Perera: It was over too soon.

Franck Perera didn't have any time to enjoy his front row start at the Nurburgring, botching his getaway and not making it past the second corner of the opening lap.

Unlike previous events at the German circuit, which have been punctuated by first corner accidents, the field made it round largely unscathed, making it all the more galling for Perera when his DAMS car quit under him.

"It is a shame, but there was nothing to do," the Frenchman sighed, "I lost a few positions at the start, but I managed to pass two cars in corner one - and then, on the exit, my engine broke, and it was over. Tomorrow, I will start from the back, so it will be a difficult race, but we have the pace and bad luck has to go away one day or another."

Team-mate Ferdinando Monfardini was never in the hunt for points, but retired six laps from the end, completing another disappointing day for DAMS after his car also succumbed to technical problems.

"My start was quite good, but all the benefit was lost just a few laps later when I was pushed out by Hernandez," he said, "I spun and lost many positions, so we decided then to stop for the tyre change.

"Unfortunately, it looks like I was over the speed limit in the pit-lane, as I had a drive-through and there was no more chance to get a result. My pace was good, especially in the second half of the race, when I was catching the guys in front of me, but I started to have some technical problems which put me off the track close to the end."