• Brazilian Grand Prix - Qualifying

Schumacher disappointed with eighth on grid

ESPNF1 Staff
November 6, 2010 « Alonso relying on strategy for damage limitation | »
Michael Schumacher was fast on the intermediate tyres in Q3 © Sutton Images
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Mercedes' Michael Schumacher felt he could have qualified higher than eighth at the Brazilian Grand Prix, but lost tyre temperature making way for traffic ahead of his flying lap.

Schumacher looked quick all afternoon and set the second fastest time on intermediate tyres in Q3 before all ten cars swapped to slicks for their final runs. He said his last lap was error-free but the tyres were not up to temperature.

"I am somewhat disappointed as the circumstances today were exactly as I had wished them to be," he said. "I really hoped for more from qualifying but it didn't turn out right for us. I couldn't have gone any quicker on my lap and there were no issues so the only explanation is that my tyres cooled down at the beginning when I had to leave the racing line to let Sebastian and Mark past. It's a shame that it didn't work out better today. Congratulations to Nico Hülkenberg who did a fantastic lap."

Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg failed to make Q3 and will start from 13th on the grid. He blamed Toro Rosso's Sebastien Buemi for holding him up.

"We were on for a good result in qualifying today but on the drying track, the intermediate tyres were only good for one fast lap and I was blocked by Buemi on my lap in Q2," he said. "So that was it for me and it's disappointing to qualify so far down the field when we could have taken advantage of the conditions."

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