Austrian GP Saturday Sauber notes

Jean Alesi: This is a fantastic result for the team! The car was good in the dry this morning, and again in the wet this afternoon. We found a good set-up in free practice, and to be honest, I did't change too much on the car even for the wet qualifying. I statrted on full wets for my first run, then changed to intermediates for my last as the conditions improved. Then it was just a question of staying out and doing my very best.

I'm quite confident for tomorrow's race, whether it is wet or dry, because our car is getting better and better. Especially after the session this morning, I think we are well prepared. And starting from the front row of the grid will be a big bonus.

Johnny Herbert: When I went out for my last run I knew that Jean was already on a fast lap so I kept looking for him in the mirrors ready to let him go by. Eventually he came past but by then the temperature in my tyres had dropped because I was running slowly, and that made me run wide in the first corner on my flying lap. That in turn put me on to the wet section of track, which dropped the temperature of the intermediates further, so I couldn't improve. It was a real shame, because the car had been very good on my first run, when I was eigth just ahead of him. But in the circumstances it was important to be a team player, and I'd like to congratulate Jean on a great performance, and the team on its first front-row grid position.

Peter Sauber: Second place on the grid is a fantastic result, both for Jean and for the team. And it is a just reward for all the hard work which we have invested over the past months. With hindsight, our original tyre choice for Johnny's penultimate and ultimately decisive run was a mistake, so he had to stop for intermediates near the end. He rejoined just ahead of Jean, and sportingly let him past. It cannot have been an easy decision for him to make, because in doing so he willingly sacrified his own chance of a good grid position. In this light our front row start is all the more a real team result.

Weather: Wet.