Comments from BMW WilliamsF1 Team Members

By Andrew Hooper
August 19 2002

 
 
Hungarian GP Race - Team Comments
 
In the 13th race of the season the BMW WilliamsF1 Team achieved today its 12th podium with Ralf Schumacher who was third in the Hungarian Grand Prix. After a frantic race, Juan Pablo Montoya finished 11th.
 
Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya"This wasn't my weekend. This track is not one of my favourites. Right after the start someone hit me, then I went off on a kerb and lost a piece of bodywork. Due to the ongoing understeer I had, my left elbow is hurting. From time to time today my car was almost impossible to drive. I couldn't get good balance for the whole weekend."
 
Ralf Schumacher
Ralf Schumacher"We can be very happy about today's result. After bad free practice sessions I was content with my qualifying position and a good race result. We didn't really expect to be third here. We can be satisfied as we were the only team to keep a reasonable distance behind the Ferraris. Let's say we were best of the rest. I pushed all race but sometimes it is difficult to keep your speed when you are lapping the other cars and I was held up a few times. We made two brilliant pit stops and I must say thanks to the team for this. Also our tyres seemed to get better and better throughout the race which helped."
 
Gerhard Berger BMW Motorsports Director
Gerhard Berger"Third place for Ralf is the best we could achieve here. He drove a consistent race maintaining his position as he didn't have any pressure from behind nor any chance to gain a better result. Both cars finished, which confirms our reliability. Juan Pablo could not find the right rhythm here all weekend. In the race he had a bad start due to the fact he was starting on the dirty side of the track and he damaged some important aerodynamic components after having an off. After this he had neither enough balance nor traction to play a significant role in the race."
 
Sam Michael Chief Operations EngineerWilliamsF1
Sam Michael"It was a solid drive from Ralf today. The podium position he finished with is good. Also the team did a good job at the pit stops. Juan had a bad start and then contact with Jenson Button's car. When Juan went off he damaged his car and thought that he had a puncture. That was why he pitted so early. We changed tyres and got a lot of fuel in the car. But Juan had to continue with damaged bodywork on the car and with this it was difficult to make up positions."
 
 
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