Race FIA Press Conference US GP

By FIA
September 30 2003

   
FIA Race Press Conference
 
1. Michael SCHUMACHER (FERRARI)
2. Kimi RAIKKONEN (MCLAREN)
3. Heinz Harald FRENTZEN (SAUBER)


Q. Michael, a great, great win for you. Qualified seventh; that problem on Saturday morning. Didn't look brilliant in the early laps in the wet, but a great win for you.

Michael Schumacher: Yeah, a great and an important one. Obviously, an important outcome for the rest of the competitors, what concerns my position for the championship. And now I'm so pleased. I mean, it's such an emotional day today, so fantastic. After, as you said, not a great qualifying performance, having a good start, being back in the race, falling back due to the rain with slick tires, then coming back with rain tires, then not knowing what's the weather going to do, being back in slicks, starting to rain again towards the end. There was everything in it today. To win this one in the crucial stage of the championship meant a lot. I am just so thankful to all the guys of Ferrari, because they just carried us to this success. I'm just so thankful.

Q. We thought that you just pulled up the master stroke of the day coming in on lap 20 as the rain was falling, yet you went out on dry tires.

MS: Yeah, it was a crucial moment because we had this sort of rain before which just came and went straightaway. It was for sure too dry to go to wet tires. And this rain just looked it would be another one of those, and it was just a gamble. Coming into the pit lane, I was thinking and actually saying on the radio, "I wonder if we shouldn't change our decision." But it was too late anyway. It would have caused a fuss and a mess. Well, afterward, you always know more. We went out on dries. The guys still just did a great job. We came back in straight away, just had a fantastic car for this condition. Unbelievable tires for this condition, which just gave us the victory today.

Q. What was your feeling at that point when you went back out on the wets? Were you thinking, "I can still win this"?

MS: Yeah. It was clear that everybody sort of - of the front-runners at least, Heinz-Harald did the right move. He was probably one of the only ones that did the right decision. For the frontrunners of the championship, all had done the pit stops earlier than me, which meant they were on dry tires and had the same sort of problem that I had, meaning that I was not too far away and would be able to close this gap because we knew pretty much before that our rain tires would be better than our competitors'.

Q. What do you think now looking back at that seventh qualifying position? What happened yesterday?

MS: I think we were just a bit unlucky, honestly. Afterwards we sort of checked the data, and we got in trouble in Turn 1 and 2. Checking it, it was just a big blow of wind coming at the time I was going through that corner. And that cost me a couple of 10ths. I knew that. So I was trying to make up in the rest of the circuit. May have been just pushing a little bit too much. It wouldn't work out. I think it's one of those unlucky days where it doesn't work together. But obviously we have worked very well on our starting system, and I was able to catch a lot of positions straight at the start, which brought me back into the fight.

Q. Thank you, Michael. Kimi, looking so good, great start, took the lead at the start, then the rain.

Kimi Raikkonen: Yeah, I think so: we lost the race because we were very unlucky with the weather today. But what can you do? I was fighting as much as I could. We only got second place. Of course, it's not the best, because Michael won, and we came second for the championship.

Q. But you are still in the championship.

KR: Yeah, but he's always making our life more difficult. But at least we’re in the championship. You never know, maybe we have another very difficult race in the last one, and it can all happen there.

Q. It's amazing the differences between the Bridgestones and the Michelins in those conditions.

KR: Yeah, I think so. It was just when it's a little bit wet, you can still run with the slicks, which is always to be more stronger. But if it gets really heavy rain, I think we’re in with a good chance. If it's between those two, it's just not working, our tires are not working as well as the Bridgestone. It is much better than last year or beginning of year. Hopefully we're going to get there.

Q. Thank you, Kimi. Heinz-Harald, last time you were on the podium was here at Indianapolis in 2000.

Heinz-Harald Frentzen: Yeah, good memories. I'm very happy, especially now our situation, we had a very difficult season. The podium places would not be really our regular target this year. But the perfect conditions for us today helped me. And the team did a good job helping me.

Q. Perfect conditions for the car, and you always seem to go well in these conditions, too.

HHF: Well, I have to say I do like it. We seem to be more competitive on wet conditions. We used our joker today.

