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Japanese GP 7th-10th October 2004 - Saturday Press Conferece

Length: 5.807km
Number of Laps: 53 (307.573 Km)
Best Lap: R. Schumacher - 1'33"408 (2003, Williams)
Record Pole: M. Schumacher - 1'31"317 (2002, Ferrari)
2003 Pole: Barrichello (1'31."713)
2003 Podium: R. Barrichello - K. Raikkonen - D. Coulthard

Q: Michael, quickest in both sessions on Friday, on pole, you have made it look easy but it wasn’t an easy weekend so far.
Michael SCHUMACHER: It certainly was a very different weekend and, I have to say, whatever happened yesterday it was a fun day for us, we did quite a lot of things amongst the drivers together which I don’t think has ever happened in that way. And today, yes, circumstances were very difficult. Obviously no free practice at all, straight into qualifying with mixed conditions, first time in the dry this weekend at all, so quite a lot of things came together and made it worth a lot to get the pole position today.

Q: It didn’t look to be a particularly easy lap for you. It wasn’t as if you were out late and therefore the lap time came, it was very close for most of the lap with your brother Ralf.
MS: Yeah, obviously, the top three sitting here run behind each other, basically. I was obviously luckier than Rubens (Barrichello), being out second last car having better circumstances, obviously, and everything worked perfectly well and that is why we are up there.

Q: Michael, as you say, a very strange weekend. Could you just talk us through what it has been like preparing for the race? A lot of guesswork, but interesting to see Bridgestone saying yesterday that they got enough data from the wet running on Friday to be able to have some input on the dry tyre choice.
MS: Indeed, obviously you get some idea of where you are anyway. Bridgestone obviously know this circuit well so they have a lot of information and it wasn’t too difficult to find the right choice. I guess where we are, we are not here by accident and therefore we should be looking very strong in the race as well.

Q: Do you like this qualifying on same day as racing?
MS: It’s obviously very interesting. In a way, looking back now to China, I should be thankful for not having been so good in China because that’s obviously made it possible for me to be where I am now. So, qualifying on the same day, yes, rather awkward I would say.

PRESS CONFERENCE

Q: Michael, you really picked up the time at the end of the lap in conditions which don’t always favour Bridgestone tyres.
MS: Obviously, having sort of damp conditions doesn’t really help us normally but luckily the conditions weren’t too bad out there and I was able to manage to put in a lap without too many mistakes.

Q: As I say, you seemed to pick up time at the end of the lap?
MS: Yes, it’s rather strange. I thought I would have picked up the time in the first and second sectors, especially the first but there you go.

Q: So, who were the stars in bowling and football yesterday?
MS: All of us!

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Dan Knutson – National Speed Sport News) Tell us what you did yesterday.
MS: Bowling, soccer, lunch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

Weather for Suzuka
 

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