the world, so we know when people are making mistakes that it is obviously for a reason, the wrong tyre, so we have got to stick with the decisions we make and believe in them and then just go out and try and do the best you can as you know everyone is in a little bit of trouble in those conditions, so you just do the best job you can.
Q. First pole today. First win tomorrow?
MW: I hope so. I hope so. I am in a fantastic position to do it. These guys are in a strong position and there is no question that they will push us. But we are looking forward to the fight. I certainly am and I am up for trying to win my first race tomorrow if I can.
PRESS CONFERENCE
Q. Mark, great stuff in what is Red Bull Racings 80th grand prix. But you have been competitive all weekend. What has made the difference?
MW: Well, as you say we have been quick in every session but we were tested to the limit in that session. It was a very difficult session knowing what the track was going to do in terms of how greasy it was and what tyres to use. We were having trouble a little bit in the warm up anyway in the dry, let alone having some moisture on there, so it was a very difficult session but one that our team executed well which is why we got pole.
Q. Are you looking forward to it being wet tomorrow as perhaps that might get you out of having to run the harder tyre?
MW: I think a nice boring grand prix for me would be fantastic. I am looking forward to a dry day but if it is wet we are ready for all conditions. We know we can compete and fight in all those conditions that will be thrown at us. It becomes a lot more difficult, there is no question about it. We are tested as drivers and we saw that in Shanghai and some other races. This track is giving maybe a little less grip than maybe Shanghai was just because of the temperatures, so if it is raining we have got to deal with it. The same for everyone.
Q. You have never been closer to the victory perhaps. Has there been a little bit of frustration creeping in over the last year or so?
MW: Well, this is a fantastic season for us as a whole team. I had a slightly different winter this year coming back from a few of my other little problems that I had. The extra motivation is to come back to a car that is fast. It is not very enjoyable flogging around in 10th, 12th or 13th position all the time. That test anyone's motivation as JB knows. It is a great situation for me to be in. I can fight for podiums most of the time now and obviously to win at this level you need everything going for you. I haven't yet done that. I am going very, very close. I have had a few seconds this year and now I have got a pole. I think the day will come hopefully and you never know, hopefully it will be tomorrow.
Q. You might push your cricketers off the front page as well.
MW: The rain has saved the English I think there but if I can take the cricketers off the front page I am sure Ricky (Ponting) will be happy anyway.
Q. Rubens, this is your 280th grand prix. In your 280 qualifying sessions have you ever known a crazier one than this? How does that rate?
RB: I tell you I had some crazy ones in the past but it is always the more recent ones that count. We were just saying that it felt for a moment that I was not breathing for the whole session. We got out of the car now and all of a sudden we are just breathing again. You just wanted to make the right call but you needed some help as well. I called the team to see what they thought and they never came back to me in Q2. I think there was a problem on the radio but they could hear me as when I got to the pits the tyres were ready. It was a really good call at the time. My first lap in Q3 was actually fastest and I was hoping for the better. But I have got to be happy as we were outpaced by the Red Bulls the whole weekend. In fact, Lewis (Hamilton) was actually faster than us as well, it looked like it, so second for me is really good.
Q. This is your best qualifying here as well and you have won here before from lower on the grid, so what are your feelings about tomorrow?
RB: I hope that tomorrow is the experience that counts. You cannot say much. Tomorrow the prediction, they are saying, that the forecast is a bit worse than today. We didn't predict that it was going to rain this morning but then things became a little bit worse as qualifying came. If it is a tricky race like it was a tricky qualifying you just have to be there at the end and make no mistakes and try to win the race. Myself and Mark we are trying to get as many points as possible to discount some of the points that our team-mates have on us and it is all to play.
Q. Again, Jenson it is your best qualifying here. What are your thoughts and how was it managed for you from the pit lane?
JB: Reasonably well. I had Rubens's information and he went to slick tyres in Q2 when we went to wets and I just thought it was too wet out there at that point in time. But Rubens made them work and he got the right window and you saw everybody else piling in to the pits sticking on slick tyres and then it started raining again, so it was pretty tricky. It was a session I did not want, Q2. I think it is great getting through to Q3 and I think being in the top three, whoever is in the top three, should be happy with what they have done. We are in a good position for tomorrow. It is going to be a tough race. So much can happen with the weather here. Twelve degrees in mid July, this is worse than England. Who says English weather is bad. It is not making it easy but I think we have done a good job this weekend. We found it tough on Friday but we improved the car. But it is still going to be a tough race for us.
