Mick Schumacher: “It seems like we pretty much got the maximum out of it” in Qualifying

Mick Schumacher felt he got as much out of his VF-22 as he could during Qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix on Saturday, but he could do no better than fifteenth on the grid.

The Haas F1 Team driver, who crashed during opening practice at the Suzuka International Racing Course on Friday in wet conditions, got his first dry weather running of the track only on Saturday’s final practice session, but he adapted to the track quickly and showed good pace in Qualifying.

Despite his crash on Friday, Schumacher is hoping for mixed conditions for Sunday’s race in Japan as he feels that will open up opportunities to potentially score a top ten finish.

“It seems like we pretty much got the maximum out of it,” admitted Schumacher.  “I think maybe one position more could’ve been in it, but we start the race on the clean side which might actually be better for tomorrow’s race start.

“I hope for rain, our car in the rain is pretty good and our performance in it on Friday was great, so I’m very much looking forward to some mixed conditions.”

“It’s one of those where you’re P18 but it’s hard to understand why” – Kevin Magnussen

Team-mate Kevin Magnussen found himself eliminated in Q1 on Saturday, and this left the Dane a little confused as he felt his best lap was good and mistake-free.

Magnussen was less than a tenth of a second away from advancing into Q2, but with the midfield pack being as close as it has been this weekend in Japan, his best time left him only eighteenth on the grid.

Like Schumacher, Magnussen is hoping for mixed conditions at Suzuka on Sunday to open up opportunities to potential break into the top ten for the first time since the Austrian Grand Prix in July.

“It was a pretty smooth qualifying, but I didn’t have any more in it,” revealed Magnussen.  “Mick and I have different set-ups but it was two tenths that I was behind.

“My lap was good, there were no mistakes and the car actually felt fine so it’s one of those where you’re P18 but it’s hard to understand why.

“There’s some chances of mixed weather tomorrow and in this position you hope for that.”

Kevin Magnussen was eliminated in Q1 on Saturday – Credit: Octane Photographic Ltd