Jaguar benefits from weather chaos

"We had a bit of help from the man upstairs today and donations of that kind are always greatly received," said technical director Gary Anderson. "It was all about timing really. We decided to go with the main bunch soon after the start of qualifying because the threat of heavy rain was about. As it turned out, we timed it well. If we keep our noses clean, we can expect a competitive race."

"I think we've been a bit lucky," said Eddie Irvine, who qualified tenth. "You've got to be bit cautious in the wet because it's difficult to know before you arrive at the corner how much grip there'll be. I was unlucky to hit traffic in the middle session, but I can't complain overall. Considering the weather conditions, this is a great result."

Herbert outqualified Irvine for only the second time this season and will start eighth. He was relieved to secure such a promising starting position for his final German Grand Prix, especially after a difficult morning practice session.

"It's nice to have a change of luck," he said. "Even this morning I had problems with water pressure which lost me some preparation time, but the rain arrived at the right time for us during qualifying. Our strategy was the same as everyone's at the start, go out early, get a lap in the bank, and see what the weather was going to do. It paid off so I'm pleased with the position and looking forward to the race tomorrow."

Earlier this week, Herbert announced his decision to quit Formula One for the CART Championship Series at the end of the season.