F1 Yeongam - SAT - Qualifying - Lewis Hamilton 4th, Jenson Button 7th

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Yeongam, Republic of Korea, Oct 23, 2010

Expecting more - but looking positive for tomorrow

LEWIS HAMILTON
- MP4-25A-02
- P3 programme: 2nd, 1m37.402s (+0.048s), 16 laps
- Qualifying:
- Q1: 1st, 1m37.113s (on Primes)
- Q2: 4th, 1m36.197s (on Options)
- Q3: 4th, 1m36.062s (on Options)

�The team made a phenomenal effort to get all the new parts to the track for this race, and everybody has done a fantastic job at the track all weekend. We were very quick in practice, so I don�t know where the Red Bulls found an extra half a second in Q3.


�Still, it�s important to remember that we�re still in the fight: we make good starts, and there are some long straights here, which should suit us. I feel that we�re competitive - the car is the best it�s ever been and our long runs are strong.

�We just need to do the best we can with what we have - we can�t ask any more of the guys back at the factory, or the guys here, and I don�t think I could have asked for any more from me. So, yes, we can still have a very good race tomorrow.�

JENSON BUTTON
- MP4-25A-01
- P3 programme: 7th, 1m38.419s (+1.065s), 15 laps
- Qualifying:
- Q1: 10th, 1m38.123s (on Primes)
- Q2: 7th, 1m37.064s (on Options)
- Q3: 7th, 1m36.731s (on Options)

�Yesterday and this morning I was very happy with the car; the balance was extremely good and we were looking strong. This afternoon I couldn�t get the tyres up to temperature and struggled a bit with locking fronts and rears.

�I didn�t have enough grip and couldn�t find enough pace. It�s going to be a bit tough tomorrow, whatever the weather does.

�But the good news is that I�ll be starting from the clean side of the grid, and there are a couple of long straights after the first corner, so it�ll be a fun first lap!�

MARTIN WHITMARSH
Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

�The conditions in qualifying today were pretty challenging - low-grip Tarmac combined with low-ish track temperatures - and as a result it was difficult to get the tyres up to optimal operating temperature fast enough. Both our drivers drove sensibly and well to get safely through to Q3 � and, once there, we elected to give them each two single-lap runs.

�They both drove very good laps � but as things turned out it wasn�t easy to nail a time on a single lap. However, we�re very positive about tomorrow�s race. We�ve got a very good race car, with strong straight-line speed, and as a result both Jenson and Lewis will be able to drive attacking races.�


















* Official photos and details courtesy of VODAFONE MCLAREN MERCEDES *

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