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TEAM PRINCIPALS: Eric
BOULLIER (Renault), Stefano DOMENICALI (Ferrari), Christian HORNER (Red
Bull), Colin KOLLES (HRT)
Q: First of all, can we have a run-down of how things have gone today.
Colin, would you like to start.
Colin KOLLES: Well, we had some technical issues but we managed to go
through the programmes. I think that Sakon (Yamamoto) did a good job. He
drove almost the same lap time as Bruno (Senna). We will see tomorrow how he
will perform. Traditionally on Fridays we are not as competitive as we are
during the race or during the qualifying. In qualifying we should be closer
and also in the race.
Q: Eric, interesting to see Vitaly Petrov ahead of Robert Kubica. Maybe
there is a good reason for it?
Eric BOULLIER: There is a good reason. Today went as we planned and
expected. We had a couple of updates to test and we did some back-to-backs
to make sure. Vitaly did a very good lap in the second practice today but
the conditions were a bit different with Robert’s, so at least now we know
exactly where we are and where we are standing.
Q: Stefano?
Stefano DOMENICALI: I think today was pretty intense for us. We had the
first session where we needed to test a lot of things also for the future
races because of the break that will be effective immediately, starting for
us in seven days. Then we did the programme for today and it seems that,
apparently, the situation is not too bad. But I have seen Red Bull in great
shape and I think that here the situation is that maybe some others were
covered in terms of their performance and we discover it tomorrow.
Q: Christian, interesting to see quite a margin really for Sebastian Vettel.
Christian HORNER: First of all congratulations to the Hungaroring on its
25th anniversary. It is obviously quite an achievement. The track has
produced some great racing over the years, so congratulations to them. Today
was a good day for us. We worked through our programme. We have had no major
issues. Both drivers are pretty happy with the car. The circuit has evolved
pretty quickly and the times are significantly quicker than 12 months ago,
maybe that’s because it is a little cooler here today. But, generally, it
has been a good day. Both drivers looked at different set-ups and evaluated
different components which has given us a good amount of data to look at
tonight.
Q: For the two of you in the front row. There has been a certain amount of
controversies recently. Turkey, for example, where two drivers do race
together and Hockenheim where they don’t necessarily. You seem to have
different ways of managing your two drivers. Is that correct to say?
Christian, what is your strategy?
CH: Our strategy in Istanbul, rightly or wrongly, was we let the drivers
race. A lot has been made over the last week. Obviously it has not been the
most comfortable of weeks for Stefano, but what happened, happened and we
will continue to work in a way to try and support the drivers as fairly as
we can. Inevitably like we saw in Silverstone sometimes you are going to
have a component that you are going to have to make a decision on but we
will do our best to try and support both drivers as equally as we can. We
have had updates brought here which have gone to both sides of the garage
and the team continue to do a fantastic job in ensuring we do treat the
drivers as equally as possible.
SD: In that respect I share what Christian has said. The only thing I can
say is that in terms of our drivers I just want to say once again it is not
a problem of being first and second driver. It is just the fact that we
consider Formula One as a team sport with two very strong personalities and
this is part of our philosophy. Considering that there was a decision of the
stewards and that the situation has to be discussed in the World Council I
cannot speak on what has happened last week. We need to move on and we need
to be focused on this job here in Hungary.
Q: Eric, would you prefer to have that problem of having two equal drivers
or are you very happy with the drivers that you have?
EB: Actually I am very happy with both my drivers as they are very equal.
Q: Even though one is much more experienced than the other?
EB: Of course it makes the situation a little bit easier as I have got one
rookie driver and one experienced driver. Sometimes they can maybe be
matched together but obviously the most experienced driver is in front of
the rookie one which is completely normal.
Q: Colin, what is your driver policy for the rest of the year as you have
got three drivers.
CK: We have four. As we always said we have four drivers and we will use all
the four drivers.
Q: Do you know what the policy is for the rest of the season?
CK: I know yes, what the policy is.
Q: Are you going to tell us?
CK: No.
Q: So will we see Christian Klien back in the car?
CK: That’s a possibility.
Q: Lots has been said about team orders. Are you in favour of team orders?
Do you think the rule should be changed? Do you think it is an out-dated
rule? How should it be applied? Colin, would you like to start.
CK: Well, I think that the team’s interest comes first. What I also think is
that maybe each team is managing it in its own way, so maybe my way would be
different to manage it as it would be some other team is doing it. I don’t
think to do it so obvious is the right way.