Q. How enjoyable was the race for you?

HHF: Well, I had great fun. But I was really concerned, thinking about finishing second and third in the championship -- excuse me, in the position on the podium (laughter). We had similar situation this year where we were in the points and we had a last lap, for instance in Monza, a gearbox problem. I was thinking, "OK, I’m going to enjoy it as much as I can." I don't think about finishing, I just do what I can.

Q. Michael, amazing atmosphere at Indianapolis this year. I'm sure you'll agree. On the grid, massive cheering and support for you, and also for the other championship contenders. Talk a little bit about Indianapolis this year and your thoughts going into Suzuka now.

MS: Yeah, I think it was a great event down here. As you say, if you look at the atmosphere, I think it was outstanding, was probably one of the best ones we had this year. The two or three groups, the ones for Ferrari, for Williams and McLaren, and for their drivers, we're cheering up each other and competing each other. It was great all weekend. I mean, if you saw on the Thursday how many spectators there were already to watch the pit walk and to see the cars. You were surprised about this if you saw the first sort of years, it's picking up a lot. That's what everybody I guess suspected would happen. We’re happy to deliver something back and give them a good show today.

Q. Kimi can still do it at Suzuka, it's almost mathematical, you need to fail to score, he needs to win.

MS: Obviously, it's a very good position for us to start the last race. We just need one point basically. But you never know. I mean, you have first to finish, and that will be obviously the main target. On the other side, I think we have a very reliable car. We have a good record for this, so we will be obviously very optimistic - particularly, my target will be to win another race.

Q. We have Kimi Raikkonen first of all, Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Michael Schumacher. Michael, once again, congratulations. The wins seem to get better, and the next one is going to be even better.

MS: It is true. I mean, if you see the situation, it just was outstanding in Monza. This tops it again. Who knows what will be the next. But I'm just so delighted and happy about the way things have gone. If you see everything, if you obviously see the amount of pressure that is on, although you handle it, but it's still there. It's just so beautiful when you get the result like that.

Q. How surprised were you to be here after qualifying yesterday?

MS: I was not completely surprised to be at least amongst the first three because I knew from where I started I could make up some positions. I felt I was strong in the race. No, I wasn't too surprised. It was just a matter of whether I would be behind Montoya or in front of him. I thought it would have been difficult to catch Kimi under normal circumstances, but I wouldn't have been too concerned on that knowing the points situation.

Q. How much were you kept in touch with what was happening to the others?

MS: I was in permanent contact by radio, informed myself of what was going on, who was in what position, and what sort of pace was needed.

Q. The tires were a deciding factor today. Would you agree with that?

MS: Yeah, I would agree pretty much on that. Bridgestone has probably got a lot of criticism this year, as much there will be - how you say - will be pushed up, boosted by the performance we have seen today. The one thing makes me happy, I mean, we have this sort of joker in our hand for so long already, and we never have been able to use it. Today was the first time we were able to use our wet tires, sort of won the race with it.

Q. Now, quite early in the race, lap seven, you lost several places. We didn't see what happened. Can you tell us what happened then?

MS: I guess it was raining, and under this condition we were slightly -- it was for sure more difficult to us on our dry tires compared to the Michelin dry tires. They were just able to perform much better in the high-speed area, and I got overtaken.

Q. I believe my colleagues upstairs are talking about a potential moment when you overtook under the yellow flag, when Barrichello was off the circuit. Do you know anything about that?

MS: I know I have overtaken Panis, but well before the yellow flag started. I knew where the yellow flag started. I was by by that time. Just meant that the nose was in front, so it was, so no problem. Braked early enough and was safe for the accident.

Q. Thank you very much for clearing that up. Well done. Kimi, leading the early stages, then you had those two stops. Are you surprised to be in second place after that?

KR: A bit unhappy to finish second, really. But I think the weather wasn't in our favor this time. The beginning of the race was good, we were strong. Just our rain tires are not as good as Bridgestone's. We lost the race pretty much. But second is still OK.

Q. You're still in contention. What are your feelings about that?

KR: Yeah, but it would have been much better to be other way around, to win the race and able to help us more. Again, there is always a chance now. You never know what happens in the next race. It can be another very difficult race for all the people. We just need to make most out of it.

