Webber encouraged by top ten slot

"I'm actually very pleased with that," said Webber, who posted the ninth fastest time.

"We've had a bit of tricky weekend so far, so it was good to get some extra time on the track in today's third qualifying session. It's encouraging.

"It's very, very tight in the middle group and, as this is quite an easy track to over-drive, you've got to be a bit patient here, which isn't easy for guys like us!"

Webber made it into the top ten in qualifying for the third time in a row, following on from his sixth places in Monte Carlo and Canada.

Teammate David Coulthard just missed out on the top ten after having problems with the balance of his car.

Coulthard, who spun off during the first segment, admitted he was frustrated not to be able to go into the final shootout.

"That was a little bit messy," the Scot said. "I had a spin in the first qualifying section, when I lost the back end of the car at the end of the back straight. The car shifts between oversteer and understeer, depending on the corner and how aggressively you brake, so it's tricky to drive, but the pace was there to make it into the top ten.

"On the last run I picked up a couple of tenths in the first sector, but then lost it in the middle.

"It's frustrating, as if you're in one of the top three teams you know you're going to get through well, but in the competitive mid-section of the grid, you can finish anywhere between seventh and 16th."