From GMM
A car defect has prevented Sebastian Vettel from scoring pole position for the Turkish grand prix.
Instead, his on-form Red Bull teammate Mark Webber netted his third consecutive qualifying triumph, and on Sunday could complete a hat-trick of wins from pole.
But Vettel, with his new 'Randy Mandy' chassis at Istanbul Park, was actually quicker in Q1 and Q2, and on course for a much faster lap when his front wheel began locking under braking.
An unchanged breaking part problem translated to a half-second deficit to Webber, allowing McLaren's Lewis Hamilton to slip between the Red Bulls.
"It should easily have been a lot quicker," said the German. "I'm not the type of guy who says 'the car is broken, that's it'."
Meanwhile, Jenson Button on Saturday said he thinks McLaren has taken a step closer to the dominant Red Bull team.
Button told reporters: "In Barcelona, the gap to the Red Bulls was almost a second. Here, it's a couple of tenths.
"Red Bull's qualifying pace is what has stood out about them. If we're closer in qualifying, I think we can challenge them in the race."
Hamilton acknowledged that the Red Bulls "still have a performance advantage" over the rest of the field, and team boss Martin Whitmarsh said it showed particularly "in the all-important Turn 8".
A car defect has prevented Sebastian Vettel from scoring pole position for the Turkish grand prix.
Instead, his on-form Red Bull teammate Mark Webber netted his third consecutive qualifying triumph, and on Sunday could complete a hat-trick of wins from pole.
But Vettel, with his new 'Randy Mandy' chassis at Istanbul Park, was actually quicker in Q1 and Q2, and on course for a much faster lap when his front wheel began locking under braking.
An unchanged breaking part problem translated to a half-second deficit to Webber, allowing McLaren's Lewis Hamilton to slip between the Red Bulls.
"It should easily have been a lot quicker," said the German. "I'm not the type of guy who says 'the car is broken, that's it'."
Meanwhile, Jenson Button on Saturday said he thinks McLaren has taken a step closer to the dominant Red Bull team.
Button told reporters: "In Barcelona, the gap to the Red Bulls was almost a second. Here, it's a couple of tenths.
"Red Bull's qualifying pace is what has stood out about them. If we're closer in qualifying, I think we can challenge them in the race."
Hamilton acknowledged that the Red Bulls "still have a performance advantage" over the rest of the field, and team boss Martin Whitmarsh said it showed particularly "in the all-important Turn 8".