Austrian GP 1998 - Qualifying, Comments

Drivers

Jean Alesi

"This is a fantastic result for the team! The car was good in the dry
this morning, and again in the wet this afternoon. We found a good set-up
in free practice, and to be honest, I did't change too much on the car even
for the wet qualifying. I statred on full wets for my first run, then
changed to intermediates for my last as the conditions improved. Then it
was just a question of staying out and doing my very best. I'm quite
confident for tomorrow's race, whether it is wet or dry, ecause our car is
getting better and better. Especially after the session this morning, I
think we are well prepared. And starting from the front row of the grid
will be a big bonus."


Rubens Barrichello

"It was a complete lottery out there. On my last lap I was four tenths
up on the previous lap in the first sector before I got held up by traffic.
I guess I might have been looking at second or third. But overall, if I
take a step back and recognise that in those conditions, you have to be
running at the right time like we were, we have done extremely well. We
have moved from 16th in the morning to qualify fifth and that takes some
doing in any conditions. I'm absolutely overjoyed for the whole team, it
was a superb effort by everybody today. I'm looking forward to being at the
sharp end of the grid for the race."


David Coulthard

"I didn't manage to do a time in the qualifying session today partly
because initially I had difficulty getting the intermediates to come in and
then I kept locking the rear axle on the entry to the corners. Finally, I
ran wide on my way round my last full timed lap. So, that kind of
performance puts me fourteenth on the grid."


Pedro Diniz

"It was tricky session, as it was very wet and slippery. The balance
of the car was good and I was using wet tyres, but I was penalised because
I could not run the last 2 laps of the session because of traffic. I think
our car and engine are well suited for this track and I look forward to the
race tomorrow."


Giancarlo Fisichella

"I had been hoping for dry conditions and was quite worried at the
beginning of qualifying because it was raining so much. My target was to be
in the first three rows, but now I am on pole I have to change my opinion
of wet conditions. Let's hope it rains tomorrow too! I started the session
on wet tyres and my engineers asked if I would like to change after my
first run, but we decided to stick with the wets and it was the right
choice for the best lap. It will be a difficult race tomorrow, but I would
really like to get on the podium and gain some more points."


Mika Hakkinen

"The conditions were more difficult than I had expected them to be
especially as it was so very slippery. Therefore, it was hard to find the
confidence under braking as it was so easy to loose the rear end. As for
tomorrow, it is always difficult to overtake but I shall be aiming for a
win."


Johnny Herbert

"When I went out for my last run I knew that Jean was already on a
fast lap so I kept looking for him in the mirrors ready to let him go by.
Eventually he came past but by then the temperature in my tyres had dropped
because I was running slowly, and that made me run wide in the first corner
on my flying lap. That in turn put me on to the wet section of track, which
dropped the temperature of the intermediates further, so I couldn't
improve. It was a real shame, because the car had been very good on my
first run, when I was eigth just ahead of him. But in the circumstances it
was important to be a team player, and I'd like to congratulate Jean on a
great performance, and the team on its first front-row grid position."


Damon Hill

"I am very disappointed as we missed a great opportunity today. You
really have to finish your laps just as the session is ending - that is the
first rule of wet-weather qualifying - and we did not do that. I finished a
good few minutes before the end of the session which meant I was not able
to show what we could do. I think we could have been in the top four, so it
is hugely frustrating.

The decision to go out earlier on in the session for two timed laps was
fine. I wanted to see what the conditions were like and how the car felt.
There was a slight chance it might rain harder again afterwards, so that
decision was absolutely fine as it did not cost me anything and might have
proved fortuitous. After that I decided to go out on intermediate tyres
which was going to require all the laps I had left to get them up to
temperature. What we miscalculated was when to go out for the second time;
I just went too early. I need to discuss this with the team as we really
need to get these things right. Starting from 15th on the grid means it
will be difficult to score points, although not impossible, but since we
are so desperate for points we really need to make better use of the
opportunities like today's."


Eddie Irvine

"We were too indecisive today. I should have gone out on intermediates
at the end, but for these tyres to work you have to do several laps on
them. Going out on them early would have been a gamble. In the end, we left
it too late to run intermediates and I had to use wets. With this grid it
will be very interesting tomorrow and race tactics will be the deciding
factor."


Michael Schumacher

"We had planned to stay on wets, but then we saw other drivers
improving their times on intermediates. We therefore decided to fit the
same. This took some time as we changed the settings and I therefore went
out too late and could not get the best time out of the car. I am not
worried about starting from the second row with Mika beside me, but both of
us will have to get to the front. A good start will be important."


Shinji Nakano

"My engine turned off just 9 minutes before the end of the qualifying
hour and I still had not gained my qualifying time. So I jumped out of my
car and I ran to the box to take the T-car. I had to do my best in the two
laps I had left and I got made it at the very last lap."


