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European GP: Post Qualifying press conference

NEWS STORY
26/06/2010

Sebastian, congratulations. Fastest man in final practice, quickest man in Q1, Q2 and when it counts, in Q3. And as the team said on the radio 'Welcome Back'.
Sebastian Vettel: Yeah, it is good. The last couple of races we didn't have a very smooth run. Saturdays usually we were quite okay but then Sundays sometimes was a bit rough but it is good. Those types of circuits, Canada the last time and then here again Valencia in Spain, usually shouldn't be our strongest but it is good that we are able to put the car on pole and I think our pace is looking good. It was a tight qualifying session in the end. Not much between us all. I had two runs. In the first run I had a huge moment in the first sector and I knew I had to put everything in the second run and it worked and yeah, I am on pole and very happy for today. I think it was a very tough one here especially as we re-introduced the F-duct and a lot of other things to the car and I think some of the mechanics had maybe one hour or two hours this night to sleep, so it is good to say thank you that way and put the cars on one and two.

On the subject of the F-duct, just how much difference did it make? Was that the difference between third or fourth and pole?
SV: I think it isn't that big probably but we feel the difference. We can see how much you can gain with these guys. I think they are using it pretty much to the optimum but we are just learning every single lap, every run, and yesterday we were not quite happy but I think we did another step overnight, so everyone here at the track and people at the factory were basically all the time in front of the monitors trying to see how we can fine tune it and make it better and I think today it worked better, so also due to that we are in a very good position to start tomorrow's race.

Mark, I think it is the fourth time this season that Red Bull have had a one-two and locked out the front row. So little in it between you and Sebastian. Are you happy to be alongside him or not?
Mark Webber: Well, I would like it to be the other way around, but you can't do it all the time, so very happy to be on the front row with Seb. It is a credit to the team. Everyone came here and said Red Bull are this, Red Bull are that, but today we have had a good day. It is not one of our strongest circuits. If you think where you would have a race against your opposition we probably wouldn't choose this one but let's see how tomorrow goes. I am very optimistic that we are going to have a good race. Could have gone one place better but I wasn't quick enough today. I am not going to roll-out a shopping list of excuses. I just wasn't good enough, so second is all I could do.

Does it take some of the pressure off when you come to a race maybe not as the favourites but people saying McLaren and Ferrari are going to be stronger? Do you feel less pressure when you go out?
MW: No, but there is actually more pressure on those guys as they expect to be winning World Championships. For us guys it is new territory but it is normal for those teams, Ferrari and McLaren, to be pushing very hard and saying they are going to do this and do that which is what they have done. McLaren have been sensational the last two races. Two dominant one-twos, so the fight is healthy. There is no more pressure on our team than anyone else, so just focussing on getting the job done.

Lewis, third on the grid. Talk us through that final lap. You were in contention but not for all of it.
Lewis Hamilton: I tell you that I am really happy to be here. I feel so fortunate. This weekend we knew that everyone else, a few people, were going to be bringing updates and we saw from practice that we were quite a way behind, so a little bit cautious going into...., obviously pushing on the limit, but we didn't realise we were so far up. My first lap was good. The second lap I was doing at the end I was up about a tenth-and-a-half I think through the first sector and then I lost it all into turn 12, locked up the rears and locked up the rears again later in the lap. Initially I thought 'jees, for sure I am going to drop back quite far here' but I was really surprised when I came out and I was third, so really, really happy.

With the race pace which tends to be quite good for McLaren is a top two possible? Can you go on and win from here?
LH: I think definitely it is going to be an interesting race tomorrow. It is going to be interesting how we manage the tyres and how they behave. I think they will behave a little bit better than the last race. But I think anything is possible from there. We are all in hopefully a good position to start. I cannot complain where we are starting from. Pit stops will be crucial. Hopefully we will get some good pit stops and the first corner and the first few laps will be crucial for position. Anything is possible tomorrow and we will be pushing as hard as we can to win it.

Sebastian, a lot of people will be watching the start with interest. Not just turn one but the tight right hander at turn two. Your team-mate could be right alongside you. It could be absolutely imperative to get through that unscathed.
SV: Yeah, there is a good escape road at turn two but obviously you are not very keen on using that. Pole is the best place to start from. It is also on the clean side, so I think that was quite important but still I think all of the cars have been recently quite consistent with good starts, so it is probably easier to get it wrong rather than get it right. But so far our starts have been very good. I am looking forward and hopefully defend the first position, the first corner, the first lap, and many more, so we will see.

Press Conference

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