17/03/2007
NEWS STORY
Heikki, you're clearly frustrated not to have qualified in the top ten today. The team said that your lack of running this weekend prevented from getting the most out of the car…
Heikki Kovalainen: It's true to a degree, but it's also just an excuse because I should have done better today. I didn't get the best out of the car and even without the problems in practice, I should have been in the top ten. Hopefully it will be better tomorrow.
Did you have any problems with the car?
HK: No, the car felt good. The balance was neutral and as Fisi proved, the car was capable of much more. We are not yet on the pace of Ferrari or McLaren, but it was quicker than P13 suggests.
You were eliminated in the second round of qualifying, where pure pace is at a premium. Tell us about how the session went…
HK: It was tough – as I'd expected. I did two runs and on the first, there was a yellow flag at turn 1 so I had to back off – which maybe cost me half a second. My second run wasn't great: I made a few mistakes, and just couldn't put a full quick lap together.
Qualifying is over – and all eyes are on tomorrow's race. What are you hoping for?
HK: Something better! Today wasn't good enough, for sure, but I think the car looks good on the long runs, and the pace is consistent, so I think I can have a competitive race. I said before the weekend that scoring points was my objective, and that's still the case. I will need to make a good start, and be aggressive all the way to the finish.
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