After a difficult few weeks Michael Schumacher and Ferrari bounced back with perfect timing at Monza. It remains to be seen how the weather and tyre situation will unfold in the remaining two races. However, the Italian team is certainly very happy to head to the remaining flyaway events with an increased lead in the drivers' championship, while the margin to leaders Williams in the constructors' version has been trimmed. Monza was a huge boost for Ross Brawn, on whose shoulders the recent problems have weighed heavily, but he got both package and strategy just right in Italy. Brawn also had to weather the tyre controversy, and was even given a hard time by former boss Patrick Head at Friday's FIA press conference.

Q: After all the fuss about tyres is this the perfect response?
"I hope so. I don't think it had any real influence today, and at least we feel comfortable that we're all playing on the same playing field. I hope all that's put behind us and F1 remembers what a fantastic season we're having."

Q: Did everything go perfectly for you today?
"Yes, it was a very good race. Rubens had a little bit of trouble with brakes and tyres that were getting a little bit hot, so his balance wasn't quite as nice as Michael's. But to see Michael build that cushion at the beginning of the race, of course you get a massive relief when you see the other guys coming in the pits, because you never know how much fuel they've have got. You're doing the calculations and all sorts of scenarios, and when they came in very close to us, it was a big relief. That was vintage Michael Schumacher, and vintage Ferrari today."

Q: He was under serious pressure, especially at the second chicane on the first lap…
"Yeah, it was great, wasn't it? They are both very tough contenders… It was close, but they're professionals, they came out of it. If it's close, that's great. As long as they don't knock each other off, that's what we hate to see. It was a great race today. I hope the public enjoyed it, and the scenes afterwards were something I'll never forget."

Q: What does this say about the team?
"To know that we can put it back together again, that's special. There's been all the other side issues, which I hope get forgotten. I think we've got two more fantastic races ahead us."

Q: What about the next two circuits? Traditionally you've done well at both, especially Suzuka, so are things going in your favour?
"We try not to think that way, because all we can do is work as hard as we can and concentrate as hard as we can for the next two weeks. If we take anything for granted we're going to fall flat. We're just going to do the same things we've done for the last few weeks to put it together here. It has been very tough for the team, when you've had a season like we had last year, to face the difficulties we've had in the last four or five races. There's no such thing as luck, but a few things certainly didn't go for us."

Q: Are you the favourites now?
"I don't know. With two races left one non-finish and it could be all over, so it's pretty fragile. But this will give the boys such a boost. They were going to give everything anyway, but there'll be a bit of extra special push now I suspect."

Q: Are we at a point where every point in the championship is vital?
"It has been all year. With the changes in regulations and different approach this year every point's been vital. It's been so difficult to build a lead. Today we gained two points on Juan Pablo. It is tough, but that's what the FIA wanted. We talked about the need for a regulatory body that's strong, and sets the standards that we had to work to, because we can't make our minds up between the teams. We were unhappy with the changes that were made because in effect we felt it affected our competitiveness. But what you're seeing is a fantastic season, so we can't really be that critical."

Q: It's taken 32 years to beat Peter Gethin's winning speed from Monza 1971. As an engineer are you frustrated that you're always getting pegged back by regulations?
"We have to peg it back, because with unlimited technology it would become too dangerous, so there's no option. We go forward, then it gets pegged back, we go forward again. It's a natural process. I think F1 has got a pretty good grip on itself in that area. We all know that the commercial side needs to be sorted, but technically F1 is in reasonable condition."