GPI 2017 Russian Grand Prix | Page 180

QUALIFYING REPORT Beaming from ear-to-ear, Vettel summed up his afternoon, “I had a good start to the session and was feeling reasonably comfortable. I lost a bit of rhythm in Q2 and then in Q3 the first run was not really tidy and I left it to the end. I knew it would be tight, I knew I would be the first one crossing the line. I got Valtteri’s time and he did not manage to improve and when I got the message I had got it I was over the moon. “If you have a rhythm here it feels fantastic. I am glad I got it back. It is great to have both cars on the front row but it is only part of the job done. In qualifying Mercedes have been very, very strong. I am sure it will be very close in the race. Especially over the long run. We will see but for now are full, of joy. We are back, at least if you talk about the front row,” added Vettel. Raikkonen, whose last pole was that one at the French Grand Prix nine years ago, came desperately close this time around and said afterwards, “I got some traffic on the last set and it was a bit more tricky and I tried to get it back on the last corner but much happier than in previous qualifying. It is one for the team and not too bad.”