Q. Is there less of a problem with tyre temperatures here than there was at Silverstone?
JB: Yeah, there's less of an issue. We've got the super soft tyre here and you don't have all that high speed (track), which for us doesn't put that much heat in the tyre. You've got braking here which is good for us, we're good under braking and it's putting heat into the tyres. It's not too bad, it's such a difficult weekend because it's all to do with if you can get the tyres to work or not. On my timed laps I'm weaving on the straight to try to get heat into the tyres. It's a strange situation to be in but it's where we are and we've got to make the best of it and I think we have done that today, so I'm happy with the result.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q. (Frederic Ferret - L'Equipe) Mark, do you think that this track suits the Red Bull better than the Brawn?
MW: Well, Brawn are traditionally sometimes not as competitive on Friday as they are on Saturdays and Sundays, so we have to see if – it's unlikely, but you never know – if we have a full dry race tomorrow, that's when I can really answer your question. Jenson was reasonably competitive at Silverstone in the last stint. Rubens had a very good qualifying there. It's very sensitive how these cars are. Clearly we had an advantage in Silverstone, we were stronger as a team and as a package round there and we got the result that of course we deserved. Here, we still look very, very competitive, there's no question about it. Maybe not as big a gap as we had in Silverstone but our car is behaving very well here. I've always been quick in most sessions on all fuel loads, so there's no reason to suggest that we're not quick here.
JB: Yeah, trust me, your qualifying lap was quick.
Q. (Dan Knutson – National Speed Sport News) Mark, with so much at stake and with such tricky conditions, were there a lot of nerves and tension or were you able to just banish that and just get on with job?
MW: I just got on with the job, Dan, really. I think it was a very tense session for everyone but it always is. It doesn't matter where you are in qualifying, Q3, it always comes down to that last lap. You're never going to be on pole with your first run in Q3. We know that getting into Q3 is generally a formality for us guys at the moment because we have a nice car. Today was a little bit more difficult but once we got into that session, then it was about controlling your emotions and just using your experience to back yourself and know what the car can do. Trust the car, trust the tyres and go out there and hit the lap. You still weren't sure if some of the kerbs were a little bit greasy. You had to test them a little bit here and there. It's incredibly easy to look stupid in these conditions. Us guys are pushing on the limit and it's a very difficult session for us to push absolutely, at 100 percent. The stakes are high but it's the same for everyone and that's the result we got today.
Q. (Livio Oricchio – O Estado de Sao Paulo) The hard tyres can be the key to the race tomorrow. How is your car with the hard tyres?
JB: With the hard tyres? It's not just us, I think everyone's struggling to get heat into the hard tyres. The biggest problem for us is... it's fine when you're in clear air, you can work the tyres hard and get a lap time out of them. The problem is when you're in traffic, it's very difficult, you lose a lot of downforce and I just can't keep the heat in the tyres. I've never driven in this situation before, where you just can't get heat into the tyres in traffic. Even weaving on the straight doesn't help. It's a difficult situation. Hopefully we'll have a clear track tomorrow during the race. That's going to be difficult to achieve, I think, but we'll give it a good go.
MW: The hard tyre? As Jenson said, it's definitely not the right tyre for these track temperatures but that's the tyre we have. I think Bridgestone has generally done a pretty good job of bringing the tyres in a controlled fashion to the championship this year. Clearly, if the sun comes out here and you have a different type of ambient the tyre could be working quite well. If it's 30 or 32 degrees track temperature it's a difficult ball game. But no one envisaged&ldots; let's be honest, who the hell thought it was going to be eleven or twelve degrees? So it's a new ballgame and those tyres aren't really doing much for any of the teams at the moment. So we're going to start on that tyre tomorrow and give it a go!
RB: Well done! Well done! I agree with Mark. I don't think it's down to Bridgestone. No one ever expected it to be twelve degrees here and 18 or 16 degrees on the track. But it's the first time for me too that in the middle of a qualifying lap I'm actually weaving. That's very much the first time, you know, going from side-to-side on a qualifying lap. You just need the heat in the tyre.
