Webber Predicts 'Long Afternoon' for Minardi

Australian Mark Webber is looking forward to tomorrow's United States Grand Prix despite reckoning that it will be a tough race for his Minardi team.

"I am looking forward to the race for us," said Webber. "Normally, qualifying is quite difficult for us because the other teams have quite a few qualifying tweaks that they can use to help the car under one lap.

"For the race, it is not easy to overtake because we are not that quick in a straight line. We are quite quick in the corners, but it is difficult for us to be overtaking people in the straight lines. It is going to be a long afternoon."

Webber, making his Formula One debut with the Minardi team this year, completed his best qualifying performance since the French Grand Prix inb July, posting the 18th quickest time of the day ahead of Toyota's Mika Salo and his own teammate Malaysian Alex Yoong.

Yoong endured a disappointing session, crashing against the barriers after losing control of his car during a flying lap. The Malaysian, who has failed to qualify for three races this season, decided not to use the spare car and save tyres for tomorrow's race.

"Trying to go quick on the second run, I touched the grass a bit, and that was it," he said after posting the slowest time of the day. "I skid all the way to the barrier. I think the grass is a bad adding, have to change that for next year, I think.

"It does not slow the car down. I came back and thought, 'Well, I've got two more runs on new tyres,' but I comfortably qualified, so I just thought, 'Forget it and save the tyres for tomorrow's race."