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Chinese GP: Post Qualifying press conference

NEWS STORY
18/04/2009

Sebastian, a fantastic lap. But very last minute runs both in Q1 and Q2. Tell us about your qualifying sessions.
Sebastian Vettel: Yeah, it was always last minute. I only had one run in Q1 on the hard tyre and one run at the end of Q2 on the soft tyre and one run in Q3. Obviously, as you can see, you don't need more but it was not easy. We had a problem with the car, so we tried to run as little as possible. The car was quick as you could see and Mark did two runs in Q1 and Q2 and was always up there, so very quick, so I basically had no concerns. But still if you only have one lap and if you have any mistake, you go wide or whatever, there is no second chance and it means it is the end. It was not so easy but I am very, very happy. Unbelievable we made it to pole position in the end. Yesterday was already quite good. We had some little problems. This morning was not ideal but it seems that similar to Australia the less I run in free practice the better it is in qualifying, so I am very, very pleased, very happy for the team and especially thanks to all the mechanics as they have been working really, really hard. As I said we had some difficulties with the car and they were working basically all night, so a great job by them. Thanks.

Two brilliants laps under pressure. No mistakes on a day when many drivers were making mistakes. Talk us through that lap in Q3 and the pressure you were under.
SV: Well, I saw that everyone was observing the others for their first run and I saw the track improvement from Q2, so I was quite confident. Obviously you do not know what to expect and it is difficult when it is your first run on the higher fuel load. You cannot adapt, it has to be alright from the beginning and fortunately it was. It was a very good lap. I was extremely happy. Towards the end of the lap I felt the tyres going off but I think it was just right, so up to the last corner it was basically very good and I had a lot of grip. I am looking forward to tomorrow's race. It is a long, long race. Obviously we have the best position to start but we haven't scored any points yet. Mark did in the last race, but I think we have the car to do so, so let's hope tomorrow that the car keeps together and we have a good smooth race.

Fernando, your first front row start since the Spanish Grand Prix last year and what a weekend for Renault. Flying out that new diffuser at the last minute and problems with the fitting of the new diffuser this morning and going out basically with a car you had never driven before.
Fernando Alonso: Yeah, I think it has been a strange weekend for us with a completely new car this morning and as you said we only completed three laps this morning, so we arrived in qualifying with some doubts. It was just a blind qualifying for us and we didn't know how the car would respond but we are extremely happy with the result for sure and this is a big motivation for the whole team because they have been working flat out for weeks. Yesterday as Sebastian said, I think it was the same for many teams. The guys only slept one or two hours and after this enormous job I think you have to deliver when you are in the car. There is no time to make a mistake or do anything wrong, so I am happy with the performance today and this is all thanks to a big effort from the team.

I assume there is a lot more grip in the car now. Talk us through the moment when you felt the car for the first time and what you have been missing in the first two races and how good this car may feel to you now.
FA: Well, I think the first races were not a disaster. I think the car felt more or less okay but we were not quick enough. If you put in the car three or four tenths you move up like eight or nine places. This is what is interesting from this championship that any step forward, any new part you add to the car, it can really make a big difference in positions and we proved it today. The team improved the car and suddenly we are competitive. Obviously we need to see tomorrow with fuel loads, etc. But we went into Q3 more or less comfortable and this is something new which we did not have in the first two races.

You had the KERS system on the engine for the first two races but not here. Talk a little about that change as well.
FA: Well, I think we did some more analysis to see how the device works in some circuits and we saw that it was time to do a real test and also we had some concerns. We had problems in Malaysia with maybe the rain, there was some water in the system, and we know that is not ideal in terms of safety. For safety reasons and just to do a test we don't have KERS this race.

Mark, Renault one-two-three. You were on the pole for a little while there but a great result for you and the team.
Mark Webber: Absolutely. I think the work that has gone in, as Sebastian has touched on, from our team over the last few weeks has been incredible. It would have been nice to have both of us on the front row but Fernando did a good lap as well. The session itself was not unbeatable but I was expecting it to be a little bit tighter but we will see how the fuel loads go tomorrow. But we have done a very good job. Q2 for us was strong and the car is behaving very well with a lot of grip, so I was pretty happy.

It was not that long ago that you were on the ground with a broken leg. A fantastic achievement for you over the winter to be P3 in the Chinese Grand Prix.
MW: Yeah, that's right. It has been a very testing winter for me. I wasn't quick in winter testing either, the leg was not that straightforward to be honest and some of the other injuries I had but I had some good people around me. I have been incredibly determined to get in the best condition I can and the best shape possible to overcome the injuries that I have had to give this youngster a hard time and so far it is working and we are pushing each other hard, so it is working well.

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