Mark Webber claims first F1 pole in Germany

Mark Webber has made the most of difficult conditions in qualifying at the German Grand Prix to claim his first ever Formula One pole position. The Australian finished ahead of the Brawn GP duo of Rubens Barichello (2nd) and, championship leader, Jenson Button (3rd). Webber’s Red Bull Racing teammate, Sebastien Vettel, qualified in fourth.

Webber, clearly elated at starting from P1 says he will be trying hard to win his maiden Grand Prix tomorrow, “I’ve been close to getting pole a few times in the past. Today we’re here and the team has done a great job.

“A huge thanks to all the team, both here and in the factory and I hope that it can be my first win tomorrow. We’re in a fantastic position to do it. Obviously these guys (Barrichello and Button) have had a very strong season and will push us, but we’re looking forward to a fight. I’m up for trying to take my first race win tomorrow if I can.”

More driver quotes can be accessed at Formula1.com.

I’m sure I speak for all AUSmotive readers when I say best of luck to car #14 for tomorrow’s race. To celebrate Webber’s pole position click below to complete a 14-pic image gallery from Webber in practice and qualifying this weekend.

ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR!

MARK’S FIRST POLE POSITION

Car 14 MARK WEBBER, POLE POSITION
“This is a very special day for me. I’ve been close to getting pole a few times in the past. Today we’re here and the team has done a great job. We’ve been quick all weekend and all the teams and drivers got really tested in that session. It was very, very chaotic and to deliver the lap time when it absolutely counted was very important to me. Getting the best time is fantastic. The car is working very well here and I was talking to my engineer Ciaran all the time, asking him what we were doing, because the track conditions were so hard; it looked quite dry, but the slicks just wouldn’t take it at all. In Q2, it was really hard to read what we needed for the last ten minutes. In the end, the key for me was three clean sectors and that’s what got me pole. I called on my experience and I have a great team of people, the guys on the pit wall making the right calls for me. They can see what the other drivers are doing. We’re the best drivers in the world and we know when people are making mistakes that it’s down to the wrong tyres. So we stick to the decisions we make and believe in them and go out and do the best we can, because we know everyone’s in a bit of trouble in those conditions. A huge thanks to all the team, both here and in the factory and I hope that it can be my first win tomorrow. We’re in a fantastic position to do it. Obviously these guys (Barrichello and Button) have had a very strong season and will push us, but we’re looking forward to a fight. I’m up for trying to take my first race win tomorrow if I can.”

Car 15 SEBASTIAN VETTEL, Position 4th
“Today’s qualifying was a bit of a lottery – especially in Q2, as you never knew which tyres to put on. In Q3, it was back to dry tyres, but it was very tight. The circuit was getting better through the session, but my last lap wasn’t magnificent, which is why I’m not on the front row. The car was good enough to have been up there today, but I didn’t do it. Who knows what is happening tomorrow in the race, the weather is quite unpredictable around here, so we will see.”

CHRISTIAN HORNER, Team Principal
“Despite the very tricky conditions, it was great for Mark to secure his first Formula One career pole and it puts him in an ideal place to start tomorrow’s race. Sebastian is on a slightly heavier fuel load, he did a very good job and it looked like he just dropped a little bit of time on the last turn. Unfortunately the two Brawns have managed to get ahead of him, so we have two Brawns in a Red Bull sandwich. I also think the McLarens are ominously placed right behind us with their KERS, so it’s going to make a very exciting race tomorrow.”

FABRICE LOM, Renault, Principal Engineer Track Support
“I’m so, so happy for Mark, he really deserves it, he’s a good guy and a good driver. We owe him this pole position, he missed it by almost nothing in Silverstone, but here he has got it. We are very happy within Renault to be able to offer him this first pole
position. For Sebastian, it’s a bit more complicated. He missed out by the smallest of margins and is fourth. I think he can have a good race tomorrow if the performance of the car is where we think it is.”

Photos: Getty Images, via Red Bull Racing