Formula One news

'It will be difficult' - Kubica

Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld could find themselves running in tandem during the opening stages of the Turkish Grand Prix, after qualifying tenth and eleventh on the grid. The BMW team, which qualified for a highly disappointing row ten at Monaco, has seen a significant improvement from its new double-diffuser in Istanbul.

Poland's Kubica made the top ten shootout on Saturday, having been swiftly removed from the action after Q1 in Monte-Carlo a fortnight ago, as was team-mate Heidfeld who starts 11th and is the first man on the grid to be refuelled after qualifying. "Starting from P10 is definitely better than starting from P18, the way I did in Monaco," Kubica commented.

Heidfeld starts one position behind his team-mate on the grid

"However, we still lack a bit of pace compared to the top cars; the track clearly suits our car better than the Monaco track did but we really have to fight tomorrow. Although the gap to the leading cars is quite close (one second to pole winner Sebastian Vettel), there are a lot of cars between us and the front row - it will be difficult."

"I have mixed feelings about today's qualifying," added team-mate Heidfeld. "On one hand, it is annoying to miss the top ten qualifying by such a margin but on the other I'm happy to see the progress we've made - the car was quick enough for Q3; I was seventh overall before my final outing in Q2 but then I was stuck in traffic on the last sector of my out-lap. Our new aero package with the double-diffuser is obviously a step forward."

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