• Belgian Grand Prix - Qualifying

Webber 'in the hunt'

ESPNF1 Staff
August 27, 2011 « Alonso unhappy with false position | »
Mark Webber was quickest on Saturday morning but only third in qualifying © Getty Images
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Mark Webber says that Red Bull is "in the hunt" for victory in the Belgian Grand Prix after negotiating a tricky qualifying session.

A rain shower further wetted an already damp track at the start of Q1, and from then on the circuit was constantly drying, which made being on track at the right time crucial. Webber had topped the timesheets in two of the free practice sessions, but had to settle for third on the grid behind Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton. Jenson Button ended up 13th and Fernando Alonso eighth as the weather cost them grid position, and despite being on the second row, Webber said he was satisfied to be close to the front.

"It was a close session today," Webber said. "I think I went a bit too hard on the slicks initially in Q3. I felt comfortable, and you never know if the lap you're on is the one before the weather changes. There were sprinklings of rain here and there and as soon as we finished Q3 it began to rain again, so I probably could have built up a bit slower and had a better run into the third and fourth lap.

"But, that's how it goes and we have had a smooth weekend. It's very easy in these conditions to end up out of position and we're in position, it would have been nicer to have been a slightly higher up, but the guys in front did a good job and we're in the hunt tomorrow."

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