McLaren Blame Tyre Choice for Lack of Pace

The McLaren team blamed their tyre choice for their poor showing in today's qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

"The ambient temperature dropped significantly lower than we anticipated and our Friday qualifying tyre choice has subsequently proven to be incorrect," said team principal Ron Dennis after qualifying.

"Tomorrow should be a hotter day which will help, but of course our grid positions are going to hamper our overall race performance. However despite the outcome of today we believe that the strong performances from Silverstone and Germany will continue for the remainder of this season's races."

McLaren drivers Finn Kimi Raikkonen and Briton David Coulthard will begin from 10th and 12th respectively after struggling for pace at the overcast Hungaroring circuit. Raikkonen, last year's runner-up in the Championship, was also hoping tomorrow's conditions will benefit them.

"Obviously we are not where we wanted to be as following this morning's practice we were expecting to qualify in the top five," admitted Raikkonen. "I didn't really get the set-up perfect and was sliding too much, but hopefully the conditions will be more to our advantage tomorrow.

"It will be a difficult race, but I qualified seventh last year and finished second, so anything can happen."