2007 BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX - QUALIFYING
Honda Racing F1 Team drivers Rubens Barrichello and Jenson
Button will start tomorrow's Bahrain Grand Prix side by side
on the 8th row of the grid.
Conditions were slightly overcast for the qualifying hour
after the threat of a rain shower at the end of this morning's
free practice session. The ambient and track temperatures
remained high at 34 and 44 degrees for the start of Q1 which
Jenson and Rubens safely passed through. On the softer of
the two Bridgestone Potenza tyre compounds they improved their
lap times with each run and ended the session separated by
just 0.2s. Rubens' fastest lap was 1:33.776s, placing him
14th, while Jenson's best was 1:33.967s, placing him 16th.
In Q2 the track conditions were better as more soft-compound
rubber was laid down on the racing line, however the current
performance limitations of the RA107 prevented the drivers
from climbing higher up the starting order. Rubens' fastest
lap of 1:33.624s placed him 15th, Jenson's fastest of 1:33.731s
placed him 16th.
JENSON BUTTON
"We've qualified roughly where we have done for the past
two races, and as we have acknowledged, that is as quick as
the car goes right now. In Q1 I had a problem with the front
wing. My first option (soft) tyre run was quite good and then
during the next run on the option we lost masses of front
downforce and at every corner I was locking up the fronts.
I kept moving further rearwards on the brake bias but it didn't
really help. In Q2 we tried a different front wing but it
didn't improve things. I think we got the best from the car
again today so it's down to what we can do in the race now."
RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"This morning I had a few problems with the aerodynamic
set-up of the car but this improved a little for qualifying.
The qualifying session itself was straightforward enough but
I am getting the most from the car as it is right now and
unfortunately that is 15th position. As always we will be
looking for any possibilities to improve during the race."
JACKY EECKELAERT
Engineering Director
"Today both Jenson and Rubens achieved the best they
could with the car we have for the moment. Both cars will
start from row 8 tomorrow and with a good race strategy we
can make up some places, have a good fight with the cars around
us and hopefully target a point or two."
QUALIFYING STATS
Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice Qualifying 1 Qualifying
2 Qualifying 3
Jenson Button 7 RA107-04 P16 P16 01:33.967 P16 01:33.731 Did
not qualify
Rubens Barrichello 8 RA107-02 P18 P14 01:33.766 P15 01:33.624
Did not qualify
Weather Hot and sunny with cloudy intervals
Temperatures Air: 33-35°C Track: 38-45°C
|