Q. We'll see you in Japan, see what happens. Thank you, Kimi. Heinz-Harald, great to see you on the rostrum again. The decision at the first rain, who took that decision about your tactics?

HHF: Yeah, we were about anyway to come into the pits. I had to make a decision. The rain was about to come. Then I had to make a decision quickly because we could have put dry tires on. But I look up in the sky before, and it looked like it was going to rain for quite a long time, so I decided to ask the team to choose for wet tires.

Q. It was your own decision, your own personal weather forecast?

HHF: Yes (laughter).

Q. Lap six you also lost a few places as well. Can you remember that?

HHF: Lap six? When it was initially starting, yes, it was starting to rain. It was a little bit slippery. I had I think Webber behind me. He was a bit pushy. He slipped away there, slipped to the inside. I couldn't do anything about it. At that stage they were faster than us.

Q. Now, we don't know what your future is in Formula One, but might this change anything?

HHF: I don't know. I mean, I'm at the moment thinking about what option I have got for the future. Certainly I like motor racing. So I'm weighing up the chances.

Questions from the floor

Q. Michael, how difficult is it with the varying weather conditions to guess the right time to come in with the tires? Went from hail to dry to very wet to sunny.

MS: Yeah, it's a knife edge, honestly. It can be either right or wrong. You've seen some guys coming in very early when the first rain came in, like Panis, I think, putting on wet tires. It just needed a little extra rain and it would have been the right decision, but it didn't come, then it was the wrong decision. So it was for us sort of when we came for the first pit stop, we thought it would be another one of that just spit of rain, then stopping, and it would have been wrong to be out on rain tires. So we thought, "OK, dry." That was the wrong decision. Fortunately, every one of the front-runners at that stage had made the same decision, so it didn't cost us too much. With the performance of our rain tires, I was able to make up the deficit I took from the time before.

Q. After a day like today, how do you celebrate?

MS: Well, nothing was prepared, so we have to see what happens. I mean, for sure we have a drink. We're going to celebrate a bit together. Saying that, we have to prepare for the next race in Suzuka. The mechanics are already packing together. They have a job to do. It's unfortunately a shame that we can't hang out for like Sunday night and have fun, then maybe worry about all this the next day. Unfortunately, time schedule doesn't allow that because we're going to start testing Tuesday onward again. So we just have a little party.

Q. Any fun for Kimi?

KR: Actually, I'm going to fly home this evening. Not much else. Well see maybe in the home a little bit. We celebrate after the season if we get something good.

Q. HH, you know how to party.

HHF: We have a good reason to have a party. I'm open for any offers. Where is a good place to invite all my team to have something to drink? So any offers, I take it.

Q. Kimi, what was the toughest moment for you in this race? When you lapped Montoya, did it cross your mind that he could resist?
KR: No. He let me pass quite easily. Once you get the blue flags, you need to let the people behind you pass. I think the whole race was quite difficult. Had a little bit fight with Ralf, then he went out when I tried to pass him. Got a little bit sideways on the oval part because I went inside of him. It was raining, on the slick tires, then side by side, had a little fight. No, it was a good race. Was quite good fun. Unfortunately, we didn't get the win. But we're still in the championship and see what happens.

Q. Michael, you're testing on Tuesday. Are you testing in Europe? If so, how do you get over the jet lag?

MS: No, we always only be allowed to test in Europe. Yeah, time to get over the jet lag is probably getting in the car and drive, be concentrated, be so tired at night that you fall asleep and sleep through. I guess myself, I will not start before Wednesday, so I have some rest.

Q. Michael, did you expect a stronger challenge from Montoya today? Do you know anything about what happened between him and Barrichello on the second lap?

MS: No, I don't have a television with me obviously. The conditions were simply in a way that we didn't have a great competition. We had a little competition in Turn 9 and 10 in the hairpins, where I was just so slow, I was sliding almost into him. But I was no competition for him at that stage. He was easily passing me. Then I was lapping him. He was just giving way very fairly. It was not a day of competition between us today.

Q. Michael, your career is full of milestones. Where does being the first two-time winner of the U.S. Grand Prix at Indianapolis stand in those accomplishments?

