Belgian GP Saturday McLaren notes

BELGIAN GRAND PRIX 1998 -- QUALIFYING

Chassis Numbers: Mika Hakkinen: MP4 -- 13 / 05 David Coulthard: MP4 -- 13 / 07 T. Car: MP4 - 13 / 03

The West McLaren Mercedes team took their twelfth pole position of the season today making a total of nine poles for Mika and the same number of all West McLaren Mercedes front rows. The first two positions are split for tomorrow's race by sixteen hundredths of a second with Mika leading David with a time of 1:48.682 to 1:48 845.

MIKA HAKKINEN 'I really enjoyed today's qualifying it was a very exciting session and this is a great track on which to really push the car. When I went out for my last run I didn't know if I was going to be able to beat David's time but I just went flat out and I was fortunate to end up in first place. I think today's performance continues to show the team's strength and potential.'

DAVID COULTHARD 'Of course it is a bit disappointing to have led all through the session and to have lost pole position on the final run but it is always good to be on the front row of the grid. I know exactly where I lost the time; I was up on the lap in my final run and tried to sneak a bit more curb going into the bus-stop, unfortunately though it didn't work out. That said , we have got the car working well here and it means you can play with the car and it makes it a great adventure. This is one of the qualifying session you would like to go on and on.'

RON DENNIS 'The results say it all. We are now focused on tomorrow's race.'

NORBERT HAUG 'That was the best qualifying performance we have had as a team so far. A year ago we re-signed both Mika and David over this weekend and Spa 1998 proves that we all, the team the chassis, the engine and the drivers have improved during the intervening year.'