JB: The thing is that the consistency on the tyre is good if you get it into the working range. The problem with the softer tyre is that you can damage that tyre. It's a difficult position for all of us to be in and it's who can make the best of it tomorrow. I think it's looking good.
Q. (Anthony Rowlinson – Red Bulletin) Rubens, you've driven almost 300 Grands Prix and you've got a smile on your face today like it's your first season in Formula One. What's your secret?
RB: Man, I enjoy it more than I used to. I think in life you learn that a few bad vibes don't count any more, you just count good energy, good flow. I'm driving better than ever, I've always thought that. I'm sure Jenson had a fantastic beginning of the season and was driving brilliantly but I'm up to the task. I think the challenge is great and I just like that. I had two weeks at home, it was great to have the kids around. I had my wife there but I couldn't wait for the time that I came back here. It was just that. So I have another two or three years for myself.
Q. (Simon Arron – Motorsport News) Mark, can you just talk us through your first inter lap during Q2? On your first flying lap you were a second and a half quicker than your team-mate and three and a half seconds quicker than everybody else. How did you get the instant feel?
MW: Well, I knew it was a crucial lap because you never know if the conditions could get a lot worse, so I was just trying to put some sort of banker in without going totally bananas. Of course you have to push but I had a good feeling for the car and the tyres straight away and when you have that confidence you can obviously do reasonable lap times. I didn't have a clue obviously, what I could&ldots; I was catching Kimi (Räikkönen) and I think there was a BMW very easily which is always nice to see that when you're in a similar condition on the same tyre, so you drive accordingly. I think I did a 38 or whatever it was and that was competitive for the time but I knew it wasn't really over because I said to the guys that 'there's still three or four minutes to go. Don't panic yet but we need to get ready to put the slicks on if we need to go again,' which we did and I nearly crashed several times. I couldn't believe I was fourth. I felt like I was 18th on those slicks. I thought ‘my God, we're not through. There's no way we've got through because everyone else is on the slicks' and it just felt so horrible driving round. I had so many moments. At turn seven I was up with the spectators, in the last corner I was nearly in my hotel room, so I was all over the place and I didn't think I was through but the guys said I was fourth. I couldn't believe it.
Q. (Michael Schmidt – Auto Motor und Sport) Jenson, you just described the downsides of the two tyre choices, so which one is the better one for the race or which has less downsides?
JB: That's something we need to talk about this evening. It's going to be a tough call but a very crucial call for tomorrow and we've got to keep checking the weather, the temperatures tomorrow and there's a big chance of rain as well. There are so many possibilities for tomorrow that it's going to be a very difficult call but so far we've been pretty good at calling the right tyres. The good thing today for us was that even in the wet conditions we could get the slick tyre working. That's a little bit unexpected. So our pace was good with the slick tyre in the damp conditions and our pace was good on whatever tyre we put on, so that's positive for tomorrow for sure. These guys had a big advantage in Shanghai in the wet but I don't think that's going to be quite the case here if it's wet.
*Adrian Sutil - 7th: "I'm really happy, for sure one of F1's happiest guys today! It's my home race and my best qualifying position so far in F1, so it was a great qualifying for us. It was very tricky with the weather but our decisions were very good and on time, particularly in Q2 with the rain. We took a risk on the dry tyres and we did it a lap earlier than all the others and got the third fastest time. Finally, even with the fuel on board Q3 went really well and we got into seventh. I am very happy for everyone on the team. We've worked really hard in the last months. Now we just have to score some points!"
Giancarlo Fisichella - 18th: "First of all I am very pleased for the team and for Adrian to have had such a great qualifying. It was an incredible result and hopefully we'll be able to have a good race tomorrow. For me it was a bit disappointing. We went out early in the first session but unfortunately I got caught in traffic on both my fastest laps. It was a real shame as with the weather conditions I think we could have done really well. But it could be mixed weather tomorrow so you never know what's possible."
