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Adrian starts from P2
Hamilton got Pole with his final lap
After a thrilling qualifying session Adrian will start tomorrow the Italian Grand Prix at P2!
He was just 0.195 seconds after Lewis Hamilton, who will start from Pole Position.
Adrian had started the day strongly with the fastest time in the morning’s free practice. He then followed this with a solid Q1 performance, securing the 7th fastest time. He made just two runs in Q2, finishing with the fourth best lap to ease into Q3 for the second time this year. Adrian completed just three laps in Q3, setting his quickest time on his final lap to secure a career-best second position and an all Mercedes engine front row.
Adrian:
After the results yesterday and this morning, we wanted to fight for the pole position. We knew the car was up to it and that’s what we showed in qualifying today. We have a great package, this circuit suits us very well as we have an incredible top speed and also a good downforce package so the efficiency of the car is really good. I’m starting on the front row with Lewis for the first time since F3 and I’m really happy he is next to me, he’s a good friend but we will fight hard for it. I have a lot of respect for him. It’s going to be very difficult start with the KERS cars around me but the race is long, I’ll do what I have to to defend my position and have a good strategy. If the race pace is OK we can gain positions and even if they get past me I have a good, fast car on the straights so it’s going to be tight.
Adrian's new team mate Tonio Liuzzi progressed to Q2 thanks to the 8th quickest lap. His best lap of Q2, a 1:23.207, was just shy of Adrian’s best for 5th position - and allowed Tonio through to Q3. A great performance on his debut then enabled the 28-year-old Italian to capture his highest-ever starting position of 7th.
Dominic Harlow, chief race engineer
Today’s Qualifying session showed that Spa was not merely a one-off but that we are genuinely competitive. Both drivers and everyone in the team have done a really excellent job so far this weekend and have put us in a strong position for tomorrow’s race.
Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and managing director
I’m absolutely delighted with this weekend’s performance so far. We’ve been very strong all weekend and both drivers have been outstanding. Adrian has really showed a great maturity to achieve his best-ever starting position, while Tonio has been a revelation on his debut. Although qualifying is just one part of the equation we are feeling quite upbeat about tomorrow’s race now.
He was just 0.195 seconds after Lewis Hamilton, who will start from Pole Position.
Adrian had started the day strongly with the fastest time in the morning’s free practice. He then followed this with a solid Q1 performance, securing the 7th fastest time. He made just two runs in Q2, finishing with the fourth best lap to ease into Q3 for the second time this year. Adrian completed just three laps in Q3, setting his quickest time on his final lap to secure a career-best second position and an all Mercedes engine front row.
Adrian:
After the results yesterday and this morning, we wanted to fight for the pole position. We knew the car was up to it and that’s what we showed in qualifying today. We have a great package, this circuit suits us very well as we have an incredible top speed and also a good downforce package so the efficiency of the car is really good. I’m starting on the front row with Lewis for the first time since F3 and I’m really happy he is next to me, he’s a good friend but we will fight hard for it. I have a lot of respect for him. It’s going to be very difficult start with the KERS cars around me but the race is long, I’ll do what I have to to defend my position and have a good strategy. If the race pace is OK we can gain positions and even if they get past me I have a good, fast car on the straights so it’s going to be tight.
Adrian's new team mate Tonio Liuzzi progressed to Q2 thanks to the 8th quickest lap. His best lap of Q2, a 1:23.207, was just shy of Adrian’s best for 5th position - and allowed Tonio through to Q3. A great performance on his debut then enabled the 28-year-old Italian to capture his highest-ever starting position of 7th.
Dominic Harlow, chief race engineer
Today’s Qualifying session showed that Spa was not merely a one-off but that we are genuinely competitive. Both drivers and everyone in the team have done a really excellent job so far this weekend and have put us in a strong position for tomorrow’s race.
Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and managing director
I’m absolutely delighted with this weekend’s performance so far. We’ve been very strong all weekend and both drivers have been outstanding. Adrian has really showed a great maturity to achieve his best-ever starting position, while Tonio has been a revelation on his debut. Although qualifying is just one part of the equation we are feeling quite upbeat about tomorrow’s race now.
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