• Australian Grand Prix

Vettel could have been even quicker

Vettel celebrates his pole position © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News:
• Vettel takes pole as Red Bull dominate
  

• Race:
• Australian Grand Prix

• Championship:
• FIA Formula One World Championship

• Drivers:
• Sebastian Vettel
• |
• Mark Webber

• Teams:
• Red Bull

• Picture Gallery:
• Australian Grand Prix Qualifying

Sebastian Vettel said he could have gone even faster in qualifying had he not made a mistake in the final sector of the lap.

Vettel pipped his Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber to pole by over a tenth of a second, despite the rear end of his car stepping out widely in turn 14. With all the cars on low fuel it was a representative display of the pecking order heading into to tomorrow's race, but Vettel warned his competitors that he could have been even faster.

"I think we did a good step into qualifying again with the car improving, and the final session was all about 'Does it start to rain or not?' I think I lost a little at the last corner into the main straight, but it was a very, very good lap. I am very happy and the result says it all.

"I am looking forward to the race, it is quite good to start in front. We don't know how messy it might get tomorrow, there is a lot happening at Albert Park, safety car, no safety car, but it's good to start in front. I am happy."

At last year's Australian Grand Prix, Vettel looked set for a second place finish until a collision with Robert Kubica in the closing stages forced him to retire. This year he is looking to redeem himself, but said he was wary about the difficulties of starting the race on a full fuel load.

"I think the main thing is to finish and see the chequered flag this time," Vettel said. "Last year we were close, only a couple of laps. Now we have a rough idea what is happening on Sunday, meaning everyone will jump in with a lot of fuel. It will be more bumpy and more difficult to control. It will be a long race."

He also said he was hoping to beat Webber on his home turf after the Australian won the German Grand Prix last year.

"I think obviously it is a great result for both of us and the team," he added. "It's Mark's home race - it's a little bit funny because last year he set the pole in Germany so it is kind of revenge."

Webber said he was pleased with result after a mistake in Bahrain's qualifying saw him end up starting from the row four.

"It went very, very well today," he said. "Seb and I are trying to find time that is probably not there, looking for lap time that is risky to get. I wasn't keen on repeating my Bahrain performance and it was a good lap, a bee's dick off pole!"

"Obviously I am not happy with order, but we had a good battle today and I will be happy in the morning when I wake up because I am in a good position to have a decent race. This place is extremely unpredictable come Sunday afternoon, not only the circuit but the changeable weather, and tomorrow is a long, long race with the possibility of safety cars and a lot of smaller teams and inexperienced drivers getting used to this type of venue. I don't think we will be finishing in the order of the top 10 we've seen today."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.