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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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.