Saturday: Pole for Hamilton, big disappointment for Rosberg
Feelings were mixed within the Mercedes AMG team after the qualifications in Germany. While Lewis Hamilton is thrilled to have secured pole position, Nico Rosberg is disappointed to have been eliminated in Q2 but hopes to recover in tomorrow's race.
Lewis Hamilton – 7th and 1st:
« I am very proud to put the car on pole for Mercedes-Benz today. I have been with Mercedes for a long time and it is a very good result for us to clinch the pole here in Germany. I am really thrilled, to be honest, because I have struggled since the first practice session this weekend. We were so slow this morning that we went back in terms of settings, tried to analyze everything, and worked hard to improve things. I am really thrilled with the work the engineers and mechanics have done for me, and this pole really belongs to them. But we don’t score points today and the real work will be tomorrow. It’s a shame what happened with Nico this afternoon, but hopefully, he can have a good race. »
Nico Rosberg – 2nd and 11th:
« I was really shocked when I saw the times drop in Q2 today and realized I was 11th. I didn’t see things coming and we underestimated how much the track would improve in terms of grip and lap times. I could have been on the front row today, and that’s why I’m so disappointed. It has been a tough day, but sometimes that’s how it is in motorsport. I’ll do my best to gain positions tomorrow, but it won’t be easy. »