Dominic Harlow, chief race engineer: "P7 after Q3 for Adrian was a fantastic performance and a reward for the team's efforts recently. The weather played its part, but he secured the position on merit. It was an exciting session and I think that we got the calls right today. Giancarlo was unfortunate in that his second outing in Q1 was affected by traffic with so many cars on the circuit and with things being so tight he didn't make the cut. Otherwise I'm sure that he too could have progressed to a strong qualifying position. Our goal of course has to be putting those first points on the board in the race."
Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal: "Needless to say I am absolutely delighted with the team's performance today. We came to Germany hoping to get to Q2 and we got to Q3 thanks to a superb team performance and a stunning session from Adrian. To do so on his home soil will no doubt make it extra special for him. We are now in a good position for tomorrow's race and I hope we can finally get those much longed-for points."
Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button fought their way through a thrilling and chaotic qualifying hour at the Nürburgring today to secure second and third positions on the grid for Sunday’s 60-lap German Grand Prix.
With rain threatening, all the cars were quickly out on track at the start of Q1 with Rubens and Jenson running on the softer option tyre and completing two runs to safely progress into the second session.
Light rain at the start of Q2 rapidly became heavier with both drivers coming into the pits after just a couple of laps to replace their slick tyres for intermediates. As the rain seemed to ease, Rubens dived back in and switched to slicks and immediately was the quickest car on track with a lap which topped the timesheets for the remainder of the session. Jenson changed to slicks with just enough time for one timed lap which he made count as the rain started to fall again.
After the drama of Q2, the conditions stayed dry for Q3 with Rubens and Jenson posting their quick laps in the final seconds of the session, achieving second and third positions respectively.
RESULTS
Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice Qualifying 1 Qualifying 2 Qualifying 3
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P14 P5 01:31.482 P1 01:34.455 P2 01:32.357
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P11 P6 01:31.568 P5 01:39.032 P3 01:32.473
Weather Cold and overcast with intermittent showers
Temperatures Air: 13-14°C Track: 18-23°C
RUBENS BARRICHELLO
“I really enjoyed the excitement of qualifying today and am very happy to have come away with second and be starting from the front row tomorrow. I felt the track was just about good enough for slicks in Q2 so I radioed the team that I was coming in but didn’t hear their response so thankfully the tyres were waiting for me when I arrived in the pits! It was a great decision and gave me a much more relaxed end to Q2 than some of the others. It’s going to be a tricky race tomorrow so we’ll have to be on our toes and take advantage of whatever the weather throws at us. I’m looking forward to it.”
JENSON BUTTON
“Just getting into the final qualifying session was an achievement today so I’m really pleased to have qualified in third. It was a pretty eventful hour and Q2 in particular was madness but it was good fun. I thought it was too wet for slicks but Rubens made it work and we were able to switch tyres with just enough time to make my timed lap count. The race is going to be interesting as the forecast looks like it’s going to be a mix of wet and dry conditions. We’ve improved the car since practice yesterday but it’s still going to be tough to keep the tyres warm and you’ll need a bit of luck with the weather. Congratulations to Mark on his first pole position today. We’ll be doing everything possible to ensure that it doesn’t become his first win tomorrow!”
ROSS BRAWN
“The weather ensured an intense qualifying session for everyone today and we are extremely pleased to have come out of this afternoon with Rubens and Jenson in second and third positions. Both drivers were superb today. Rubens made an inspired call in Q2 to come in early for dry tyres and his direction was crucial in getting Jenson in and back onto slicks with enough time to complete his timed lap, which he did under great pressure as the rain fell again. Q3 was quite calm in comparison and both drivers were able to take full advantage of their well-balanced cars to get us into the top three. The teamwork in the garage was fantastic and we are all delighted and a little relieved to be starting from second and third positions tomorrow. Congratulations to Mark for his maiden pole position and congratulations to Mercedes-Benz with five cars in the top seven!”
Felipe Massa (8th, Q1 - 1m 34.574s):
“This qualifying was a bit of a lottery: first dry, then rain then dry again. It could have gone better, but it could also have gone much worse. I’m not jumping for joy over eighth place, but it’s not so bad. We have a good strategy aimed at getting us into the points, although a podium seems hard to reach to be honest.”
