• Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Qualifying

Mistake cost Schumacher time

ESPN Staff
November 3, 2012 « Raikkonen focused on crucial start | Massa disappointed with ninth »
Michael Schumacher: "We are not quite where we would want to have qualified" © Sutton Images
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A small mistake was to blame for Michael Schumacher's disappointing run in the second session of qualifying at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Schumacher will start from 13th on the grid in Sunday's race after setting a time 0.591s off his team-mate Nico Rosberg's pace in Q2. It was the second race in a row that he had qualified 14th on the grid but Sebastian Vettel's exclusion moves him up a place and he said he was hoping for a stronger race.

"My qualifying did not exactly go according to plan today," Schumacher said. "We changed our approach a little for the last run in Q2, and then I did not properly make use of it in the first sector and particular in turn one. So we are not quite where we would want to have qualified but I will certainly try to make the best out of my starting position tomorrow."

Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn said Schumacher was capable of more but was happy with his team's overall performance after Rosberg managed to qualify eighth - which became seventh after Vettel's exclusion.

"It was a little frustrating for Michael as a small mistake on his quick lap in Q2 prevented him from finishing higher up the field. But overall, a more positive day for where we are with the car, and we will wait to see what happens in the race tomorrow."

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