13/05/2006
NEWS STORY
Team McLaren Mercedes drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya will start tomorrow's Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya from ninth and 12th position respectively. Kimi set a lap time of 1:16.015 in the third qualifying session. In the second part Juan Pablo was 12th fastest with 1:15.801 and consequently missed the opportunity to participate in the final qualifying.
Kimi Raikkonen: "We are not where we want to be. I was blocked on my first flying lap in the last qualifying session and then the next run was not a great one. We seem to be lacking qualifying pace, but will see what we can do in the race tomorrow to improve our positions as our race pace is better than our qualifying speed."
Juan Pablo Montoya: "I'm really disappointed. There was a problem when I came in to get my car refuelled and my tyres lost a lot of heat, and we should have changed to a new set. However these things happen and whilst they are frustrating we must now focus on the race tomorrow and see what we can do."
Ron Dennis: "This was a difficult qualifying. Juan Pablo's first session was interrupted by a red flag situation which cost him a set of tyres. In the second qualifying a mistake was made with his refuelling which allowed his tyres to cool off. We were marginal on time, but with the benefit of hindsight we should have changed the tyres. Kimi's final qualifying run saw him being blocked by Trulli, but his second was OK. Overall we lacked pace today, but on a positive note our race set-up seemed to be working well in this morning's practice which bode well for tomorrow."
Norbert Haug: "A disappointing result which we will have to improve on in tomorrow's race."
To check out our Barcelona qualifying gallery, click here