Q: Eric?
EB: I agree with Colin. We have to work for the team’s interests first. It
is very clear that the team has to come first. It can happen when both your
drivers are first row or clearly fighting for the lead of the race. I don’t
think there is a need to have a clear team order as normally common sense
should be predominant on the situation and that’s it. Nothing else to say.
Q: Stefano, is the rule out of date?
SD: You understand what I said before. The team is a very important thing.
That is all I can say at the moment.
Q: Do you feel that the rule should be changed?
SD: It is a matter for discussion. If I may say, we do not need to be
cosmetic. If this is the point, then for sure there is something that has to
be addressed.
Q: Christian?
CH: It is a difficult question as what constitutes a team order at the end
of the day? I think the regulations as they currently sit are relatively
clear, rightly or wrongly. Hence the situation Ferrari find themselves in
which is an issue between them and the FIA. But a discussion inevitably will
need to take place. The regulation was introduced for a reason. If it is say
a rule that cannot be policed then the effectiveness of that rule has to be
questioned. Today that rule exists and it is very much an issue for the
governing body.
Q: Another slightly contentious thing at the moment are flexible front
wings. What is your view on those.
CK: We don’t have them.
Q: But you wish you did?
CK: I wish.
Q: Eric?
EB: I think the FIA has already cleared the answer by let’s say by giving
the go-ahead of the legality about the suspicious...about any flexible
wings. I think we have to work in a different way to understand what the
front row here is doing to clear ourselves as a technical point on this.
SD: For me, it is not a matter of opinion. We need to rely on the governing
body that is doing all the checks that they want. They did, at least I can
say on our car, so it is a matter of respecting the regulations and really
that’s it.
Q: What do you understand what you can or cannot do?
SD: There are certain tests that you have to do with the front wing as you
can do with other parts of the car and you have to respect the loads and the
tests that are connected to that part specifically and if you pass that,
then that’s done.
Q: There was a front wing analysis on television this morning by an FOM
cameraman. It was very interesting for us to see how much movement there was
in certain front wings. Christian, your view?
CH: I endorse everything that Stefano has said. There are compliance tests
which are pretty stringent that all components have to meet. It is
interesting where the emphasis moves. So far this year we have had active
ride height, we have had suspension, we have had diffusers looked at. We
have had front wings. As always there is never a silver bullet. The
performance of any car comes down to how design philosophy and a combination
of components work as opposed to any one particular component. There are
stringent tests. I am happy that our car complies with all the regulations
and take it as a compliment to our engineers when a fuss like this is
sometimes made by rival teams.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Ralf Bach – R & B) A question for all four. In your opinion what is more
important, to follow the team interests or to respect existing regulations?
CH: That is a very good question.
SD: On my side, I think both.
CH: At the end of the day the team should be bigger than any individual.
Everybody works for the team, everybody works for the interests of the team.
Drivers, all members whether that is technicians, mechanics, engineers, team
principals, technical directors, no one individual should be bigger than the
team.
Q: But my question was about the regulations.
CH: It is an interesting question as sometimes you have a conflict of
interest where perhaps the team’s interest is different to the driver’s
interests. But each team will address that differently. The regulations are
clear and, like it or not, they are the regulations that we abide by.
EB: You can have a different interpretation but at the end of the day you
need to make it clear and be in line with the governing body. Basically you
need to stick to the rules and then think about the team’s interests.
CK: Well, you can compare it to with the flexible wings. There are flexible
wings that comply with the regulations. You can make team orders which
comply also maybe with the regulations.
Q: (Michael Trawniczek – Rally & More) I have a question for Mr Domenicali.
I have a friend who likes to bet a lot of money and he is a big fan of
Felipe Massa. He thinks he can win this grand prix, so can I phone him and
tell him he can bet a lot of money on Felipe?
SD: I think you can tell him, because I never bet, it is up to him to bet
his money. He doesn’t ask to me what he has to do.
Q: (Joe Saward – Grand Prix Special) Gentlemen, Christian just described the
team orders’ issue as being between Ferrari and the FIA. Surely it’s between
all the Formula One teams and the fans. What do you have to say about that?
