Heidfeld Pleased with Qualifying Performance

German Nick Heidfeld was pleased with his performance in today's final qualifying for the United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis.

"I'm happier with my lap today than I was with yesterday's in comparable conditions," said the Sauber driver after posting the 13th quickest time of the day. "The car felt better balanced.

"Unfortunately the tyres had begun to grain before the end of my lap, otherwise I could have finished in front of Villeneuve."

Heidfeld, who on Friday had to completed his flying lap in the wet, outqualified his German teammate Heinz-Harald Frentzen after the veteran driver made some mistakes on his lap. Frentzen wound up 15th.

"I must confess that this was not one of my best laps," admitted Frentzen. "I lost my line a bit in Turn Six and went slightly off track. It was quite slippery, and the incident naturally cost me some time. We are nevertheless within our target, but it is still annoying, of course.

"We changed the car quite a bit for qualifying, and it is set up well for the race."