Saturday: Rosberg delivers a new pole position for Mercedes
Nico Rosberg was the fastest today during the qualifying session of the Bahrain Grand Prix. The German driver secured Mercedes a second consecutive pole position in two weeks. Lewis Hamilton had a tougher time on his side and with his penalty, he will start 9th tomorrow, but he remains optimistic.
Nico Rosberg – 9th and 1st:
« For the first time this season, everything went perfectly today and it’s a very pleasant feeling. This pole position is a real boost for me and it’s a great achievement for everyone in the team. We still had work to do after yesterday’s practice sessions, and the team had a busy night to turn the situation around. Thanks to them for providing me with the fastest car today. The race tomorrow will be another story and we are aware of it. It will be difficult, especially for the rear tires, and we know that the other teams were stronger than us on the long stints on Friday. It will be a challenge to stay at the front, but starting ahead helps. »
Lewis Hamilton – 5th and 4th [9th on the grid]:
« It wasn’t the best possible day for me, but congratulations to Nico. Two consecutive pole positions for the team is great, and Nico really did a great job on track. I couldn’t find the rhythm today, and with the five-place grid penalty, we’ll have a tough challenge tomorrow starting from 9th place. But it happens, and I’ll do my best. The best chance to gain positions will be at the start, and then we’ll see what happens. Tire degradation is an important factor, so it’s going to be an interesting race. »
