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Persconferentie
donderdag 27/07/2006 |
COUREURS:
Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber), Nico Rosberg (Williams), Michael Schumacher
(Ferrari), and Ralf Schumacher (Toyota).
Q: Nick, the performance recently seems to have been a little bit up
and down; what’s been happening?
Nick Heidfeld: I think, until the last race, it was only going up
but unfortunately Magny-Cours didn’t suit us too well but in previous
races our pace was there. We didn’t get the most out of it, but we
will see here if we can improve our pace again. The circuit is more
similar to Magny-Cours than to the high speed circuits but we have some
new development parts on the car and we will see.
Q: How much do you think the fact that you’re not going to be
allowed to use the twin towers – or whatever you like to call them –
is going to affect you?
NH: It’s not going to have a big effect but definitely it would
have been better with them on, that’s why we introduced them, but
unfortunately they are banned now. For me, it was never a problem with
the visibility but we have no chance to keep them, unfortunately.
Q: But you can imagine if everybody had them on…
NH: Yes. I’m sure other teams were already looking into them and
probably they would have come up with the same thing.
Q: Obviously, this is one of two races in Germany; what would you
feel about the possibility of them alternating the Grand Prix between
here and the Nürburgring.
NH: Well, I think we can be happy that we had two races in the past
in Germany - I don’t know for how many years. Not a lot of other
countries have that situation, apart from Italy, so I think the idea of
alternating them is the best we can do, actually. I would be quite happy
with that. Of course I would prefer two races but for sure, this is the
best solution.
Q: Nico, it’s been announced that Williams will have Toyota engines
next year. What difference do you think that’s going to make? Is it
going to affect you?
Nico Rosberg: I hope it will affect me, that would be great. I think
we will find out what they will announce shortly, if they will announce
it. I think for the team as a whole it’s a good step, especially
because Toyota has a lot of resources, it’s a huge company and
everything, and also marketing-wise I think it’s definitely a little
step forward for us as a team so it’s a very positive thing.
Q: You’ve had some problems with both aerodynamics and also tyres
at the last race as well. Do you think those problems have been solved
for this race?
NR: Well, aerodynamically we already made a step forward in
Magny-Cours which we were able to show in qualifying where we were one
of the top five quickest teams because we qualified ninth and eleventh
so we’re pretty happy with that already. I think and it would have
given us a good possibility to score some points, but unfortunately we
had a problem in the race with the rear tyres. We managed to solve that
pretty quickly in Jerez. It was a small thing, really, which was just a
little bit of a set-up change which was required and that was all. So we
solved that and we should be looking a lot better for here in the race.
Q: So what are you expecting from what could be termed one of your
home races?
NR: Yeah, it’s always great to race at home. There are a lot of
people I know and people speak my language and everything. Hockenheim is
actually the track where I started off my single-seater career, more or
less, and racing my first races on this track, and also doing my first
laps in a single-seater on this track, so I have great memories here and
I’m looking forward to the race.
Q: So what changes with the improvements made over the last couple of
races, the test and Magny-Cours?
NR: Well, after Magny-Cours I’ve already said that I’m pretty
convinced that we’re going to be able to score points here, because
qualifying ninth you’re always going to have chances to score some
points and I hope we manage to do the same thing here and I think
Bridgestone have again brought some good tyres here so I think the
possibilities are looking good.
Q: Ralf, Toyota seems to be a team on the up, the performances are
getting better, but there always seems to be something going wrong.
Ralf Schumacher: We do what we can. The last few races we had a very
good performance and are making a good trend. As you said, we had some
technical issues – they have been pretty minor, but it’s stopped us
finishing races. It’s not one thing either – it has always been
something different. I guess we’ve just been a bit unlucky.
Q: Do you think you can carry on here?
RS: That’s what we hope, but we’ll have to wait and see. We
think we had a very good tyre in Magny-Cours. It was an advantage.
Q: How do you think Toyota supplying engines to Williams is going to
affect Midland next year? Will it be a help or a hindrance?
RS: I’m sure it will be a help to have another competitive team
alongside us, just as a comparison for us.
Q: So looking to next year, what will you be looking for next year?
Hoping for a championship? What would you be hoping for?
RS: Still a few races to go. Let’s finish that season first. Would
be nice to get a podium, we’re still waiting for the victory. We’ll
do a lot of laps before we think about next year.
Q: Is your future assured with the team for next year? Is it still to
be discussed?
RS: As much as can be assured for one year.
Q: Michael, we’re just coming into the test ban now. The fact that
you’ve won the last two races, is that a pointer for the future races
coming up?
Michael Schumacher: Not really, no. The situation is very high on
the competition side and to fall over the edge onto the other side is
very easy. We have seen that in other races, we have seen that maybe
even in the last race, so we really have to take it one by one so we
know who has done enough testing in the meantime then to pre-judge the
next races.
Q: And the fact that it’s very warm, like in France, is that an
advantage as well, for you?
MS: No, I don’t see any real advantage or disadvantage.
Q: So it’s still a huge lottery, no matter which way it goes?
MS: Put it this way. Because we’re talking mainly on the tyre
side. It seems for both sides, you may hit it perfectly to the point, or
not, and that is more important in deciding the situation of whoever is
winning or whoever is not winning, but we definitely have got on top of
some of our previous issues, we understand them better and can judge
them better and we will try to use that to our advantage.
Q: I’ve been asked to ask you about a rumoured approach that has
been mentioned in the newspapers from BMW. Can you say anything about
that? Have they made an approach?
MS: Not that I know of, no.
Q: So you don’t know anything about it?
MS: No. Nothing.
Q: What about Jean Todt maybe staying for another year? How would
that affect your future?
MS: There’s no point to getting into that again. I wonder it will
be over by Monza.
Q: But still no decision taken in your mind?
MS: We’ll see in Monza.
Questions from the Floor
Q: (Fredrik Huldt – Auto Motor und Sport, Sweden) Since the last race
there has been a lot of testing going on. Any improvements to the car,
if you disregard the tyres?
MS: On the car side, yes. We have a few upgrades to the car on the
aero side. Probably the normal developments, but there’s a few bits
and pieces.
Q: Anything coming on the aero side?
MS: It will always be coming.
Q: I mean, in the light of BMW playing around a lot. You might be
following them.
MS: I don’t know what you’re hinting at. Aerodynamic development
is pretty standard and pretty normal in a season, but some do it more
successfully than others.
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