Williams were ‘very pleased’ after both Pastor Maldonado and Bruno Senna got through to the final part of qualifying in Hungary today – the first time they have achieved this all season.
In the end, Maldonado qualified eighth for tomorrow’s Hungarian Grand Prix, whilst Senna managed a season-best ninth place.
“My qualifying performance was quite good, especially in Q2, but then in Q3 I came across traffic twice,” said Maldonado, who clearly thinks he might have qualified higher if the track had been clearer. “I am happy for the team as we both did a good job to put the team near the front so it’s looking positive.
“It’s going to be a tough race here but an important one as getting points is our priority. The gaps are very close but we are both in the top ten and now we need to push for a better position in the race. We have the car and qualifying place for a good finish tomorrow.”
Senna also thinks that he might have done better in Q3 and, like Maldonado, is aiming to leave Hungary with a decent haul of points.
“It's been a good weekend so far and I'm really happy to be in the top ten for the first time this season,” said the Brazilian. “Q2 was extremely close but we were able to get through. I could have done a better lap in Q3 but I'm pleased with the result and having both cars in Q3 is great for the team.
“The car has felt consistent and our long run pace is looking good. We're in a strong position for the start of the race, so from here I'll be pushing to bring home some good points for the team.”
Chief Operations Engineer Mark Gillan said that there is threat of rain for tomorrow’s race, but praised both of his drivers for their efforts today.
“Both drivers did very well today in qualifying in what is an extremely tight and competitive grid,” he said. “We are very pleased to get both cars into the final session of qualifying for the first time this season and look forward to the race tomorrow. The forecast indicates that the race is likely to be wet and the rain could be heavy, especially towards the later stages of the race.”