Panasonic Toyota Racing F1 - The F1 Effect in Melbourne

Today's Weather: Warm and sunny, air 23-30C, track 36-42C

Summary: Safely through to Q3 and row three PROVISIONAL GRID: 6th

FP3 10th Best Lap Time: 1m 26.882s (+1.269s) Laps: 11

Q1 9th Best Lap Time: 1m 26.427s (+0.763s) Laps: 6

Q2 9th Best Lap Time: 1m 26.101s (+0.914s) Laps: 5

Q3 6th Best Lap Time: 1m 28.527s (+1.813s) Laps: 6

"Sixth place is a good start to the season so the result is satisfying. But it was quite a difficult qualifying session and I'm still not completely happy with the set-up because I wasn't able to get the most out of my lap. We've also been struggling more than we expected with the tyres here.

So I feel there is more potential to come. Our race package is good so I am positive and optimistic for tomorrow. I just hope we can do a good race. Our long runs have been strong with this car during testing so I'll cross my fingers.

 I'm really fired up for the season and confident that we can get some strong results."

Summary: Gearbox penalty costly after fine run to Q3 PROVISIONAL GRID: 14th

FP3 13th Best Lap Time: 1m 27.162s (+1.549s) Laps: 15

Q1 16th Best Lap Time: 1m 26.919s (+1.255s) Laps: 9

Q2 10th Best Lap Time: 1m 26.164s (+0.977s) Laps: 5

Q3 9th Best Lap Time: 1m 29.593s (+2.879s) Laps: 3

"That went well for my first qualifying session back in F1, and I'm happy to have made it into Q3. Unfortunately we had to change the gearbox after morning practice so that will cost me five places, but the afternoon went better.

Q1 was tight, then the red flag in Q2 disrupted the session but my last lap in Q2 was a good one. I lost a couple of tenths in turn 9 but I made it into Q3 with a really good last sector. Overall the car was good and I am quite happy with it, so it was a good job by the team."

Pascal Vasselon - Senior General Manager Chassis

"The first qualifying delivered what was expected - a lot of surprises, both bad and good. It was very exciting because at certain points it was very tight between several teams and drivers. We are quite happy with what we have achieved today. This shows we have maintained the good form from the last test session when we introduced our final race package.

But we can't be fully satisfied because the gap to the top is quite big. We also had a problem with Timo's car during this morning's practice and we had to change his gearbox. That means that despite his good performance in qualifying he will have to drop back five places. So there are still mixed feelings but thanks to both drivers who did a very good job today."

Panasonic is one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer electronics, ranked 4th on the Fortune 500 Electronics & Electrical Equipment Index. The company was founded in 1918 in Osaka, Japan, by Konosuke Matsushita and has grown from just 3 employees to nearly 330,000 people worldwide.

It now comprises over 600 companies, manufacturing and marketing over 15,000 products. These include audio/visual entertainment products, computers, semiconductors, telecommunications, industrial solutions, professional broadcast equipment, home appliances and automotive electronics.

Panasonic devotes vast resources in its global research laboratories and production divisions to successfully create and implement the cutting edge technologies of the future.  

- Toyota, Koeln - photo Bridgestone

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