By Phil Huff
August 7 2006

Apologies for missing it on Saturday - entirely my own fault - but here's the transcript of the Fastest Three press conference, with Rubens Barrichello. Rubens, congratulations to you, a great revival for Honda at the German Grand Prix and that continues here. Tell us about your qualifying run, and of course, you are starting on the clean side of the grid as well…

…which is very important. This is one of the worst places to start on the right side. I'm quite happy. I think there's a lot of pressure from the outside, but the Honda team - everyone, including engine guys, chassis guys, the aerodynamic guys - they made a hell of an effort to put the car where it is right now and the car is much more driveable, we enjoy much more the driving, so I feel sorry for Jenson that he's actually had to change the engine, otherwise we would have been third and fourth, so we've made an improvement.

Obviously that engine problem must be a worry in some dimension; does it affect the way you approach the race in terms of what you're going to be able to do with the engine and the package you have?

Not really. All of a sudden, I had a problem in Hockenheim which was a one-off. I don't really know what the problem was that Jenson had this morning. We are expecting a great race. I really would like to put the car in a good shape. My thoughts are with my friend Cristiano da Matta in the States and I think it would be nice to give him this one.

Best grid position so far this year, I think. Do you feel yourself a potential winner here?

It's definitely my best chance. Honda made a huge effort to improve this car. It was not long ago that we were in that messy Magny-Cours race where we had all sorts of problems, so the pressure was really high at that point, but we improved the car very much in Jerez and the car is competitive. I love the car that I have right now. We made a good tyre choice, we are consistently on the race pace, so I just gotta be there. Last race, unfortunately I had a problem but my car was running quite well. So it's looking good. If we can win or not, it's up to us tomorrow to have a good start and go for it, but it's my best chance this year for sure.

When something like what happened to Jenson happens, is that a worry for you, the reliability?

We've done so many miles in the Jerez test and there was a bullet-proof engine and we had a one-off (breakage) in Hockenheim which I was very sorry about because it was definitely a good points-scoring position or maybe a podium there. I don't know what happened to Jenson now, we need to analyse but that's what I have right now, that's what I'm enjoying driving and I look forward to it.

Have the track conditions been a worry for you so far this weekend?

It's the fact that I didn't bring any jeans here that is worrying because I've got just shorts. They said it was going to be fifty degrees and I asked for the tyre, that was a different matter as well. Everybody was expecting different weather. All of a sudden, we have cold temperatures. Having said that, it's the same for everyone. I do think that not just Michelin but Bridgestone were hoping for hot weather, so I don't think it's a major thing right now.

We have two drivers outside the top ten who incidentally fight for the championship – would you agree they are out of the equation here for race victory?

Hungary is one of the worst places for overtaking, but having said that it depends very much on the strategy and everything so I think it is all to play for. Hopefully, we are very far ahead when they come fighting, but anything can happen.