Schumacher takes 'calculated risk'

Michael Schumacher aborted his run in the final qualifying session © Getty Images

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Michael Schumacher said saving tyres for the Singapore Grand Prix by not setting a time in Q3 "was a calculated risk worth taking".

Schumacher was 0.4s quicker than his team-mate Nico Rosberg during the second part of qualifying, but decided against completing a timed lap in the top ten shootout in order to save a set of tyres. Schumacher said that the fresh rubber should translate to a quicker race pace, and that he would now need to stay out of trouble to make the most of the strategy.

"It was quite a tactical qualifying session, in which we chose not to run in Q3 to save new tyres for the race," Schumacher said. "In theory, this should be worth some time over the race distance, so it was a calculated risk worth taking. As we all know from the past, a lot of incidents can happen during the Singapore Grand Prix, so I will certainly go for any opportunity which might occur."

Away from his own race, Schumacher said he was hoping that pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel could secure victory and the championship.

"I will definitely keep my fingers crossed for Sebastian to clinch his second world title here tomorrow."

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