European GP: Sauber Saturday qualifying notes

Nick Heidfeld and Heinz-Harald Frentzen will start tomorrow's European Grand Prix in 20th and 15th places respectively after the second qualifying session.

Nick Heidfeld:

"I have to say a big 'thank you' to my crew after they changed the engine in very little time just before the qualifying session. That was a fantastic achievement! Unfortunately, I then suffered from a technical problem with the downshift while braking for the first corner, so I didn't have a chance to make it."

Heinz-Harald Frentzen:

"I had to change to the T-car just before the qualifying. We didn't have the chance to set it up properly and I had quite a lot of understeer. But with my result we are not far away from our target for tomorrow. It's a shame for Nick. I wish we had two T-cars available!"

Peter Sauber (Team Principal):

"Today required strong nerves! After two engine problems in the warm-up, the causes of which we are still analysing, Nick's car needed an engine change and Heinz-Harald had to switch to the T-car. Due to the new regulations it's not allowed anymore to do an installation lap with the T-car. Under those circumstance Heinz-Harald's result is gratifying."

"In Nick's case we had to achieve the impossible task of changing the engine in 32 minutes. Already after 25 minutes we were able to fire it, and after 28 Nick was ready to go. This was fantastic, and a very impressive achievement. My sincere compliments to our mechanics - if only everything would go that well! Unfortunately Nick wasn't able to exploit this excellent work as an as-yet undefined hydraulic downshift problem was responsible for his spin in the first corner."

Driver (Chassis)
Heidfeld (C22-02)
No time, 20th

Frentzen (C22-03)
1:34.000s, 15th
Spare (C22-01)

-sauber-