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| Malaysian
Grand Prix 18th-21st March 2004 - Saturday Ferrari Press Release |
Length:
5.543 km
Number of Laps: 56
(310.408 Km)
Best Lap: M. Schumacher
- 1'36''412 (2003, Ferrari)
Record Pole: R. Barrichello
- 1'35''220 (2001, Ferrari)
2003 Pole: F. Alonso
- 1'37''044 (Renault)
2003 Podium: K. Raikkonen
- R. Barichello - F. Alonso
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Jean
Todt :
'Having two Bridgestone-shod Ferraris in first and third
places on the grid is certainly an encouraging sign for tomorrow’s
race. However, at the risk of repeating myself, without knowing what
fuel loads and strategies our rivals have opted for, we cannot draw
any definite conclusion as to the pecking order amongst the teams.
In any case, today’s performance, in very high temperatures,
shows that the work we have done this winter in conjunction with Bridgestone
is bearing fruit. The start, reliability, strategy, the fitness of
the drivers: these will be the key elements in a very long and difficult
race.'
Michael
Schumacher :
'I have to say it was a mind-blowing lap, really perfect
and spot-on. We were not quite there on Friday, but the whole team
worked very well to get the programme back on track. The main reason
I picked up so much time between the two runs was that the track
improved a lot with much more grip. I tried to be careful in the
final sector where it is easy to make mistakes in the last two corners.
Tomorrow, the car will not be affected much by the heat, but with
the high temperatures the tyre grip goes down. Inside the cockpit,
it will be very hard work for us tomorrow and even though we expect
that here, it seems to get harder every year as the cars get quicker.'
Rubens
Barrichello :
'I am not worried about the time difference to Michael.
Firstly, I made a small mistake in the last corner and then I made
some different choices to my team-mate. So, although I was not entirely
happy with my car in terms of qualifying, I have concentrated very
hard on the race and am very happy with my set-up for tomorrow,
when I hope everything will come my way. In this heat, it will be
a very difficult race.'
Ross
Brawn :
'Michael did a perfect lap. Our engineers did a fine job
in defining the set-up, to make the car very well balanced. Given
how hard we worked after yesterday’s practice in terms of
analysing the data and deciding which way to go, I think this was
a well deserved result. I did not expect to have such a big advantage
over our competitors, keeping in mind that we don’t know what
fuel loads they are running. So it is difficult to predict what
will happen in the race. Tyres will be crucial.'
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