• Chinese Grand Prix - Qualifying

Webber over-drives Q3 lap

Mark Webber was over a second slower than Nico Rosber's pole position time © Getty Images

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• Race:
• Chinese Grand Prix

• Drivers:
• Mark Webber

• Teams:
• Red Bull

Mark Webber believes he may have over-driven his lap in Q3 as he looked for more time in qualifying at Shanghai.

Having been quickest in the second session, Webber was optimistic of being competitive in the top ten shootout. However, Mercedes found a bit more pace and both Kamui Kobayashi and Kimi Raikkonen surprised to take a spot on the second row, leaving Webber to start sixth alongside Jenson Button.

Webber admitted that he didn't put together a good lap in Q3 but was optimistic of having a strong race.

"The Q2 lap wasn't bad, but I didn't get the Q3 lap together as I would have liked," Webber said. "It's a bit all over the place with pulling a lap time together on the soft tyre, but I would have liked to have finished a row further up.

"The 1m35.7 in Q2 was a good lap, but I maybe tried to eek a bit too much out in Q3. It's frustrating. We know we have a good race car, so it will be interesting to see how it unfolds tomorrow. It's very close and we'll keep pushing."

Team principal Christian Horner admitted that the result was disappointing but took heart from the fact that the grid was somewhat unusual.

"An ultimately disappointing qualifying," Horner said. "Having looked quick and competitive on the hard tyre, it was a shame for Sebastian to miss Q3 by a very small margin. Mark topped the times in Q2, but then unfortunately he couldn't repeat that lap in Q3, so we are P6 and P11 on the grid tomorrow, after Lewis' penalty. It wasn't our expectation, but the top ten has quite a different shape to it here, so it should make an interesting race."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.