MS: I said before, I don't know if you heard that, I said earlier in Monza is one of my best days in my life. I have to add up this one into it. It's just such an important moment, such an unusual race with so many things that happened, so many possibilities to make mistakes, and to finally win such a race is obviously crucial. And, therefore, I have had good memories in the past about Indianapolis, and this just adds up.

Q. Michael, we could see in your left sidepod a sign of tire damage. What happened?

MS: I had a little incident with David, which I was already inside. I was basically through, then he just closed the door. So that meant that we hit each other. It was very tight. I could have easily lost my nose by that stage. I don't know what went through him. Usually when you're that far inside, you just leave a little bit of room to survive. But he just pushed me inside. I touched the curb. I had no option. But, you know, that's the way it is.

Q. Could you explain why after so brilliant a start you were struggling, you were passed by Renault, Coulthard, Juan Pablo, then nobody from the team by radio give you the information about the championship because for a long time you were the world champion today?

MS: Doesn't matter about the last question, honestly. Only when the checkered flag falls down, it matters what is the real situation. And to explain the situation why I was so overtaken was simply that at that stage we had some rain coming. We sort of had difficulties in this condition. It was very easy for our competitors to pass the Bridgestone drivers. But then when it got more rain, obviously everything turned around.

Q. Did you ever feel comfortable with your tires? If so, what kind of adjustments did you try to make, you and the crew, during the race?

KR: Yeah, I think so the beginning of race was really good, the tires were working really well. Even when it got a little bit wet, I mean, when we were on the slick tires, I think so it was a good moment for us. Then once we went for wet tires, I think so the first like five laps was OK because it was so wet that the Bridgestone, they have as much advantage over us. But then once it started to dry up, we started to struggle little bit. When I came in the pits, all my four tires was almost slicks. It was hard to just keep on the circuit. But we didn't want to come earlier in because you never know if it start raining more or drying. We were try to keep going as long as we could to make a right decision, either go on new wet tires or on the slicks.

Q. Michael, you talked about your rain tires. But you still have to drive the car. How do you find the trust to go as hard as you do into the turns and drive when it's pouring down rain?

MS: I mean, I guess it's simply an ability we all have. I mean, we all go to the limit of our circumstance. So every driver, every car, every circumstance offers a different limit. We search for it. Usually we find it.

Q. Is it hard to find?

MS: It's very difficult to find, yes, in this condition because it's very tricky. It's again, like a knife edge situation. You have grip until a certain moment, then off it goes very rapidly, where the slicks could be more forgiving. Depends obviously, again, what condition exactly you are - especially in the banking, it's very tricky situation.

Q. Kimi, if you could change something of your tactic today, what would you change?

KR: I would change the weather, I think so. Right choices, every time we came in the pits, almost all the Michelin runners (inaudible) on that part of the race when it was wet. It was just unlucky with the weather.

Q. Michael, how much do you practice in the rain? Is that something you do normally?

MS: We do from time to time. Lately I don't remember when I last have been out in the rain except the one we had on Friday or Saturday when the circuit was wet. Before that, it's quite a while ago. But I sometimes do go-karting in the wet. It helps.

Q. Heinz-Harald, you made only two pit stops, whereas Michael and Kimi made three. You were one of only three guys to make two stops. Do you think that had a lot to do with your podium position?

HHF: Yes, certainly. It was quite important in our situation. It helped a lot. I think I was the first one in on changing into wet tires. The other people lost quite some time on dry tires on wet conditions on that stage. That caused, of course, a gain of some places.

Q. (No microphone.)

HHF: I think I probably could have finished the race with the fuel I had after my first stop. The car was pretty heavy. I think the target was - I have to contact the team because they didn't tell me, but the car was notably very heavy. I had to take care about my wet tires to finish the race.

Q. Michael, I know you have answered this several times, but the moment is different. You are very near to be world champion again. What is true about these rumors you are going to retire if you get the sixth title?

MS: Nothing.