Kimi Raikkonen (9th, Q1 - 1m 34.710s):
“It was a pretty complicated session, with track conditions changing all the time. Therefore, it’s difficult to say if this result reflects the real standings down the order. Clearly, we were penalized by not having a single set of new tyres for Q3. I believe that in normal conditions we could have got a better grid position. Having said that, we are not in bad shape for the race: we have a good strategy and we will try and make the most of it.”
Stefano Domenicali, Ferrari team principal:
“All in all, especially in light of the changing weather conditions, this is a reasonable result. Getting both cars into Q3 was our primary objective. It was not at all easy, because apart from the two teams fighting for the title, all the others are very evenly matched, with some teams seeming to have made a significant and surprising step forward. Tomorrow’s race could be rendered even more uncertain by the weather: realistically, we would like to get both our drivers home in the points and we will have to exploit every eventual opportunity that might present itself.”
Chris Dyer, Ferrari chief engineer:
“This morning, we were fairly satisfied with the performance of the car in the dry. Then, in qualifying, we found ourselves up against rapidly changing conditions and it was therefore a good result to get both cars into Q3. At that point however, we no longer had any more new soft tyres available and that cost us very dear. We therefore opted to start with a good amount of fuel on board to try and make up ground in tomorrow’s race, when I think we will nevertheless be competitive, whatever the weather. We also hope to make the most of the KERS at the start, given that the main straight is very long.”
Mark Webber (1st, Q3 - 1m 32.230s):
“This is a very special day for me. I’ve been close to getting pole a few times in the past. Today we’re here and the team has done a great job. We’ve been quick all weekend and all the teams and drivers got really tested in that session. It was very, very chaotic and to deliver the lap time when it absolutely counted was very important to me. Getting the best time is fantastic. The car is working very well here and I was talking to my engineer Ciaran all the time, asking him what we were doing, because the track conditions were so hard; it looked quite dry, but the slicks just wouldn’t take it at all. In Q2, it was really hard to read what we needed for the last ten minutes. In the end, the key for me was three clean sectors and that’s what got me pole. I called on my experience and I have a great team of people, the guys on the pit wall making the right calls for me. They can see what the other drivers are doing. We’re the best drivers in the world and we know when people are making mistakes that it’s down to the wrong tyres. So we stick to the decisions we make and believe in them and go out and do the best we can, because we know everyone’s in a bit of trouble in those conditions. A huge thanks to all the team, both here and in the factory and I hope that it can be my first win tomorrow. We’re in a fantastic position to do it. Obviously these guys (Barrichello and Button) have had a very strong season and will push us, but we’re looking forward to a fight. I’m up for trying to take my first race win tomorrow if I can.”
Sebastian Vettel (4th, Q3 - 1m 32.480s):
“Today’s qualifying was a bit of a lottery - especially in Q2, as you never knew which tyres to put on. In Q3, it was back to dry tyres, but it was very tight. The circuit was getting better through the session, but my last lap wasn’t magnificent, which is why I’m not on the front row. The car was good enough to have been up there today, but I didn’t do it. Who knows what is happening tomorrow in the race, the weather is quite unpredictable around here, so we will see.”
Christian Horner, Red Bull team principal:
“Despite the very tricky conditions, it was great for Mark to secure his first Formula One career pole and it puts him in an ideal place to start tomorrow’s race. Sebastian is on a slightly heavier fuel load, he did a very good job and it looked like he just dropped a little bit of time on the last turn. Unfortunately the two Brawns have managed to get ahead of him, so we have two Brawns in a Red Bull sandwich. I also think the McLarens are ominously placed right behind us with their KERS, so it’s going to make a very exciting race tomorrow.”
Fabrice Lom, Renault, principal engineer track support:
“I’m so, so happy for Mark, he really deserves it, he’s a good guy and a good driver. We owe him this pole position, he missed it by almost nothing in Silverstone, but here he has got it. We are very happy within Renault to be able to offer him this first pole position. For Sebastian, it’s a bit more complicated. He missed out by the smallest of margins and is fourth. I think he can have a good race tomorrow if the performance of the car is where we think it is.”
Hirohide Hamashima - Bridgestone Director of Motorsport Tyre Development
What was significant about today's running?
