• European Grand Prix - Qualifying

Schumacher blames brakes and tyres for poor showing

Valencia was Michael Schumacher's worst performance of the year © Getty Images

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• News:
• Rosberg says qualifying session was compromised
  
• Report:
• Vettel takes pole in Valencia
  

• Race:
• European Grand Prix

• Championship:
• FIA Formula One World Championship

• Drivers:
• Michael Schumacher

• Teams:
• Mercedes

Michael Schumacher blamed brake and tyres issues for his worst qualifying performance of the season at the European Grand Prix in Valencia.

Schumacher ended up 15th on the grid - 0.6 seconds off team-mate Nico Rosberg in 12th - after nearly missing the cut for Q2. He had been struggling all weekend for single-lap pace and said the problems came to a head in qualifying

"Basically, there were two factors," Schumacher said. "One was that we had a general issue with the tyres just not working, as in Canada and on top of this, I had a so-called difficulty with the brakes. I was locking up the front right permanently and the car seemed to be unloaded at the front right corner. I don't understand why that happened. It's something we need to get on top of, because it made it extra difficult when we already had a barrier to climb over."

Despite the poor performance he was adamant that Mercedes latest updates, including a blown diffuser, had improved the car and that his race pace would be better.

"I'm sure there's some disappointment, naturally," said Schumacher. "We are fighters. We know the business long enough that you have those up and downs, you have those moments that for whatever reason you don't understand things.

"We clearly have improved the car. The guys have worked hard and they have worked very well. This is very clear and obvious, because when we put more fuel in the car we were actually looking strong - it was the same in Canada. But, it doesn't help if you qualify where we qualified and then have to race from there. It's going to be a difficult afternoon tomorrow."

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