Whilst acknowledging that it had been ‘very encouraging' to achieve
Red Bull Racing's first-ever front row grid slot in qualifying for this weekend's British Grand Prix at
Silverstone,
Mark Webber was nevertheless keen to keep his feet on the ground by stressing that the hardest part is still to come.
The Aussie – enjoying a superb season with RBR in 2008, having scored points in six of the opening eight races to-date – actually looked as though he may pull off the unthinkable when his name shot to the top of the timing screens right at the end of the final session, outpacing the likes of defending world champion
Kimi Raikkonen in the
Ferrari and home hero
Lewis Hamilton, but he was ultimately demoted to second place by a stunning last-gasp effort from the latter's team-mate
Heikki Kovalainen in the sister McLaren-Mercedes.
Nevertheless, it was a historic result for the energy drinks-backed outfit, which is going from strength-to-strength and is currently the ‘best-of-the-rest' behind the top three teams, sitting fourth in the constructors' championship. Now, Webber maintains, the trick is to produce the same kind of performance on race day.
“It's gone really well for us today,” the 31-year-old enthused, “and to be on the front of the grid for tomorrow's race is very encouraging. The guys have worked really hard since the last race and, with the factory just down the road, there's an amazing atmosphere.
“Five per cent of the job is done, but we've got a long race ahead of us tomorrow and we're expecting to have some trouble keeping the Ferraris and McLarens behind us. We're happy for now, though – this has been coming for a while, we've shown good consistency this year and the team's done a good job.”
The Milton Keynes-based squad's team principal Christian Horner was understandably equally delighted with the showing – and confident of carrying that form over into the grand prix itself.
