Verstappen Satisfied with Qualifying Showing

The Minardi team endured a disappointing first qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix, with both their drivers struggling with their cars.

Dutchman Jos Verstappen was the quickest of the Minardi drivers, outqualifying Danish teammate Nicola Kiesa by almost 1.5 seconds. Verstappen himself, however, was more than 1.5 seconds off the pace of the car in front of him, the Jordan of Giancarlo Fisichella.

Despite his pace, Verstappen was pleased with his lap.

"The chassis balance was pretty good right from the start of the morning session, and all in all, I think we did some useful work today," said Verstappen. "As far as the qualifying run this afternoon was concerned, I think we did a good job with what we had.

"I was on the harder compound tyre compared with my teammate, as I felt it was the better option in high-speed corners, and this is very much a high-speed circuit. The car was at the maximum, sliding through the corners, and that is as it should be in qualifying."

Kiesa, driving at Suzuka for the first time, struggled to get to grips with the Japanese circuit and finished almost six seconds off the pace.

"It has been a hard day, as this is a difficult circuit to learn," said Kiesa. "My qualifying lap was okay until I locked up the right front wheel braking for the last chicane and lost quite a bit of time. We made solid progress this morning, however, and we've got a good race car."