I Played it Too Safe, Says Hakkinen

McLaren driver Mika Hakkinen admitted he was too conservative in Saturday's qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, and the Finn paid the price, having to start tomorrow's race from a disappointing seventh position at the circuit where he won last year.

"I'm really disappointed as the timing of our change from intermediate tyres and dry tyres was not ideal," Hakkinen said after qualifying almost five seconds behind Juan Pablo Montoya with the Williams.

"As a result I didn't have the confidence to go the limit everywhere on the circuit on my first lap with the dry tyres, which was my last opportunity to improve. I played it a little too safe and then didn't have any more laps to improve."

Teammate David Coulthard's ninth place on the grid completed a dismal day for the Woking-based team, the Scot blaming his tyre choice for his lack of pace in the dying moments of the session.

With a track that was nearly dry at the end of qualifying, the Scot went out on intermediates and was unable to move up the grid.

"Its always a bit of a lottery in these sort of weather conditions where the track is drying all the time. Sometimes it has worked to our advantage like Hockenheim last year and Brazil this year but not today," Coulthard admitted.

"I should have been out on dry tyres at the end, but with yellow flags and a car on the circuit the team didn't feel there was the time to make the change and improve. We are definitely not where we should have been. However I'm as determined as ever and my goal remains to win individual races."