Formula One news

A lack of grip for McLaren

The McLaren team, challengers for both titles last year, starts the first race of the 2009 season with a best qualifying position of fourteenth place. Both cars got through to the second phase of qualiyfing, only for Heikki Kovalainen to travel slowest of the runners and Lewis Hamilton to sit out all together with a gearbox problem, which could lead to a further penalty.

"In Q1 the gearbox problem for Lewis prevented him from setting as quick a time as he might otherwise have been able to," Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh explained. "So at least he got through to Q2, even though he was unable to take part in it. Heikki's first quick lap in Q2 was solid and his next fast lap was quicker in sectors one and two, but unfortunately not quicker in sector three so he therefore missed out on getting through to Q3 by less than half a second."

Despite 14th on the starting grid, Kovalainen is optimistic heading towards Sunday's race: "The car's overall balance was good, but we just don't have enough grip at the moment to make the best use of it. The team has worked so hard, and we have made progress over the past few weeks so it gives us all a lot of hope that we will get back to the front before too long."

Hamilton, with his ability to easily carve through traffic, should have the opportunity to put it to the ultimate test during the race he starts from the front side of the eighth row. However, if the team has to change his gearbox this will result in a standard 5-place grid penalty. "The team will look at the problem tonight and I'm determined to drive an attacking race - we'll have some fun tomorrow," Lewis confirmed. "My congratulations to Jenson and everyone at Brawn GP - they have done a fantastic job all weekend and have a lot to look forward to tomorrow."

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