• Spanish Grand Prix - Qualifying

Vettel refuses to blame KERS

Sebastian Vettel was unable to use KERS as he attempted to take pole position © Sutton Images

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• Report:
• Webber grabs pole for dominant Red Bull
  

• Race:
• Spanish Grand Prix

• Championship:
• FIA Formula One World Championship

• Drivers:
• Sebastian Vettel

• Teams:
• Red Bull

Sebastian Vettel refused to say that KERS cost him pole position despite not being able to use the system during qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix.

Vettel set the fastest time during final practice despite having had an electrical problem that kept him in the garage for most of the session, and more issues with the Red Bull KERS returned during the second qualifying session. With KERS estimated to be worth 0.5s a lap and Vettel 0.2s off pole it appeared to prevent him from continuing his 100% qualifying record this season, but the reigning world champion said that Webber deserved pole position.

"I'm not afraid [of KERS failing] in the race, I think we will be on top of it again," Vettel said. "In the end I think it seems to be a bit of an endless story but the guys are pushing very hard, and I think we did an exceptional job today. We've proven that our car has become quicker, we had a quick base but we made it even better. So big compliments to the aero department in the factory and to all the guys.

"Yes we are working very hard on the KERS, no I didn't use it for Q2 and Q3 but I'm sure we'll have it tomorrow. It's difficult to say, it's not right to say now 'OK I didn't have KERS - that's why Mark's on pole', I think he deserved pole so he did a better job today, but sure it was not ideal."

Vettel also said he wasn't too unhappy to be second, highlighting the performance difference between Red Bull and the rest of the field.

"I don't think we can speak of big disappointments at the end of the day, I think we made a good step forward. Barcelona usually is the place where everyone brings a lot of parts and you're here to find out if all of them work. I think we did a step, so did the others, but it looks like we like this track and our car feels very comfortable."

Vettel also said that he hadn't got the most out of his flying lap in the final qualifying session, but that he was focussing on the race now that qualifying had become less important.

"In qualy itself in Q1 I didn't really get in to the rhythm immediately so it was not the smoothest run but I made it on the primes. In Q2 I felt much happier on the soft compound and unfortunately then in the last qualifying I lost a little bit too much, I wasn't entirely happy with my lap; we had some problems. So Mark did a good job, so it was between us and he did a better job today so we'll see. Tomorrow is a long race; we saved a set of tyres, so did I think the top three and Jenson as well so we'll see what we can do tomorrow."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.