by Chris HayesSebastian Vettel emerged victorious in what is increasingly being dubbed in the Formula 1 paddock the 'Battle of the Sebs', after the Scuderia Toro Rosso driver out-qualified – by some margin – his multiple Champ Car champion team-mate Sebastien Bourdais ahead of Sunday's Australian Grand Prix.
Vettel powered his way into the top ten around the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne, eventually winding up ninth, while Bourdais failed to make it beyond Q3 after suffering a costly mistake on his last flying lap.
Vettel, who actually went quicker than David Coulthard in the sister Red Bull Racing car in Q2, was pleased to finish the day so strongly. However, technical gremlins meant that the young German was unable to take part in the top ten shoot-out.
“In one sense this was a good session as I had strong pace in Q2,” said the 20-year-old.
“I had a good lap at the end of it. Unfortunately, a technical problem meant I could not take part in Q3, but whatever happens I plan to attack to the maximum in the race.”
Bourdais, who has made the move across to F1 after dominating the American Champ Car series for the past four years, qualified 17th after getting caught out by a yellow flag in the dying seconds of Q3.
“The car felt really solid this afternoon compared to the morning when we struggled to put everything together because of the limited running I had yesterday,” commented the Frenchman.
“We made a few changes for the afternoon and I felt we were right on the money. My first run was good on the prime tyre and I was competitive.
“Then on the first set of option tyres, I had a really good lap until unfortunately I made a mistake in the second-to-last corner which ruined it. I had another try towards the end of Q1, but there was a yellow flag which cost me too much time. A shame, as I felt I could have been in Q2.”
