Boullier - Kevin coped brilliantly

(McLaren Mercedes)

McLaren team Racing Director Eric Boullier was delighted with Kevin Magnussen's performance in his first ever Formula One qualifying session. The Dane will line up for his first Grand Prix from fourth on the grid and will start the race alongside Mercedes Nico Rosberg. It is the best qualifying position for a rookie driver since Lewis Hamilton qualified in fourth place for McLaren in Australia in 2007.

Speaking to the media after the session Boullier said: 'A rookie's first every qualifying session is always a daunting occasion for him, and all the more so when rain has made the track surface tricky and treacherous, nonetheless Kevin coped brilliantly with exactly those conditions'.

Magnussen showed great pace during winter testing and his performance this morning just goes to show that the Woking based team made the right choice by promoting him from their young driver programme. Of course the race tomorrow will be a completely different ball game but the teams aim is to be on the podium at the end of the race.

Speaking to the media following his performance in Q3 Magnussen said: 'I think the positive thing today was that nobody's really got experience of driving these cars in the wet and I just tried not to make a mistake. I'll do the best I can, a podium would be amazing. But it's not easy and if it is dry we don't have the pace for that, but in the wet anything can happen.'

Magnussen's team mate Jenson Button, who is the most successful of the current drivers at Albert Park was hampered in qualifying after Kimi Raikkonen brought out the yellow flags just before the end of Q2. As a result, the Englishman qualified in 11th place but will start tenth as Valtteri Bottas has been given a 5 place grid penalty for a gearbox change. Commenting on his session, Button said:

'I think one of the most frustrating things today was that the car was working really well, especially in the intermediate conditions in Q2'.

©Ben Johnston 2014