Published at 21:54:40 GMT

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Post-Qualifying Press Conference - US GP

Saturday September 27th, 2003

Q. We have Olivier Panis, then second fastest for Ferrari, Rubens Barrichello. On the pole for West McLaren Mercedes, championship contender, Kimi Raikkonen. Kimi, almost seemed to come from nowhere. You seemed to have a quiet, disciplined run into this qualifying session. Did it feel like a qualifying pole lap?

Kimi Raikkonen: It doesn't matter how it feels, as long as you're still on the first row on the first days. You know, we haven't got much running this week. It has been bad weather. Ran only half an hour yesterday, then one session today. I wasn't very happy with the car at all yesterday and today, but we just got it right for qualifying and had a normal, good lap, and was enough.

Q. Obviously, you're in championship contention. Your two main rivals are obviously behind you. Talk us through your feelings going into the race tomorrow.

KR: Of course, it's much better position than maybe last race. But the race is long and I still think we still have a good shot at it for the race, and I'm pretty sure we should have a strong race. I don't know, we will see really what happens tomorrow.

Q. Are you approaching this as just another race weekend?

KR: Yeah, pretty much, because we don't have much to lose, but I think so we have more to win than lose. Just need to do our own best what we can. Hopefully is enough to win the race.

Q. Rubens, problems for Michael today, but you're on the front row for the sixth time this year.

Rubens Barrichello: Yeah, I was actually hoping for pole. I think the car looked good for the whole time, the whole weekend. On the warm-up, it felt a little bit different due to the wind, but I think everyone felt the same. The times were not as competitive as they were this morning. But having said that, it still was a good lap. It was a little bit of a compromise on the setup because of the warm-up, the car was really loose everywhere. But the compromise pay out a little bit. The car didn't feel as this morning, but it's still good.

Q. In the context of the championship, you find yourself in a very interesting position now.

RB: I mean, I love the challenges, so I think, you know, they all come to me in a way. I think it's such a good championship because you would say last race that the two main contenders were Montoya and Schumacher. Then all of a sudden you see Kimi on pole, the other two guys behind. It is, it's quite open. It's going to be very fun tomorrow.

Q. What role are you going to play in it?

RB: Hopefully to win the race. I think that's the first plan right now.

Q. Olivier, I think it's your best-ever dry-weather qualifying performance, great result for Toyota. Did you feel it was going to happen coming into this race?

Olivier Panis: I think, to be honest, during whole weekend, we were really competitive. When I start yesterday morning, I'm already on the top five. I feel really good with the car. It's a really tough season for us. But I think every Grand Prix we work really hard, we improve the car step by step. In the end, we looks really competitive. And, sure, to be here I'm quite happy today because is long time I don't be here. I hope we continue like this.

Q. You have championship contenders around you, as well, obviously.

OP: Well, but this for me don't make any difference. I don't play anything on the championship. I need to do my best for Toyota. I sure I try to do it tomorrow because we not too far to be with Jaguar to fight for the fifth place on the championship, is quite really important for us. But for me definitely tomorrow I have different race, but I want to be good.

Q. Here they are. Kimi Raikkonen, on pole position; Rubens Barrichello alongside him; and Olivier Panis, scoring Toyota's best ever grid position in their Grand Prix history - brief Grand Prix history. Poor Olivier hasn't been in here on for a while on a Saturday afternoon. Kimi, congratulations with the pole. Did you ever think you could be on pole here?

KR: We knew that the car should be better here than what it was in the last race. But during this whole weekend has been quite difficult, I think so not only for us, but for other teams also because the weather hasn't been the best. They only got one hour maximum, not even that, on the dry running. And yesterday and this morning, I wasn't very happy with the car. But then we seems to found the way after the warm-up. Just the small changes for the car. We was hoping that the car was better in the qualifying. But I think so the circuit improve a lot. It was good lap. I'm very happy with it.

Q. So now you have a look at the order and see where your rivals in the championship are. Are you slightly readjusting your sights on the championship?

KR: No, is same. I haven't even been thinking that we are not in a championship fight anymore. Of course, we are, as long as there is even a small chance. Right now it looks better than before the qualifying, but is still long race to go tomorrow, and we just need to do our best and hopefully win the race.

Q. Just going back to your quick lap, you were actually beaten by three other drivers in the first sector. Did you feel that was your weakest sector, that you would become stronger after that, or was there a problem?

