Saturday: Marussia places its two cars in Q2 at Spa

Jules Bianchi – 21st and 15th:

« Today, it’s a fantastic result for the team, who were so thrilled to be back in Q2. It was a very pleasant feeling for everyone, myself included, as it was my first Q2 in my F1 career. Things have improved significantly for us this weekend, and I’m glad the work paid off for us today. The result isn’t about luck because everyone had to face the same dilemma at the end of Q1; whether it was too dry for intermediates or too wet for slicks. In the first lap of my last stint, it was hard to know what to do; only the driver can see the real track conditions, and it was different from turn to turn. But at the end of the lap, I decided to go for it and stick with the mediums and that gamble was the right decision. Tomorrow, we will start from the 7th row, which will be a good moment, but of course, we don’t really know what the sky will bring us. We have everything to gain and will strive to make the most of every opportunity. »

Max Chilton – 22nd and 16th:

« What a superb day for everyone! I’m really thrilled that we were able to help the team get back to Q2 together with Jules. It was such a difficult qualifying session, and we could see from the standings that it was tough to make the right choices on a circuit where the lap is so long that conditions are different from one corner to the next. When we put on the dry tires for the last stint, I was worried that we might not have made the right decision and we should switch back to intermediates, but I knew the track was drying quickly and we could make a mistake by changing. The engineers left the decision in my hands and I was indecisive until the last corner, when I made the decision in a split second and decided to stay. I’m happy to say it was the right decision, and we achieved a good Q2, where my time was pleasing given that in my last stint, I had fuel for two timed laps. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s race, whether it’s rainy or sunny. »