Botched Pre-Qual Sets-up for Strong Qualifying Run

By Ferrari Press Release
July 10 2004

Both Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello deliberately botched their pre-qualifying runs in attempt to start the final qualifying session before any rains came.

It turned out that the antcipated bad weather stayed away from the Silverstone circuit, but both drivers were able to secure strong starting positions despite the running order. Schumacher will start fourth, next to the BAR-Honda of Jenson Button. Barrichello will start on the front row, but was narrowly robbed of his provisional pole by the much improved McLaren MP4/19B of Kimi Raikkonen.

Saturday, Qualifying 1:

Driver	Chassis	Best Time	Position
M. Schumacher	239	1:30.293	14
R. Barrichello	240	1:24.817	12

Saturday, Qualifying 2:

Driver	Chassis	Best Time	Position
M. Schumacher	239	1:18.710	4
R. Barrichello	240	1:18.305	2

Michael Schumacher (Driver):

"It was an interesting session and for strategic reasons we chose not to look too good in pre-qualifying. However, in qualifying the conditions remained much the same and I had a good lap. Of course, being second and fourth is not the ideal situation, but we will have to wait for the race to see how things work out. We know it is a long race tomorrow and our car and Bridgestone tyres are good over a race distance. Actually we were right about the rain, but the circuit seemed to be in the wrong place!"

Rubens Barrichello (Driver):

"I did run wide deliberately at Vale to get a slower time in pre-qualifying. It seemed a nicer way of doing it than just going slowly. I don’t see anything wrong with what I and many other drivers did. It is the result of the qualifying format. In a situation like this you have to be selfish and think of your strategy. I think we need to make the format better. I am happy with my second place, although my car started to slide in the final sector which is where I lost pole. I think I can have a very strong race as the car is good on full tanks and the Bridgestone tyres are performing well."

Ross Brawn (Technical Director):

"Pre-qualifying was affected by the weather forecast, in so much as we were expecting rain that did not come in the end. As expected, qualifying itself was a close fight. We are satisfied with the performance of our Bridgestone tyres and of our cars, with one on the front row and the other on the second. When looking at today’s result, a question mark hangs over the levels of fuel of the various cars. The weather is another uncertain factor for tomorrow. Our primary aim will be to pick up important points for both championships."

Jean Todt (General Director): "Our weather forecast predicted rain for the second half of the qualifying session, therefore we did not want to risk being among the last out on track. We tried to do it in such a way that the other teams would not understand our intentions, but they did the same thing anyway. I think we have a slight tyre performance advantage over a distance and so we will keep that in mind as we work on tomorrow’s race. I think we will see a very close and exciting race, specially as the forecast is for unsettled weather."

Saturday, Free Practice 3:

Driver	Chassis	Best Time	Position	Laps
M. Schumacher	239	1:19.571	3	11
R. Barrichello	240	1:19.585	4	8

Saturday, Free Practice 4:

Driver	Chassis	Best Time	Position	Laps
M. Schumacher	239	1:18.951	8	8
R. Barrichello	240	1:18.623	3	13

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