Saturday Report – Red Bull Could Have Done Better…

The Red Bull Racing team comes out of this first qualifying session of 2008 somewhat disappointed. And with good reason, one of its drivers, who is also a native of the country, was responsible for the only red flag of the afternoon.

Webber could not do better than 14th place after a spin probably due to a brake problem. The national hero will attempt tomorrow to make an impressive comeback in front of his compatriots.

Coulthard, on the other hand, confirmed the hopes placed in the Austrian team by reaching Q3, which Räikkönen and Alonso missed. The Scotsman will start from the 4th row.

David Coulthard – 5th and 8th:

« It was difficult, especially with the first tires. I think there will be some variations in the race when the car switches between the two types of tires. We expected to get into the top 10 today, but I felt I couldn’t push too hard. »

« By going faster, the car was quite unstable on the curbs. All our focus is now on the starting grid because it will be interesting to see what happens without traction control. »

Mark Webber – 6th and 14th (Qualified 15th):

« There was a problem with the front right of the car, which isn’t good. I had a strange feeling but I had to keep accelerating because it was the qualifying session. Something broke at turn 6. I spun and went into the gravel. »

« It will be almost impossible to get into the points tomorrow under normal circumstances. It is very, very difficult to overtake on this circuit, but I will do my best. »

Christian Horner – Director:

It’s very frustrating for Mark; it looks like a brake issue. Tomorrow’s race will be long, but given his pace in the race and his free practice sessions, he’s capable of making a comeback.

« David made good progress over the first two qualifying sessions to get to Q3. He was not satisfied with the balance of the car with the last set of tires and finished eighth. He has some potential, and starting the first Grand Prix of the season in the top eight is a respectable result. »

Fabrice Lom – Renault Engine Manager:

« The car seems promising. Mark had a small problem, but David was able to demonstrate that the car is fast and that the package works well. We showed good reliability during the winter tests, so we can approach tomorrow’s race with confidence. The high temperatures will make the race very difficult, but the Renault engine is designed to cope with this heat. »