Button's Misfortune Hands Schumacher Surprise Pole
By Ferrari Press Release (8/5/2004)
May 9 2004
Michael Schumacher claimed pole position number 59 at Barcelona on Saturday and will start the Spanish GP from the P1 slot for the fifth successive year. His Ferrari team-mate, Rubens Barrichello, will be beginning the race from P5.
Michael Schumacher:
"I would have preferred to have been further down the running order for the final qualifying session as the track was getting a lot quicker towards the end, so being about halfway down the pre- qualifying order was not ideal. Towards the end of the lap, I knew I had a very good first and second sector time, so in the final sector I made sure I was safe, especially as it is very easy to make a mistake at Turn 10. But in the end it was a very, very good lap."
"It was also a bit of a surprise to be honest, but I am happy to take pole. It has been difficult to set up the car, mainly because of the wind changing direction. Regarding the modifications at Turn 10, I think a good job has been done from the safety point of view and it might also provide the possibility to overtake as you can put someone under pressure at this corner and maybe they make a mistake."
Rubens Barrichello:
"All in all, it was an average qualifying. Along with the team, we still have a little bit of work to do for tomorrow's race, but I feel there is every possibility of getting a good result. We know that we can rely on our Bridgestone tyres to provide a consistent level of performance over a long distance and this factor will play a part in the outcome of the race."
Jean Todt:
"A fantastic pole position for Michael and a wonderful basis from which to start his 200th Grand Prix. As for Rubens, he produced a good performance and starting from the third row means he has every possibility to do well. Obviously, when trying to draw conclusions from the qualifying result we have to take into account the fuel levels and tyre types chosen by our rivals. In our case, we know we can count on good consistency from the Bridgestone tyres. Tomorrow, as usual, reliability, strategy and the rate of tyre degradation will be key factors. Having said that, all the elements are in place for Ferrari to aim for a great result."
Ross Brawn:
"I think we can expect a very exciting race with Montoya alongside Michael on the front row, especially in the opening laps. It will certainly add something to the expectations of this Spanish Grand Prix and I think that a lot of people will now want to watch it, both here and on television. From what we have seen, our rivals' tyres are very quick over one lap and then degrade somewhat, while ours are very consistent."
"For Michael it will be important not to lose ground in the opening part of the race. If he manages it, he can control the pace, otherwise it will be a very hard fight. Starting from the third row, Rubens will have to be very patient. His car is well balanced and it will be possible for him to get a good result."