Lack of grip costs Kubica Q3 place

While teammate Nick Heidfeld managed to make it into the top ten, qualifying eighth, the disappointed Pole failed to unlock the potential of the softer tyres and will start 13th on the grid - his worst starting position of the season.

"This is obviously not the best position for tomorrow's race," said Kubica. "This is the second weekend in a row that I have been struggling with the overall grip of the car.

"Starting from so far behind will make the race very difficult for me."

Team principal Mario Theissen added: "Traditionally on this track the time differences in qualifying are very close. Sometimes five or six cars are within one tenth of a second.

"A driver who is not able to fully exploit the potential there and then will find himself on the back of the grid. We are not happy with our result and, especially for Robert, the situation is not easy for the race.

"He has been suffering from lack of grip throughout the whole weekend, and we did not completely solve the problem in qualifying."

Heidfeld was much happier with his car having out-qualified the Canadian Grand Prix winner for the fifth time this season.

"Qualifying was okay for me," he said. "In Q3 I thought in the end I could have improved more than the three tenths of a second I managed from the harder to the softer compound, but I have to say it was a good lap and I just couldn't do any better.

"I really hope for a good race tomorrow."