MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX - QUALIFYING
The AT&T Williams team endured a tough qualifying session
today that will see the team start tomorrow’s Malaysian
Grand Prix from P16 and P22. However, with the freedom to
choose fuel loads for both cars, the team has a degree of
opportunity to plan a strategy to make the best of difficult
circumstances. In addition, the climatic conditions experienced
in Australia and so far this weekend will put reliability
into sharp focus as all cars have been working under high
thermal loads for two races. With variable weather conditions
in Sepang, the potential for a wet race remains real.
Nico Rosberg:
Can’t believe how it went today. I came here from a
podium finish a few days ago and now I qualify 16th, although
I felt my last flying lap was pretty good. Our car doesn’t
seem to like the new asphalt they laid on this track at all.
It’s just too smooth and it doesn’t make our tyres
work properly, so I am just sliding everywhere. It will be
tough tomorrow starting from this position, but our car should
be better in racing conditions. And maybe some rain might
help us!
Kazuki Nakajima:
It was a difficult qualifying and because it was
tight on lap times, when I made one mistake, it stopped me
progressing into Q2. I have a grid penalty for tomorrow in
any case, so I want to have a consistent race and make sure
I finish. As far as performance is concerned, we will look
at a strategy plan to see what we can do, but it will be a
tough race.
Sam Michael, Technical Director:
It was obviously a disappointing qualifying today. This morning
we had a bad run on Nico’s car in practice with a hydraulic
leak which cost us some set-up time, but even so it would
be difficult to see how we could have made it into the top
ten and our qualifying performance needs improvement. We’ll
now look to strategy and put together the best race plan we
can to get the cars into the points.
* Kazuki will take a ten place grid penalty due to an infringement
during the last Grand Prix and will provisionally start in
P22
SEPANG, MALAYSIA
5.543 KMS / 3.444 MILES
WEATHER Storm clouds, no rain
AIR 28-290C, TRACK 35-440C
QUAL DRIVER TEAM Q1 Q2 Q3
1 F Massa Ferrari - - 1:35.748
2 K Raikkonen Ferrari - - 1:36.230
3 H Kovalainen McLaren - - 1:36.613
16 N Rosberg FW30 03–H271 AT&T WILLIAMS 1:35.843
(9th) 1:35.670 -
18* K Nakajima FW30 04-H270 AT&T WILLIAMS 1:36.388
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