KR: I think just doesn't matter, as long as you're quickest in the end. I took it quite easily, one of the corners, because in the morning I got the feeling that it was quite slippery. Maybe we lost a little bit time on there.

Q. Well done. Rubens, if I can come to you. To what extent do you feel you've lost out on running time, just as Kimi was saying? Do you feel that's had an effect on the team?

RB: No. I think the weather play a role a little bit because it's quite windy out there. I don't know to which extent did it affect the other cars, but it did affect us a little bit, and I think everyone, to be honest, because the times were not as competitive as this morning. So I had to gamble a little bit on the setup. I mean, I was very happy with the setup this morning. But then I had to gamble a little bit. Because if it is windy like this tomorrow, it might have an effect on the tire. I didn't have the quickest car in terms of performance, but hopefully a good one for tomorrow's race. Having said that, I'm still very happy with the lap.

Q. How much did you change the car after the warm-up and even after Michael's run?

RB: No, after Michael's run, not much, because we didn't have much of an idea. I had something like five minutes after he had his run, five to 10 minutes, sometime I guess. But is difficult to actually change anything apart from front wings, small stuff. So I just change the car from the warm-up. I had to.

Q. When you look at the grid order after this qualifying and the championship positions, how do you see it, as a disinterested spectator?

RB: I'm just sorry that I'm not on the battle because it's quite interesting. As I said in the press room, it's still very much alive. If you look from one side, I think, you know, it's quite fantastic to have the public as they are here. They were as Brazil, as Monza, they shout, they sing. I think it's going to be a good race, hopefully a clean one with everyone that is competing on the championship. I'm not treating them as I'm an outsider. I'm still there. I have some points. Obviously if you do the mathematics, I cannot beat the first place, but anything can happen, and I'll try my best to win the race.

Q. Thank you, Rubens, well done. Olivier, congratulations. You must be feeling very, very happy with the performance.

OP: Yes, definitely I'm really happy for the team and for myself definitely. But I think when we start the weekend, yesterday we were quite competitive, already on the top three yesterday morning. And I'm unlucky in qualifying when I go out, start to be raining. It don't help. But again this morning, I'm quite really competitive, and we try and we continue to improve the car during the day. In the warm-up lap, is quite already good. But the traction is a little bit, for different reason, maybe the wind, but the grip level is still low. But we change some small things, and in qualifying I did a very good lap. Again, like say Rubens, we need to find a compromise. But I think we have a good car for tomorrow.

Q. One of your team members said Monza, you knew you weren't really good enough. How much has changed since then?

OP: Not much. We testing a lot between the two Grand Prix. I mean, (Ricardo) Zonta go to Jerez, Cristiano to Barcelona, and me to test some different aero kits. At the end of the day we find one quite really good. We put here. Looks like OK.

Questions from the floor

Q. Kimi, how much does it add to your advantage that Michael Schumacher is starting significantly behind you in this race, may have to work his way for a while?

KR: Of course, it's helping. But I think you never know what's happen in a race. But it's more safer to start from first two rows in the race than on more behind because you can more easily have accident or things can go wrong. But the race is also long, and you don't know what the other teams are doing with the pit stops. You just need to wait and see. But, no, it looks quite good now.

Q. Kimi, how are you feeling compared to what you had in Nurburgring after the first call? Is it the same or is this more important?

KR: It always is important to get pole position. But maybe was more exciting in there because was first one. But it's really coming on a good time now. Is best place to start. Is crucial time in the championship. One of our best qualifyings.

Q. Olivier, you kind of used different strategy this year than other teams, Toyota. Do you think you will have the same strategy as all the others tomorrow?

OP: I think for this Grand Prix, more or less the strategy I think is quite clear. But I think is the first time -- maybe, I don't know. Is difficult to know what everybody is doing. I think we are very under good shape. I try different strategy maybe with some Grand Prix before and I think is really quite well. I'm really quite confident for that tomorrow.

Q. Rubens, you've had a pretty good run here since this race has started. What is it about this course where both you and Michael at least in the three previous races have done extremely well here?

