Q: Can I have all your thoughts on the Japanese GP last weekend?
Jean TODT: First of all we were completely unhappy the way the information was given about the tyres which had to be taken to start, which compromised our race. We decided, rightly or wrongly, to take intermediate tyres and after two or three laps we had to go and change the tyres and then move from the second row to the last row. I just feel it is completely inappropriate to start the race and to spend 19 laps out of a race of 67 laps behind the Safety Car. It was the right decision to start behind it but I don’t understand why you do 30% of the race behind it. I can understand two, three or four laps but not 19. The race should have been delayed. They are my two main comments.
Q: Jean, Kimi is in with a chance of the championship but not Felipe. What has happened to Felipe, was it early in the season he lost his points?
JT: It’s mainly due to reliability problems. Our drivers have not made mistakes and have done a good job and as a team we did not do a good enough job to let them finish every race. If you want to compete for the championship you must be quick and get to the end of the races. Felipe had a few problems with reliability and had DNFs and it was the same with Kimi. On performance they have been very close and competitive and we are pleased with both of them.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (L’Equipe) Did you ever imagine that a rookie could be fighting for the world championship in the way that Lewis is?
JT: Normally a very talented driver in their first year in F1 doesn’t drive for a winning team with a winning car. That was the opportunity he had and he used it very well. We can only have respect and admiration for what he has achieved this year.
Q: (Marco Degl’Innocenti – La Gazzetta dello Sport) Apparently the Sunday weather forecast is not too nice, if conditions are more or less the same as in Japan will you find it wise to let the race start again?
JT: We hear there is 70% chance of rain for Sunday and we need races handled properly. I think it should be a good show. Just the right decision at the right time. I know it is not easy but we hope it happens.
Q: (Jia Chen – King Sports) Mr Todt, both you and Felipe have mentioned reliability problems. How do you evaluate the possibility of Ross Brawn returning to Ferrari next year?
JT: Ross decided last year to take some time off, which he did, and we said that we would speak around this time to evaluate the possibility for doing something with Ferrari. We are still in this frame of mind and are still discussing and evaluating that opportunity.
Q: (Flavio Vanetti – Corriere della Sera) To Jean And Ron. How is the relationship between McLaren and Ferrari? Will peace come again between the two teams?
JT: It has been a tense situation. I will say unnecessary, but it has happened. We move forwards by doing our job. Definitely it is an unpleasant situation and I think it will be a good thing when the season is over and we can focus on the next one.
Q: (Paolo Ianieri – La Gazzetta dello Sport) Question to Mr Todt. I’ve read the letter that Mr Stepney has sent to the president of the FIA, Max Mosley and a copy to you and also to Mr Dennis where he is saying how, at the beginning of the season, he was talking to some engineers at Ferrari, telling them about the lower floor of the car. Is there any answer that you want to give to this?
JT: You know I’m not dealing in the same league as Mr Stepney. Mr Stepney has been acting in a very inappropriate manner and we still have the penal case against him in Italy which will go forwards but I read quite often in certain press some credit given to what he’s saying and writing. I would not commit or give any credit to this gentleman who I said before… you reported that quite properly this morning in your magazine when I say he has lost his head. When a guy puts powder in the fuel tank of his team (car) I don’t think we should give credit about the letter he writes. His attitude has created a lot of damage unfortunately.
Q: (Dan Knutson – National Speed Sport News) Mr Todt, McLaren is putting in new systems to help control information in and out of the team. Is Ferrari going to do something similar?
JT: Total control does not exist unfortunately. Today I was in my office wondering if some microphones could be hidden in the office, in the motorhome. You could have a defence plan, it can happen in the defence environment. I know that Formula One is a competitive environment but you need to have people responsible enough. Each one has its own computer, mobile phone, so if you really want to do something and if you’re in a position which allows you to have access to private information, there’s really nothing we would be able to do to protect our privacy and our confidentiality, if somebody wants to betray the company. Saying, that we are trying to see how we can improve what can be improved and it’s always a marginal improvement everywhere, which is our daily challenge but we were quite well organised but we will try to be even more organised. But as I said before, if somebody wants to do something he should not do, he will be able to do it.
Q: (Flavio Vanetti – Corriere della Sera) Again, to Jean and Ron. It’s possible that on Sunday evening McLaren wins the Drivers’ title. Referring to the spy story of course, the situation will be one-one: one title for Ferrari, one title for McLaren. Which one is the cleanest or are they both clean?
JT: We feel that it was important that the World Council took a decision. They took a decision. We respect the decision, so I feel it would be inappropriate to decide or to evaluate whether it’s clean, not clean. The result will be related to the performance of the teams, of the drivers and to the decision of the FIA and we will respect it and then we will let you comment about it.
Q: (Gaetan Vigneron – RTBF) A question for all of you. After the Japanese Grand Prix I received quite a few e-mails from viewers saying to me ‘you are sometimes quite severe about cycling and doping affairs and so on, but when you see your sport, Formula One, we have spy scandals, we have ranking changes, we have penalties for drivers, we have a lot of affairs.’ So what would be your answer to them, because it was quite difficult for me to answer them, or, in other words, is it not time to go back to racing?
JT: If you are talking about the last Grand Prix you are making a mixture. It has definitely been an intense year with a lot of things happening, in my opinion too many things, and I feel it is very important that we learn from it, in order to face – as I said before – a healthy and good championship in 2008 and for the future roles. I think it’s very difficult to make everybody happy. As I said before, we are talking about several different items and if you talk about the race last weekend, which was the latest chapter of the 2007 story, as I said before, I feel that some decisions were not taken in one appropriate way but otherwise the race… when the race was on, it was a good show, there was a lot of overtaking and for people who like racing they could really enjoy the show. Where we should put a lot of effort in the future is really to give a good show to all the viewers and all the Ferrari fanatics.
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