SD: If I may start with this, I think that we are in Formula One for a long
time. We don’t have to have short memories. We need to be realistic and put
the facts as they are. That’s what I would say about that. Sometimes it
seems that we apply more pressure, as I said before, on cosmetics rather
than other subjects. I think that it’s a matter of principle. We believe
that it’s a team sport and this is the fundamental point, to be honest with
you. Then all the other voices, as I said, in my view there’s no reason to
discuss.
CH: I’m sure everybody’s got an opinion, but at the end of the day, the FIA
are the regulator, they have all of the facts, they have facts that probably
aren’t in the public domain, so that’s why you have to rely on the governing
body, that’s their job and I’m sure they will deal with the issue as they
see fit. It’s irrelevant for us, it doesn’t involve my team or any of the
other teams. It’s an issue between the FIA and Ferrari.
EB: If I understand your question, it’s related to the fans’ reaction
compared with some possible team orders?
Q: (Joe Saward – Grand Prix Special) Should the Formula One teams listen to
what the fans are saying? It depends a little bit on which country but the
predominant reaction is not positive for what was done. Should Formula One
be worried about that rather than worrying about the question of Ferrari and
the FIA sorting it out? Should Formula One as a whole be thinking ‘what do
the fans want to see?’
EB: I think F1 already discussed many times the fans by doing some surveys
which I guess the first meaning of this act is to listen to some fans and
fans’ wishes, so yes to your question. We should listen to the fans and make
sure that the fans are happy.
CK: Cycling is also… the Tour de France is also a team sport and there are
some fans who like cycling. I think team orders are fine with me as long as
they are according to the regulations. I think the team is the number one
and then come the other interests. Obviously there are regulations, and if
somebody feels that the regulations have been breached, then this is not for
us to decide. This is the point. If a fan would understand that team orders
are allowed, you have it in cycling, you have it also maybe in other sports.
This is my point of view.
Q: (Livio Oricchio – O Estado de Sao Paulo) Question is to Domenicali: on
one side you have Alonso overtaking Felipe and you get seven points more for
Alonso. On the other side you have the country of Felipe, Brazil, and this
country has Fiat, Shell, Santander where they have maybe one of the
strongest markets for them. And this country has millions of people
suggesting that they will never buy Fiat cars any more, Shell fuel and use a
bank account. Which solution do you prefer? The seven points more for
Alonso, or to face the situation in the country?
SD: As I said, we need to be cool when we discuss these things. We don’t
have to bring it to an emotional point. In my view, I would say that no one
can say that Ferrari… no one more than Ferrari has supported Felipe, every
time, all the time. As I said, we go back to short memories. A couple of
races ago, a lot of people in this room were pushing us to say what’s it all
about, what is happening and we always said, no, no, Felipe’s a great
driver, he’s a great man, for sure he wants to win because it’s what we want
and we want to see him as part of the team because we are feeling for him.
So no one can say Ferrari has done anything to Felipe. We always support
him, we feel a lot for him. I don’t want to follow this because I don’t
think it is correct and I don’t want that people have short memories,
because that is wrong, in life and in sport.
Q: (Fredrik Af Petersens) You are all talking about how you see Formula One
as a team sport; in 2002 I asked Michael (Schumacher) and Rubens
(Barrichello), why do we have an individual World Championship for Drivers?
They didn’t give me an answer. Perhaps you four can give me an answer: why
do we have a Drivers’ championship?
CH: I think we’ve made it very clear that we let both of our drivers compete
for that championship, so rightly or wrongly, we’ve let our drivers race. We
will continue to employ that strategy, but you do have two championships and
Drivers’ and Teams’ both carry the same significance, I would say.
EB: If I may there is a Constructors’ championship, so it’s up to us to back
the best of our drivers to win both the Drivers’ and the Constructors’
championship.
SD: Yes, the same.
CK: The same. I think the Constructors’ championship is a very crucial one,
to be honest with you. It’s very important from a financial point of view.
You don’t gain anything out of the Drivers’ championship. You gain, of
course, a lot of reputation and maybe indirect sponsorship or whatever but
the fact is that the Constructors’ championship is more valuable for a team
than the Drivers’ championship.
Q: (Fulvio Solms – Corriere dello Sport) Stefano, may you sincerely explain
to us this double speed of Ferrari: slow and defensive with the
international media and fast and aggressive on the tracks and in the
interpretation of technical and sporting regulations?