RB: Well, I'm not really sure. I mean, it's always the Ferrari seems to be a good car here. I don't know. I have the feeling whenever you like the place, you tend to do quite well. I like the place, so it's halfway.

Q. Kimi, considering that the top speed between McLaren and Ferrari, there's quite a difference, what about in the race? Do you think your top speed will be good enough to keep Rubens and the rest of them behind on the long straights?

KR: I don't even know what top speed we did in qualifying compared to Ferrari. I don't know. We will see tomorrow.

Q. Can you alter the rear wing?

KR: I think it's only the front wing you're allowed to test anymore. Is always compromise with the long straight and then twisting. But we will really see what happens tomorrow.

Q. Olivier, when was the last time you were on the second row? Do you feel you got a package to win?

OP: Well, for the first question, I think is long time ago. Is 1997 in Argentina, you know. I getting old now (laughter). But I'm quite happy to be here today anyway. For the second question, I really want to win a race, but I need to be really objective. I think we improve a lot during the season, but I don't think so we have the car to win yet, apart if something happen on the first corner. But after that, I think my concern for this race is to finish and to score some points, to have some possibility to beat BMW and Jaguar on the championship. I think for us is one of the priority. For the next time maybe we thinking a little bit more to win the race.

Q. Rubens, this is the third race here. Driving into the first turn is always the important part of the race to start. How difficult is this and what does it compare with, this first turn, with the other Formula One venues?

RB: Well, if you compare the first turn here compared to Monza, for example, this is like a motor way. It does have space for you to go everywhere (laughter). Obviously, there are some other places that have some good scapes. In here is a tight turn. But the way that it's done with the curb, you can approach in the inside, you can cut across if you need to. Hopefully, whenever one has to go across, hopefully it's not going to rain anymore because the grass today was quite wet. But I would say anything can happen, but it can be a quite safe one.

Q. Kimi, is this (inaudible) great for you?

KR: I don't know. Is good. This year many times what happens in the qualifying doesn't really say much in the race. But I'm pretty confident, and we should be in a good shape.

Q. Rubens, did you have a chance to see Michael's run before you went out? Did you watch it?

RB: Yeah, I did.

Q. Can you give us an assessment of what happened you thought the first couple turns for him?

RB: I'm not really sure. I mean, I haven't spoke to him. I had no chance to see his data because obviously you have to wait for the car to come back for you to look into that. But it looked like he was quite loose, as well, as he went out. It didn't affect me in terms of setup. I think my car had a little bit more control in a way.

Q. Are you surprised that neither of the Williams cars made the podium, given their significant strength?

RB: Well, you never know. This championship is so open, in a qualifying like that, so many times it started, I find in Malaysia, you never thought the Renault would be on pole, and all of a sudden they were. So to be very honest with you, I was expecting that Montoya and Ralf would be on a quicker times. But having said that, you never know if they have full tanks. It's still quite open.

Q. Olivier, you said what this second row represents for your team, after all the work they did. What does it mean to you personally?

OP: Well, for me it mean a lot. I think I work really, really hard with the team this year. We start really far. I mean, is the second year for Toyota. I think the improvement they did this year is huge. But now the last one, we need to do it, is more difficult because, you know, to close the short gap with the best team is even really difficult. But I think I'm quite happy because every Grand Prix we try to be improve, and now on the end of the year, we continue to improve, and we are on the second row.. I think that is quite really good for everybody on the Toyota team. I'm sure, I mean, you know next Grand Prix, where is it. I think it give us something really good for the fan in Japan and for Toyota - and for me definitely. For me, I'm quite happy to be on second row. I fight so many time to be here. Now I'm quite happy to fight with the best guy. Now maybe we have some fun.

Q. Kimi, although Michael is going to be pretty far back, Juan is not that far back. How much do you have to kind of be aware of where he is throughout the race?

KR: We just try to do our own race really. We hope that we quick enough to hold them behind and win the race. During the race, I'm not really looking what the other people are doing. We just try to do our own stuff, then we see what's happen.

Q. Kimi, emotionally, do you think today was a factor, maybe Michael had more pressure, even for you starting earlier? Is going to be a factor on the race?

KR: No. We just had better car today.
 
 
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