"Today was very interesting and what an exciting way for Mark Webber to achieve his first ever pole position. The weather was cold, and then we had the additional difficulty for making tyre choice of the rain falling during parts of qualifying too. This was a difficult day for the drivers behind the wheel and the team strategists on the pit wall, but both Red Bull and Brawn achieved good results."
What are the tyre strategy considerations for tomorrow's race?
"Anyone who is at Nurburgring will tell you that the weather is going to be the primary consideration and a lot of time tomorrow will be spent looking at the sky and wondering what will happen next. Two years ago we had a very exciting race here with very variable weather, and tomorrow we might have something similar. If it is dry and cold, then the Bridgestone super soft could be the preferred race tyre. If it is wet, then competitors will have to match their tyre choices from the Bridgestone wet, intermediate and dry tyres to the track conditions at that time. This is a very difficult task if the weather is variable, but very exciting too."
Nelson Piquet (10th, Q1 - 1m 34.803s):
“The conditions were difficult today, but I managed to deal with them well and had the right tyres at the right moments. It's a shame that I couldn't get any more out of Q3, but it's good to be in the top ten and hopefully we will be in a position to score points tomorrow."
Fernando Alonso (12th, Q2 - 1m 42.318s):
"At the start of qualifying we were quite optimistic. We were competitive in Q1 but after that Q2 became difficult for everybody as the conditions were constantly changing. Unfortunately we missed the opportunity to be in Q3, but hopefully tomorrow we can make up some positions and if it does rain that could work to our advantage. I'm quite confident for the race tomorrow."
Pat Symonds, Renault executive director of engineering:
“There is no doubt the updates on the car have improved our position this weekend. It was a very exciting qualifying session; Fernando looked extremely competitive but unfortunately spun at a critical moment and failed to make Q3. Nelson had a steady session and thoroughly deserves his position on the grid."
*Jarno Trulli (14th, Q2 - 1m 42.771s):
"The weather didn't help us at all today. It was very windy and cold, which generally doesn't suit our car, so unfortunately we were struggling to get the tyres up to the right temperature. We were still reasonably competitive so we got through Q1 without any great difficulty but then we had the rain. Towards the end of Q2 we were not on the right tyres at the right time so it wasn't possible to get into the top 10. Obviously it's frustrating to qualify in 14th because I am more used to fighting in the top six but we can only do our best in the race tomorrow and see what happens."
Timo Glock (19th, Q1 - 1m 32.423s):
"That was definitely a disappointing result and it is not what I expected for my home Grand Prix. The weather was too cold for us because since Silverstone I have struggled to get the most out of the tyres over one lap; I don't know if it is only the temperatures or something else as well. It's not clear to me why we have this issue with the tyres in qualifying but we have to work on it. It is a real pity I went out in first qualifying because after that we had the rain and I usually do really well in wet conditions. Maybe we will have some rain again tomorrow and that might give me a chance to get a decent result. We will see."
Pascal Vasselon, Toyota senior general manager chassis:
"We were certainly not expecting such a bad result. So far the weekend had been quite smooth with trouble-free sessions for both cars. The set-up was reasonably sorted but obviously we didn't manage the changeable conditions well in qualifying. Timo locked his rear wheels on his lap on the super soft tyres in Q1 and we were one lap too late with Jarno to switch to dry tyres in Q2. It was quite a bad result considering the high standards we have set so far this season but anything can happen in the race. We have prepared our set-up to cope with the possibility of bad weather and rain could again play a big part."
Nick Heidfeld (11th, Q2 - 1m 42.310s):
"It wasn't too bad in free practice, I was tenth in Q1, and also in Q2 it looked as if I could make it into the top ten qualifying. But then we just had bad luck with our tyre choice. When the intermediates were overheating I needed fresh tyres for the final run in Q2 and I was personally uncertain what to choose - another set of inters or the softer slick compound. I left the decision to the team and they went for drys. I don't blame anybody, as it is always easy to know afterwards what would have been best. However, 11th isn't too bad and we are free to choose our fuel strategy. I wouldn't mind having a wet race tomorrow."
Robert Kubica (16th, Q1 - 1m 32.190s):
"We brought some new parts to the Nürburgring and the car made some progress. Unfortunately, my car didn't react how it should. I have struggled with my car's behaviour. As early as the first free practice session I noticed that something was wrong. Although the analysed data looked strange, we do not understand in detail what is going on. We now have to understand and fix our problem."
