British GP Ferrari qualifying notes

Eighth pole position of the season for Ferrari and for Michael Schumacher. This is the first time that Michael has been quickest in qualifying at this circuit, while it is the Scuderia's 13th British Grand Prix pole.

Michael Schumacher
"This was a difficult and interesting session as everyone waited for almost half an hour before leaving the pits. This meant there was not much time to get in the four runs and improve the car. This was complicated by the fact we had no dry running this morning. Then the timing monitors failed and although we knew the lap times, we could not see the sector times which can be useful in analysing where we need to improve. So it was quite an exciting session. We made small changes to the car before each run, to suit the track and the conditions. It's good to be on pole as it is an advantage and although we are in a strong position in the championship, there are still seventy points available this season. As for the race, I don't really mind what conditions we have, but I would prefer a dry race which is more consistent and safer and I hope it is entertaining for the spectators."

Rubens Barrichello
"It was a very difficult session. But as we all went out a bit late in the hope that track conditions would improve, it was predictable that there would be a lot of traffic for the last two runs. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened. Bernoldi, who was on his in lap blocked me twice, which prevented me from improving my time. It's a real shame, because I had a well balanced car. Tomorrow's race will be difficult, given that I am starting from the third row. The uncertainty over the weather could make for an action packed afternoon."

Ross Brawn
"It was an exciting last twenty minutes, ending with another great pole for Michael. We made some changes to the car last night, but obviously we had no opportunity to try them in the dry before qualifying. In fact, the balance of the car is still not perfect, but it is something we can work on now for tomorrow's race. Rubens just seemed to hit traffic, which was a shame as he was happy with the car. He just didn't find a clear lap. As for the race, the weather will be a big factor, but I am not worried if it rains because the Bridgestone tyres have an advantage in these conditions. The race should be between us and McLaren and also Jordan."

Jean Todt
"I am happy with this great qualifying performance from Michael, which is the first time he has been on pole in Silverstone and it is also our eighth pole of the season. The result is particularly pleasing as it has been achieved on what is the home track for our main rivals. I am disappointed about Rubens' position, as it is not a true reflection of what he was doing. Unfortunately, traffic prevented him from improving on his third and fourth runs. It will be a very tough race tomorrow. The changeable weather will make choosing the right strategy even more difficult than usual."

-Ferrari