McLaren Relying on Race Strategy

McLaren are relying on their race strategy to gain places in tomorrow's Australian Grand Prix following a disappointing qualifying session.

"Whilst David's small off didn't help the situation neither driver had the pace needed to be competitive," team boss Ron Dennis said. "However our race strategy should give us better finishing places than we are currently occupying on the grid."

Last year's race winner David Coulthard, due to be replaced at McLaren by Williams rival Juan Pablo Montoya next season, blew his qualifying lap when he skewed wide on the final corner and bumped over the grass runoff. The Scot ended up 12th on the grid.

"Today's two qualifying sessions made it difficult to see where everybody will be in the race pace wise as some of the variations in times between the two runs were surprising," said Coulthard. "Obviously from our point of view we were struggling to get the anticipated performance out of the car.

"In my last run at the last corner I went wide and whilst it might have looked spectacular on the TV, I don't think I damaged the car too much as I went on the grass."

In a disappointing afternoon for championship contenders McLaren, Finn Kimi Raikkonen could only set the 10th fastest time, almost two seconds off the pace set by World Champion Michael Schumacher.

"Obviously today's qualifying is disappointing particular since the car doesn't feel too bad, but we were just slow," said the Finn. "I didn't do a perfect lap but it was OK and we were still not quick enough.

"We obviously can't make any changes overnight so we will see what happens in the race tomorrow and hope we gain places by being on a different strategy."