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport director:
"It was a very strange qualifying, with the results depending on the changeable weather conditions. In Q1 Robert had to forgo his third run because of the rain and missed getting into Q2 by six hundreds of a second. For the first run in Q2 intermediates were mandatory as the track was too wet. When it dried out we gave Nick slicks for his last run, but during this lap it started raining again. Just like his team-mate, he also missed making it to the next qualifying session by one position."
Willy Rampf, BMW Sauber head of engineering:
"Taking the free practice results into account, we did not expect a lot more from Robert's qualifying. He was simply not happy with the car's balance. As usual, Nick did a good job during the rainy period of qualifying. In the crucial lap of Q2 we were unlucky as we had slick tyres on the car when it rained. Finally, we just missed Q3. The typical Eifel weather can be a crucial factor in tomorrow's race as well."
LEWIS HAMILTON
MP4-24-04
P3 programme
1m31.121s (16 laps, 1st)
Lewis ran the morning session e quipped with a full upgrade package of new floor, top-body and FW5 front wing. He completed three runs, refining the overall balance of the car and assessing the two tyre compounds. After setting the fastest time of the morning, Lewis declared himself thrilled with the potential of the new package: "The car behaves really well," he said. "It feels great to have a car that you can really push into the corners.
Qualifying
Q1 1m31.473s (4th)
Q2 1m39.149s (6th)
Q3 1m32.616s (5th overall)
An early Option-tyre run by Lewis in Q1 - before the shower affected track grip - secured his graduation to the second session with a 1m31.686s. Into Q2, he ran two slower laps on Intermediates before making a quick change to Options and recorded a 1m39.149s in the hectic dying seconds of the session. That placed him sixth. With the track steadily drying ahead of Q3, Lewis completed an early recce before bolting on another set of Options to set a 1m32.616s - finishing his run before the track reached its optimum. Nevertheless, he lines up fifth fastest for tomorrow's race.
"I'm really happy to be in Q3," said Lewis. "It's a big difference for us this year, and the team has done a fantastic job. The conditions were up and down and they did brilliantly to make sure we were on the track with the right tyres at the right time. Also, the guys back at the factory have all worked extremely hard to get the parts to the track and they have made a big difference. Unfortunately, the track got a bit better after I set my fastest lap, when it was a bit greasy, but for Heikki and me to line up sixth and fifth tomorrow is a great result for us. We're definitely in a position to fight for a podium, but trying to beat the Brawns and the Red Bulls will be difficult. The car is still a work-in-progress and there's a way to go - but this is really encouraging. I don't mind if it rains tomorrow but I'd just like a nice, smooth race!"
HEIKKI KOVALAINEN
MP4-24-03
P3 programme
1m32.742s (18 laps, 18th)
Two runs for Heikki in P3 - an eight-lap run on Primes and a five-lap stint on the Option. Equipped with a second FW5 front wing, but without the top-body and diffuser upgrades for Lewis, Heikki still found it difficult to find a comfortable balance in MP4-24 but pushed throughout the morning to refine the car to his liking.
Qualifying
Q1 1m31.881s (12th)
Q2 1m40.826s (8th)
Q3 1m33.859s (6th overall)
Heikki completed three early laps in Q1 before making a tyre-stop in the pits and completing another three laps, recording a 12th-fastest 1m31.881s. On a damp track in Q2, he spun on Inters at the exit of Turn Four but the car emerged unscathed and he was able to pit for Options, keep his head during a longer-than-anticipated stop and set a 1m40.826s - seeing him move into Q3 after a nail-biting session. For Q3, he completed two laps on the Option, finally setting a 1m33.859s to line up sixth - a fantastic effort and Heikki's best qualifying position of the season.
*Heikki said: "Today worked out better for me than expected: we can be very pleased with that. My tyre strategy worked really well this afternoon and I had the right tyres in Q2 when the conditions were at their trickiest. Thanks to the team for a superb job in a very tight situation. This result is very promising for everyone in the team and my car worked much better here than at previous races. The team has been working incredibly hard to make improvements to our car and, although I didn't have the same upgrades as Lewis today, it's really encouraging to see the step forward we've taken - we're making excellent progress. Finally, it's great to be able to produce our strongest qualifying result of the year at the home race of Mercedes-Benz - I think they've produced the best engine in Formula 1, and I hope they're proud of their results today."
