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Singapore 2011 - Post qualifying press conference - Quotes from the top three finishers on Saturday

Published by Christine

Questions to the top three drivers following qualifying on Saturday in Singapore.

Pole sitter: Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull

Q: Sebastian: a fantastic performance and another pole position, your 11th of the season. How was it from where you were sitting?

"The last run I tried a little too much going into the tricky chicane around turn ten. I could have made it but I decided to abort because it's very easy to damage the car. I was quite happy with my first lap. I think it was possible to go faster. All in all, a perfect session and I'm very happy.

"Such a long lap to get everything together, but I think we learned from the mistakes we made last year in qualifying. It's great, we have both cars on the front row. Let's see tomorrow, it's a long race."

Q: Sebastian, that is 11 pole positions this season so far. Nigel Mansell has the record with 14 in a season. Are you thinking about beating that record yet?

"No, I think it was pretty exceptional. I think it was 1992 Nigel had that incredible year. We are not doing too bad this year, but I think it is wrong to start thinking about those things. We have got a long race ahead of us tomorrow. That’s where we usually score points, not in qualifying, so the focus is on the race tomorrow. But I think it shows that really every single race is another step for us and we try to focus on the moment. I think it is the most important. To get all out every single time sounds easy. We have to keep on doing what we are doing, but it is not so easy to do it every weekend. As I said tomorrow is the race and that’s where the focus is. I still believe that Nigel’s record is exceptional."

2nd place: Mark Webber - Red Bull

Q: Mark, almost a grandstand finish from yourself. You were within touching distance of Seb for two-thirds of your final qualifying lap so is this smiles for a front-row start or a frown for a pole that got away.

"I think I'm pretty happy. It's been a pretty testing venue for me in the past. Seb laid it down pretty hard and fast for all of us. He did a great job for the pole. It's pretty rare he makes a mistake... he was quick for the whole lap. To put it all together is challenging for all of us here. Overall, satisfied, giving the curveballs the team can face round here."

3rd place: Jenson Button - McLaren

Q: Jenson, you hooked it up enough by five one-thousands-of-a-second to leapfrog Lewis Hamilton. He sat in the garage while you were out doing a final qualifying run. He saved a set of tyres. You start ahead of him. What’s more important?

"All I know is that for me, the lap was good. Both my laps. If I put them both together it would have been good, but it's very difficult round here. You struggle to put all three sectors together... it's very tricky and something I've been fighting all day. I didn't get much running yesterday after facing the barrier.

"I'm pleased to be in the top three and it's a good position to be in for the race tomorrow. It's something I have no experience of as we didn't get much long fuel running in yesterday. It's going to be a challenge."

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