News
24th May 2014, 18:20
Daniel Ricciardo on why Red Bull have a genuine shot at victory on Sunday; Jenson Button on having no excuses for missing Q3, even if traffic hindered him; Romain Grosjean on why Monaco plays to Lotus's weaknesses.
The drivers plus senior paddock personnel offer their feedback on an engrossing, highly-charged Monaco qualifying session...
McLaren
Kevin Magnussen (8th, Q3 - 1:17.555)
"I'm not completely happy to be starting eighth, but we pretty much got the best out of what we had; maybe seventh would have been possible - at a push. It's always a challenge to hook up the perfect lap around here - and it never really feel like you succeed. This is a street circuit, and it's bumpy, with barriers and walls right at the apex, so you make little mistakes and corrections, and always feel like you could have got a little closer to the barriers.
"Nonetheless, the car felt really good, it's just frustrating when you see the lap times, because it feels like we should be higher up. We can be reasonably happy with today. Tomorrow, we need a good launch, a good first lap, and to stay out of trouble - then maybe we can score some solid points."
Jenson Button (12th, Q2 - 1:17.988)
"On the first lap of my final run in Q2, I came across one of the Toro Rossos at the Swimming Pool. I don't think he initially saw me, then he tried to back out of the corner, but there wasn't enough room for two cars into the second part of that particular part of the circuit. It's a pity; the pace was there in Q1, but I didn't get a lap together in Q2. No excuses.
"The race will be tough starting from 12th position - the tyres last so long around here, so it could end up being quite processional. Maybe somebody will be brave and try some moves and make the race a bit of fun. Let's see if that upsets the order. I'm not hoping for rain on Sunday; no driver likes the wet around here, especially with these tyres - you can't get enough temperature into them. For everybody's sake, I think it'll be better if it's dry tomorrow. It's going to be a tough race for me, but I'll see what I can do."
Eric Boullier, McLaren racing director
"Getting one car into the top eight was what we were realistically expecting today - and Kevin did a great job to do just that. He's driven with great assurance all weekend, made no mistakes, and pulled it all together when it mattered. Jenson was unfortunate in Q2 - he'd been working on some balance issues all weekend, and couldn't quite get rid of them. He was unlucky on his final run - he didn't get a lap in when the tyres were at their best, and he just missed the cut.
"Our focus now turns to tomorrow, and maximising our chances of scoring points with both cars. A circuit like this can always throw up surprises, so we'll be aiming to have clean races with both drivers, establishing Kevin in the top 10, and helping Jenson move into the points. Both drivers have shown great consistency and pace all weekend, and they're both capable of mopping up places tomorrow. It'll be a long and eventful race."
Sauber
Adrian Sutil (18th, Q1 - 1:18.745)
"It was a disappointing qualifying. The first run was quite good. We just had bad luck with the two yellow flags at the end of the first qualifying session. It is a shame, but that can happen in Monaco. We were not able to show what could have been possible. We now have to look forward. The race is long and everything can happen. I am looking forward and I hope to get the most out of the car."
Esteban Gutierrez (17th, Q1 - 1:18.741)
"It was not a positive qualifying for the team, so we cannot be happy with today's outcome. We are on the edge of getting into Q2, so every minor incident on track is affecting us massively. Today it was a big challenge to find a clean lap. Bringing the tyres up to temperature took a few laps, which was not ideal either. We need to analyse the data and see what exactly happened. Regarding the race, we all know that it is hard to overtake in Monaco. However, a good start can bring us closer to the front. During the race we have to take any chances that we get."
Monisha Kaltenborn, Sauber team principal
"That was a disappointing qualifying for us. Neither driver was really satisfied with the set-up of the car. If other circumstances present themselves, such as the yellow flags at the end of the session, this is the outcome. There is no doubt that this will be a difficult race for us. We need to focus on our work and have to make the best out of this situation."
Giampaolo Dall
More... (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2014/5/15872.html)
The drivers plus senior paddock personnel offer their feedback on an engrossing, highly-charged Monaco qualifying session...
McLaren
Kevin Magnussen (8th, Q3 - 1:17.555)
"I'm not completely happy to be starting eighth, but we pretty much got the best out of what we had; maybe seventh would have been possible - at a push. It's always a challenge to hook up the perfect lap around here - and it never really feel like you succeed. This is a street circuit, and it's bumpy, with barriers and walls right at the apex, so you make little mistakes and corrections, and always feel like you could have got a little closer to the barriers.
"Nonetheless, the car felt really good, it's just frustrating when you see the lap times, because it feels like we should be higher up. We can be reasonably happy with today. Tomorrow, we need a good launch, a good first lap, and to stay out of trouble - then maybe we can score some solid points."
Jenson Button (12th, Q2 - 1:17.988)
"On the first lap of my final run in Q2, I came across one of the Toro Rossos at the Swimming Pool. I don't think he initially saw me, then he tried to back out of the corner, but there wasn't enough room for two cars into the second part of that particular part of the circuit. It's a pity; the pace was there in Q1, but I didn't get a lap together in Q2. No excuses.
"The race will be tough starting from 12th position - the tyres last so long around here, so it could end up being quite processional. Maybe somebody will be brave and try some moves and make the race a bit of fun. Let's see if that upsets the order. I'm not hoping for rain on Sunday; no driver likes the wet around here, especially with these tyres - you can't get enough temperature into them. For everybody's sake, I think it'll be better if it's dry tomorrow. It's going to be a tough race for me, but I'll see what I can do."
Eric Boullier, McLaren racing director
"Getting one car into the top eight was what we were realistically expecting today - and Kevin did a great job to do just that. He's driven with great assurance all weekend, made no mistakes, and pulled it all together when it mattered. Jenson was unfortunate in Q2 - he'd been working on some balance issues all weekend, and couldn't quite get rid of them. He was unlucky on his final run - he didn't get a lap in when the tyres were at their best, and he just missed the cut.
"Our focus now turns to tomorrow, and maximising our chances of scoring points with both cars. A circuit like this can always throw up surprises, so we'll be aiming to have clean races with both drivers, establishing Kevin in the top 10, and helping Jenson move into the points. Both drivers have shown great consistency and pace all weekend, and they're both capable of mopping up places tomorrow. It'll be a long and eventful race."
Sauber
Adrian Sutil (18th, Q1 - 1:18.745)
"It was a disappointing qualifying. The first run was quite good. We just had bad luck with the two yellow flags at the end of the first qualifying session. It is a shame, but that can happen in Monaco. We were not able to show what could have been possible. We now have to look forward. The race is long and everything can happen. I am looking forward and I hope to get the most out of the car."
Esteban Gutierrez (17th, Q1 - 1:18.741)
"It was not a positive qualifying for the team, so we cannot be happy with today's outcome. We are on the edge of getting into Q2, so every minor incident on track is affecting us massively. Today it was a big challenge to find a clean lap. Bringing the tyres up to temperature took a few laps, which was not ideal either. We need to analyse the data and see what exactly happened. Regarding the race, we all know that it is hard to overtake in Monaco. However, a good start can bring us closer to the front. During the race we have to take any chances that we get."
Monisha Kaltenborn, Sauber team principal
"That was a disappointing qualifying for us. Neither driver was really satisfied with the set-up of the car. If other circumstances present themselves, such as the yellow flags at the end of the session, this is the outcome. There is no doubt that this will be a difficult race for us. We need to focus on our work and have to make the best out of this situation."
Giampaolo Dall
More... (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2014/5/15872.html)