F1 News
Date: 21/July/2012
It wasn’t fun, but F1 World Championship leader Fernando Alonso claimed his second pole position of the season in a rain-soaked conclusion to qualifying for the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim.
After a dry start, a heavy shower doused the circuit during qualifying two, with the final top-ten shootout taking place on a saturated track.
Visibility was heavily restricted due to the clouds of spray thrown up by the cars, while pools of standing water provided a constant aquaplaning threat.
“Not fun, that’s for sure,” said Ferrari star Alonso. “I think the problem is that you don’t know the track conditions. It’s very difficult to put a clean lap together and very easy to finish in the gravel, the grass or the wall.
“Those type of conditions are a little bit of a survival moment. You try to complete the lap, to avoid any problems, and then whatever the position is you are happy, because you felt that you were at the maximum.
“So when they tell you, you are on pole, it’s obviously a very happy moment.”
Despite the difficulties, Alonso finished qualifying with a best lap time 0.4s ahead of Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel. Alonso credited a late tyre change for providing some of that advantage.
“I think it was a very good decision, because as soon as I put on the second set of wet tyres on, I found a little bit more grip in the car,” said the Spaniard. “I'm happy with the strategy today and I think it was the right call.”
Home hero Vettel didn’t follow the same tactic, but also admitted he didn’t get the most out of the car.
“Potentially Fernando’s [tyre] strategy was a little bit quicker - but nevertheless I think I could have gone a little bit quicker myself,” said the reigning double world champion. “Whether it would have been quick enough, we’ll never know.”
As he is being constantly reminded, Vettel will be fighting for a long-awaited first ever home win on Sunday. The 25-year-old is making few predications, although he does foresee a dry race.
“I think it should be dry,” he said. “Obviously I grew up more or less in this area and usually July is a nice month weather-wise.
“I hope for a good race tomorrow. With the weather conditions changing so much you can’t really test one thing against another. But I think the speed is there, we just need to find out how the car works best.
“Obviously now we can’t change anything, but I think the changes we’ve made should be a step forward, especially in the dry.”
Alonso leads the championship by 13-points over fellow double 2012 winner Mark Webber, whose team-mate Vettel is 29-points from the top in third.
Webber qualified third on Saturday, but will start eighth due to a penalty.
The Australian said of qualifying: “It was a challenge for us. There was extremely heavy aquaplaning, so when the cars are having wheelspin at 280km/h it certainly gets your attention.
“But in the end I was happy with my lap; happy to be up there again. Obviously every position I gained was better against the penalty that I have for the gearbox change - but eighth is still OK, we can race from there.”
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