Olivier Panis

"But the team put in some excellent work to make sure the car was
adapted to the wet track, and to my style of driving. I feel that I really
gave it my best. Perhaps I came off the track too soon. If I had taken a
break and finished my last laps a little later, I think I would have
improved my time. In fact, I reckon I could even have climbed up to fifth
or sixth position. Having said that, I am delighted to be setting off from
the fifth line on the starting grid tomorrow. Both Jarno and I must put up
a real fight in order to get good results."


Ricardo Rosset

"My first two laps out of the pits were really bad. The car was
oversteering very strongly and we were struggling with traction. There were
rivers of water running across the circuit in places and it was a major
achievement just to keep the car pointing in the right direction. It was
very, very difficult out there. I was as high as 15th on the timing screens
at one point, which was good, but then the surface began to dry and quite a
few drivers when quicker. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough laps left to
take advantage of the rapidly improving conditions. Like Tora, I hope it
will be a dry race."


Ralf Schumacher

"We simply went out too early. By the time the circuit was better, my
tyres were no longer good enough to put in a quick time. We made a mistake
in our strategy, but it is a gamble, and sometimes you wait too long,
sometimes you go too early. This time we got it wrong, so next time we will
know better. I do not think it looks too bad for the race as I am confident
that Salo and Barrichello will not be able to keep their positions."


Mika Salo

"I took it easy for the first 8 laps, getting used to the difficult
track conditions and then I just went for it. I felt that I was even
quicker on my last lap, but I had to deal with traffic on the circuit, so
had to abandon my attempt to improve on my 6th position. We were struggling
with our set-up earlier on, but the car performed well in the wet."


Toranosuke Takagi

"It was a very difficult afternoon. I was caught out by the puddles
and the changing surface camber at Turn One on my first run out of the pits
and punctured a rear tyre as a result. I returned to the pits and after the
mechanics had checked my car over, we went back out for a longer run in the
hope that the track would begin to dry. Late in the session it did, and the
team called me in for a change to intermediate tyres. That allowed me to
improve my time slightly, but not as much as I felt we could have. Still, I
think we have come up with a good set-up for the race so I will be hoping
for dry weather tomorrow."


Jarno Trulli

"In terms of strategy, I agree with Olivier that we could have come
off the track a little later. The circuit was a little drier in the last
seconds of the session, and that would have allowed me to record a better
result. It's a real pity because I clocked some excellent times during the
free-trials yesterday. In any case, I feel I really should have placed in
the first ten. Having said that, this is the first time that I have had to
complete a qualifying round in the rain, and I don't think I did too
badly."


Esteban Tuero

"At the beginning of the qualifying session, the track conditions were
very bad, therefore we waited half an hour before going out of the box.
Anyway, the track was getting better lap after lap, therefore I asked
through the radio how many laps I had still to go, because I knew that the
last would be the fastest. In fact, I gained my qualifying time on my 9th
lap."


Jos Verstappen

"If I had been told yesterday that I would qualify 12th I would have
been pleased. However with the conditions the way they were and the circuit
getting drier all the time, it was a matter of being on the track at the
right time. If I had gone out for my final run one or two minutes later I
could have been in the top 10 for sure. I'm confident for the race and
today's qualifying almost guarantees an interesting Sunday."


Alexander Wurz

"Firstly I must congratulate Giancarlo on a fantastic job. In my case
things didn't go so well. I had a lot of traffic on my last lap which
prevented me getting a good time. Seventeenth place is very disappointing
and I shall concentrate on doing my best in the race tomorrow."


Teams

Arrows

Tom Walkinshaw, Team Owner
"This is a splendid result for the entire team who have worked
tirelessly trying to find the ideal set up of the car for today's
qualifying. I am delighted with the performance of our new C-type engine,
which showed great promise during our test at Monza the previous week.
Here's to a good result in tomorrow's race!"


Benetton

Pat Symonds, Technical Director
"Obviously in conditions like this a awful lot of luck comes in to it.
Having said that, I think the team worked absolutely superbly with the
drivers today. The timing was perfect. It was carefully calculated and they
managed to get Giancarlo over the line with ten seconds to go. Alexander
got stuck in traffic which was very unfortunate, as four seconds in not a
true reflection of the difference between the cars."

David Richards, Team Chef
"When the flag came out, Giancarlo was the last guy to cross the line
as the track continued to dry out. That was down to some excellent team
work which enabled us to get the timing exactly right. This was a combined
result: great driving and superb team work!"

Alan Perman, Engineer of Giancarlo Fisichella
"To start with it was too wet to risk going out on intermediates, so
we sent Giancarlo out on the full wets to have a look. It was our plan to
leave him out there to record a qualifying time. Then we brought him in for
a second set of full wet tyres. As luck would have it, he crossed the line
with three seconds to go before the flag came out, and the track conditions
were still improving, so he was able to claim his first pole position.
Fantastic! The car also looks quite good in the wet, so regardless of the
weather tomorrow, we can say that we are quite confident about a good
result."


