24/04/2004

Grand Prix of San Marino - Qualifying Report

Cristiano da Matta achieved his third consecutive top ten qualifying position for Panasonic Toyota Racing at Imola venue of tomorrow's first European round of the 2004 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

The 30-year-old Brazilian driver lapped in 1m21.087s while French team mate Olivier Panis (1m21.558s) will start the race three places further back.

"I am pleased to be in the top ten once again Da Matta said, but the truth is that it could have been even better. I pushed a bit too hard in sector one which cost me a couple of tenths and if you subtract that from my time I would be in the top six. For the rest of the lap the car felt very strong and confidence-inspiring and I was able to be very aggressive."

Panis also thought he might have been a few tenths faster if an electronic problem had not intervened on the warm-up lap.

"Out of Acque Minerali and up to the Variante Alta there was a glitch in the systems and I thought I was going to have no choice but to stop the car he explained. But then the electronics came back and I was able to start my flying lap but inevitably the problem is in the back of your mind and it probably affects your concentration a little bit. I'd also probably lost a bit of heat in the tyres and brakes which costs time."

Lucky Strike BAR Honda's Jenson Button (1m19.753s) managed to bring Michael Schumacher's 100% 2004 pole position record to an end outqualifying the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro driver by 0.26s. Juan Pablo Montoya (1m20.212s) was third quickest for the BMW Williams F1 Team ahead of Rubens Barrichello's Ferrari (1m20.051s) Ralf Schumacher's BMW Williams (1m20.538s) and Fernando Alonso (1m20.895s) in the first Mild Seven Renault.

Panasonic Toyota Racing's Technical Director Chassis Mike Gascoyne said: "It is good to have a car in the top ten at a circuit that has traditionally been quite a tough one for Toyota. The positive thing is that another couple of tenths would have put Cristiano into the top six and from what he says that was achievable. Imola with its uphill gradients and kerb-riding is always tough on engines and hopefully our 100% finishing record in 2004 can be extended. I think that it is a realistic aim for us to score points tomorrow."