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Canadian GP 9th-12th June 2005 - Saturday Press Conference

Length: 4.361km
Number of Laps: 70 (305.270 Km)
Best Lap: R. Barrichello - 1'13''622 (2004, Ferrari)
Record Pole: R. Schumacher - 1'12''275 (2004, Williams)
2004 Pole: R. Schumacher - 1'12''275 (Williams)
2004 Podium: M. Schumacher - R. Barrichello - J. Button

Q: Michael, welcome back. Reading your comments yesterday in the press, you weren’t that optimistic in terms of where the car was going, gearbox problem this morning, I think, and I think Rubens also had a gearbox problem but a great qualifying result for you in the end.
Michael SCHUMACHER: Yeah, indeed. As you said, yesterday things didn’t look very good but we found a lot of reasons for our performance yesterday because it wasn’t normal that we would be so far behind. At the end of the day, we got the car together very well this morning. It was a shame that we couldn’t finish our work to the end because of a gearbox problem, although we picked up the gearbox problem early enough not to have it at the moment when it matters. So a great job from everybody because it took a huge effort from everybody to bring the car back in the position that we are in. And we were hoping for that position. We worked the car very well this morning and things looked pretty good for us.

Q: Obviously a great one-lap run there. Your thoughts on the race and the track conditions and the problems with the resurfaced track here?
MS: Yes, I guess it’s not really a problem because if I understand it right, it wasn’t a problem with our cars destroying the surface, it was probably the saloon cars which are heavier and which put more load onto the track – I don’t know, I’m just guessing – but with the changes and things they have done to the circuit I’m pretty sure it shouldn’t be an issue tomorrow.

PRESS CONFERENCE

Q: Michael, a bit of a surprise to be second?
MS: No. I mean, after yesterday, yes, but not after this morning’s work we have done with the car.

Q: Jean Todt has always said you need to start further up on the grid to win, obviously, and here you are, second on the grid, are you feeling confident?
MS: I am feeling much more confident than I have felt so far this season, yes, no doubt.

Q: Jenson on pole position alongside you, do you see any problems with his tyres in comparison with your tyres?
MS: No, I mean, I don’t have the times of this morning completely in my mind, of what he did and what I did, but I think you have long straights here anyway where overtaking is a possibility in case someone has an issue.

Q: What about the gearbox problem this morning, was it actually mended or replaced?
MS: I guess it is replaced. We would have replaced the back end anyway, because that is what we usually do, so it was just starting a bit earlier than normal. But it is a bit unusual. We do so much testing and so many miles that I don’t really understand why. I guess it is one of those odd issues.

Q: And Rubens’ problem?
MS: I guess it was the same, in a way. I mean, it was a gearbox issue and we have to analyse that.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Peter Windsor – F1 Racing) Michael, Jenson described it as a low grip lap and we know it is better to be low downforce here. Taking those two factors into consideration, can we say that Bridgestone have cracked this problem of one-lap performance versus race pace? Has there been a breakthrough on the tyre side?
MS: Put it this way, I think it is a combination of things. If you look at the pace the competitor is able to do very consistently it looks like they brought a tyre that is a bit harder and more consistent rather than to have the one lap and then lose out in the race. We have moved up our game, definitely, for the one lap situation but we still have our consistency so it is from both sides.

Q: (Bill Beacon – The Canadian Press) Michael, you were saying you feel more confident now than at any point in the season. What has given you that confidence?
MS: Basically our lap times, the ones we have been doing, not the ones of yesterday but the ones of today.

Q: (Anthony Rowlinson - Autosport) Michael, Jenson just said that BAR are not in with a chance of the championship now, but do you think Ferrari and yourself still have a good chance to fight for the world championship?
MS: I wouldn’t call it good, but it is mathematically still possible and as long as that is the case there is no reason to give up.

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