MARTIN WHITMARSH
Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
"First of all, congratulations to Mercedes-Benz for having five of their engines in the top seven - what a magnificent result. Obviously, we've made a step forward and having both cars on the third row is a fine achievement. Everybody in this team has worked incredibly hard to bring these performance upgrades to the car and it's hugely gratifying for everyone that we can begin to see the results of all their efforts. Lewis and Heikki did a fantastic job in extremely difficult circumstances and Heikki's pace, in particular, was outstanding. While a position on the front row was certainly possible, our cars were not running when the track was at its fastest. Nevertheless, we must be very pleased with today's result and we look forward to tomorrow, when we feel we have the strategy to achieve another good result."
NORBERT HAUG
Vice-president, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
"We had known since yesterday that a good result would be possible at our home race. Lewis and Heikki managed to put their cars on the third row - and even more could have been possible. The team and the drivers, including Pedro, have worked extremely hard since our disappointing performance at the last race at Silverstone and we have definitely made a step in the right direction. We should be in good shape for tomorrow's race and hopefully our KERS hybrid will help us to overtake a couple of cars at the start."
Prior to today’s qualifying session for the German GP, Nico Rosberg was one of only four drivers with a 100% record of progression into final qualifying this season, a record that unfortunately lapsed today. In a rain-affected second session, the stop-start wet conditions made tyre selection difficult and the team was not able to show the genuine abilities of the FW31, with both Kazuki and Nico on the wrong tyre at the critical moments in the session. Over the race distance tomorrow, the inherent car pace should enable both drivers to progress from their starting positions. Congratulations to Mark Webber for his first pole position.
Kazuki Nakajima:
It was a difficult qualifying session today, run in tricky conditions. To get it right, you needed to have perfect timing and make the right decision with the tyres. Today we just missed that a bit and that was it. The overall order in the top 10 is a bit different, so maybe this provides some possibilities for the race. Now we will just have try to use strategy to our best advantage and see what we can achieve.
Nico Rosberg:
As long as it was dry it all went well. Qualifying one was comfortable and we were making good progress. If it had stayed dry, I think we would have been right up there. However, in the changing conditions in the second session we just didn’t get the best out of it and we will have to analyse why that was. The circumstances with the changing levels of rain made it massively difficult, but it looks like it may be the same tomorrow and I hope that the luck will run our way if the conditions are as variable.
Sam Michael, Technical Director:
It was a disappointing outcome to qualifying after a competitive morning practice and Qualifying One. We just didn't get onto the right tyre at the right time because the conditions continued to change. There is some luck involved, but that's no excuse as everyone has to cope with the same conditions and others got more out of it. We'll put our focus now on the best strategy to score points tomorrow as the car is definitely capable of that here at the Nurburgring.
Sebastien Buemi (17th, Q1 - 1m 32.251s):
“I think I could have got into Q2 if I had not got caught in traffic. Other than that, I feel we did the best we could, given we are still waiting for our car updates. We improved the car this morning and it seemed competitive in comparison with the cars we are racing against. So I must admit, I am hoping for rain tomorrow as our car should go well in wet conditions. We will just have to keep pushing and see what happens.”
Sebastien Bourdais (20th, Q1 - 1m 33.559s):
“We knew we weren’t quick enough this morning, when I was unhappy with the balance of the car, so this afternoon we tried something very different in terms of set-up, using those that Sebastien was happy with this morning. But it didn’t work out. It’s a shame the rain did not come sooner, as I think we would have been more competitive in those conditions. To be honest, it doesn’t make much difference if you’re seventeenth or twentieth and tomorrow, I will try my best and see what we can do.”
Giorgio Ascanelli, Toro Rosso technical director:
“We can be pleased that the cars have run reliably so far this weekend. We can also be pleased that last night Buemi was clever and bold enough to go back to his older style of set-up that he understands well. It was a bit late in the day, but this morning we made a step forward. This afternoon, we did not manage the traffic well. We cannot blame the rain, as it was the same for everybody and we knew what was going to happen.”
