McLaren Italian GP - Monza qualifying report

“A good chance to get our first one-two of 2011 tomorrow”

LEWIS HAMILTON

“Clearly, we’re very competitive – Jenson and I both qualified in the top three – but Seb [Vettel] was mega-quick today. In Q1 and Q2 we were pretty close to him, but he pulled out another half-second in Q3. It was an extremely good lap.

Pole winner Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing, second place Lewis Hamilton, McLaren Mercedes, third place Jenson Button, McLaren Mercedes

Photo by: xpb.cc

“Still, I’m happy to be starting on the front row – after Spa it gives me another opportunity to be right up there in the race and to bag a lot of points. Above all, I want to finish, of course; but I reckon I can get a good start from where I am, and, if there’s an chance to get into the lead, I’ll take it.

“We’ve improved all weekend, and second and third is a good result for the team. In fact, we have a good chance to get our first one-two of 2011 tomorrow – I’m optimistic.”

JENSON BUTTON

“I was pretty happy with my first run in Q3, but I thought I’d be able to squeeze another tenth or so out of my final run. But, on my second attempt, I went a tenth down in the first sector and never really caught that up for the remainder of the lap, so I aborted it.

Jenson Button, McLaren Mercedes

Photo by: xpb.cc

“Third is usually a pretty good place to start – it’s on the clean side of the track – but around here it can be pretty tough to find a way past the first two cars on the run down to the first corner. But we’re focused on tomorrow, the team is in a good position, and we can definitely score some good points.

“I think we’ve correctly chosen the appropriate drag and downforce levels, and the right gearing too, so we should be happy with the work we’ve done so far this weekend.

“I don’t think Red Bull will have it all their own way tomorrow. I think we’ll be in the mix, which is what the fans want to see.”

They’re both great racers, so that’s what they’ll both be aiming to do

Martin Whitmarsh

MARTIN WHITMARSH - Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

“It probably sounds a bit churlish for me to say that we’re a little disappointed today – because second and third is a pretty decent result when all’s said and done – but our car is performing very well here and it would have been nice if we could have bagged pole position.

“Lewis and Jenson had each posted a good, fast lap in Q3 – but, in their efforts to improve, pushing to the limit, they both made small mistakes in the first half of their laps, losing time in the process. We therefore elected to abort both their laps.

“So second and third it was, and second and third it is. As I say, pole position would have added the icing on the cake, but the reality is that, in P2 and P3, Lewis and Jenson are both very well placed to win tomorrow’s race.

“They’re both great racers, so that’s what they’ll both be aiming to do.”

LEWIS HAMILTON - MP4-26A-01

P3
4th - 1m23.741s (+0.571s) 17 laps
Qualifying
Q1 1st - 1m23.976s (on Primes)
Q2 3rd - 1m23.172s (on Options)
Q3 2nd overall - 1m22.725s (on Options)