Q & A with Sebastian Vettel

The RB5s are no longer among the very fastest in a straight line, prompting rumours that the team has detune them to preserve them.

After qualifying ninth, Sebastian Vettel spoke to the press and AUTOSPORT was there.

Q. How disappointed are you with qualifying?

Sebastian Vettel: I'm not happy. The rain came a bit late for us - perhaps it might have helped us in qualifying. Maybe tomorrow, why not?

Q. How is the peak power of the engine? You weren't very fast through the speed traps.

SV: I don't think so - I don't know what speed traps you were looking at, but we were there or thereabouts. It's not a disaster. I don't think we have a problem with the engine. All the weekend has been a little bit difficult, although obviously qualifying was better than practice, but the intention was to be higher up the grid.

Q. Is rain your only hope for tomorrow?

SV: It's a long race. First of all you've got to manage the first corner and then you see. Anything can happen. Look at the last race: Rubens started fourth and lost everything on the first lap, more or less. You just have to look after yourself, although obviously being on the front row is better than being in ninth or tenth.

Q. Everybody expected Monza to be a very good circuit for the Red Bull car.

SV: I don't think it's as bad as it probably looks now. Qualifying - it just wasn't our day, maybe. As you can see, the times are very close so there isn't a lot missing.

Q. How satisfied are you with your own performance today?

SV: I had one lap where I was pretty happy, although in the last corner I made a bit of a mistake. But it wasn't a huge mistake and it wouldn't have made a big difference. We don't have one corner or one place where we are losing. Overall I'm quite happy with the car. There are three cars ahead of us with KERS, and these days the cars are very close to each other, so if you have a device that gives you three to four tenths it's a big step.

On the other hand, you have to bring everything together; if you're a little bit off yourself, and you don't get the maximum out of yourself, very quickly you lose two or three tenths. And if you sum it up, you're more or less there.