Bridgestone

Hirohide Hamashima, Technical Director
"Thanks to Giancarlo, we have managed to maintain our 100 per cent
unbeaten pole position record for the 1998 season, and we are most
encouraged that we again showed that we are superior in the wet. Giancarlo
was quick from beginning to end, which is an encouraging sign for the race.
I believe we have enough data from this morning's dry session to enable us
to set the cars up for a dry track tomorrow."


Ferrari

Jean Todt, Managing Director
"We could have done better. Tyre choice for the second run was very
difficult as track conditions were changing all the time. This is a very
different grid to the usual one. Tomorrow, we will try and make up some
places and have a good race."


Jordan

Eddie Jordan, Team Owner
"We had a great chance to do a good job but we went too early."


McLaren

Ron Dennis, Team Chef
"I am very disappointed not to be on pole. It was something we could
have achieved if it had not been for the traffic which Mika encountered on
his last lap. David made a mistake which has given him a very difficult
grid position, but in these conditions if you don't try you don't
succeed."

Norbert Haug, Sporting Director Mercedes Benz
"It was a very good drive by Mika and he is ahead of Michael
Schumacher under the same circumstances, both on intermediate tyres. David
unfortunately went wide on his last quick lap, which ruined his lap time. I
am pleased for Giancarlo, who was a good competitor in the DTM days, as
well as for the Benetton guys who deserved the pole. A very good job from
Jean Alesi and the Sauber team too. We should be in good shape for the
race."


Mecachrome

Jean Yves Hou, Media Representative
"Today saw the first pole position of the season for the
Mecachrome/Playlife engine and Benetton. As with any other success, it took
several elements: tyres, engine and the team's own strategy of staying on
full wet tyres instead of switching to intermediates. Today maximum power
counted for less than it normally would have done, but one of the great
assets of this engine, instituted from the beginning by Renault, is its
driveability. In today's wet conditions, that has paid off."


Minardi

Trevor Knowles, Ford Coswort Support Engineer
"The failure of Shinji's engine was due to a problem with the drive by
wire."

Gustav Brunner, Technical Director
"Today's qualifying were quite difficult, mostly for Nakano. In fact,
after a problem with his car, Shinji managed to catch his qualifier on the
last lap with the T-car. It was not easy work in such bad track conditions
with a car he had just taken. The driver proved his 'saing froid'. Same is
true for Esteban, who gained a good result anyway."


Prost

Alain Prost, Team Owner
"Olivier turned in a very good result, and Jarno a less good one.
Given the weather conditions, maybe we should have been finishing our last
laps during the last few seconds of the session. We could have left the
pits a little later. But then again, the rain always adds an element of
chance. Overall, I think that we adopted the right strategy. We opted
straight away for wet-circuit tyres and we did our 12 laps all in one go. I
am very pleased that Olvier came in 10th, but disappointed for Jarno
because his place is up there among the top ten, too."


Sauber

Peter Sauber, Team Owner
"Second place on the grid is a fantastic result, both for Jean and for
the team. And it is a just reward for all the hard work which we have
invested over the past months. With hindsight, our original tyre choice for
Johnny's penultimate and ultimately decisive run was a mistake, so he had
to stop for intermediates near the end. He rejoined just ahead of Jean, and
sportingly let him past. It cannot have been an easy decision for him to
make, because in doing so he willingly sacrified his own chance of a good
grid position. In this light our front row start is all the more a real
team result."


Stewart

Paul Stewart, Managing Director
"Naturally I'm pleased with our performance today. It was a solid team
effort in judging when to be out and to make sure we were running right at
the end of the session. The wet conditions worked well for us but
regardless of the weather, we always felt we were capable of at least a top
10 position in qualifying based on our 5th place in Friday's practice.
Rubens was looking at an even higher spot but was held up by another car on
his last lap. I guess that's the luck of the draw. Jos was a little
unfortunate with his strategy but despite not being able to take full
advantage of the drying track, he was running as high as third at one point
towards the end. He also did a good job today."

Alan Jankins, Technical Director
"We have been working hard at achieving a better balance between the
aerodynamic and mechanical set-up of the car. These qualities are important
in both wet and dry conditions and the car is working much better than, for
example, the British Grand Prix. Even though we did not get a good run on
new tyres and low fuel this morning, we have a good dry set-up and
Bridgestone look like having good tyres for the race whatever the
conditions."

Martin Whitaker, Ford European Director of Motorsport
"It goes without saying that the key to a good grid position was to be
on your quickest lap at the very end of the session. Rubens was very close
but caught traffic, however his penultimate lap was good enough for fifth -
the same start position as last year. Jos finished a little earlier than
the optimum and his position (12th) reflects that. Though the conditions
played such a major role this afternoon we were still confident of a top
ten start and competitive running in the dry this weekend is encouraging
for the race. Both drivers used the Series 5 engines today and will race it
for the first time tomorrow."

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