SD: I don’t know if it’s slow on one side and fast on the other. For sure
our main objective is to try, at least, to be fast on the track and this is
the most important thing. This year is a tough championship, no doubt. I
think that, as I said before, if you divide all the races that we have done
up to now, we suffered by not gaining the points that we should have taken,
for many reasons, and I think that we found ourselves in a situation where
in terms of developing, we were slowing down a little bit, where we were
expecting something more, mainly connected to the F-duct development. Then
after that I think that when we realised that we were focusing more on the
other technical developments related to the other parts of the car, so we
gained performance. But I would say, going back to the short memories, to
stay cool. Every race is different. We have seen that how, if you look back
at the last couple of races, how things can change very quickly. So the only
thing that we have to do is really to make sure that we push hard in all
areas, because the competition is very, very strong but with these kind of
points, everything can happen because if you have a problem and then you are
able to be there and take the points, then everything is possible. The other
way to do it is to be very pushy in all areas.
Q: (Byron Young – The Daily Mirror) Stefano, is there any concern… you lost
Rubens Barrichello because he felt that he’d been treated as a second class
driver, a number two driver in your team. Is there any concern now that
Felipe Massa might feel the same way and you might lose a very talented
driver over the next couple of years?
SD: No, no, I don’t think so. No, I don’t think so because Felipe, as I
said, we have always been very happy about Felipe. We were helping on the
personal side, on the professional side, we are proud of him and we don’t
change our view. I think that the philosophy of his life is really part of
our spirit and we respect that and I think that he respects (that) too. At
this moment, when you are surrounded by a lot of people that are pushing
you, friends, real friends, friends that are not real friends, people that
are saying to you something and when you turn your back they say the
opposite. It’s normal that you react with this kind of energy. It’s
important that this energy has to be not negative but it has to be positive,
positive for him, because that’s part of the game, very positive for him
once again, as I said, but also positive for the team, because that was also
on his statement, so honestly I don’t think so.
Q: (Byron Young – The Daily Mirror) Just following up on that, why would
Felipe Massa want to help you win the World Championship when you don’t want
to help him win the World Championship?
SD: I think that once again, short memories, because I think that if you
remember, our philosophy was really to try to make sure that our drivers
would have the right chance at the right moment and I think that you can
remember what has happened in the past, so that’s it.
Q: (Peter Farkas – Auto Motor) Actually this is a follow-up, I know it’s
getting boring but I still have to ask it. We’ve heard the question that
maybe the teams should listen to the fans a bit more but can we ask it the
other way round? Maybe the fans should listen to the teams a bit more,
because obviously there is a view that Formula One was always a team sport
basically but people really don’t seem to understand it. Do you think that
really the teams together should make a bit more effort to convince people
that it’s a team sport, because there have been team orders before they were
banned and there are team orders since they are banned, so there’s no real
point in them being in the regulations. It’s really the fact that team
orders are unpopular, so even if they do it, they will not always openly
admit to it, so?
SD: Otherwise I speak alone. We do a press conference...
CH: It’s a good question. You have to listen to the fans. The fans do want
to see wheel-to-wheel racing but a lot again comes down to the regulations
and explaining the regulations and the practicality of those regulations. So
I think it’s something that the teams, together with the governing body,
need to really learn from the events of last weekend and come up with
perhaps a revision or clarity, moving forwards.
Q: (Peter Farkas – Auto Motor) Will it change anything because team orders
will still be used and will be unpopular?
CH: As I said earlier, I think it depends on what constitutes a team order
at the end of the day.
Q: (Jonathan Legard – BBC Sport) Just on that, Christian, is there a case
then for just saying team orders are legal? Because there seems to be a
contradiction because you’ve all said, and everyone has said pretty much,
that team orders are part of the fabric of Formula One and yet they are
banned. You have your own unwritten law and yet there is the law in the
Formula One rule book.
CH: We have got a slight contradiction here in that if you look across the
different decades of Formula One, whether it was Stirling Moss, Niki Lauda
coming through to the more recent eras, Formula One has been a team sport.
This regulation was introduced for a purpose to try and avoid obviously what
happened in 2002. Generally it’s been pretty effective but obviously
situations still exist and I think it’s an issue that does need to be
revisited. It has perhaps been tested more fully recently but it’s an
important issue for Formula One and clarity also for the teams moving
forward as to what the future of team orders is. Do they belong in Formula
One or don’t they and if they don’t then obviously the rules need absolutely
clearly deal with that.
CK: I agree…
Q: (Alessandro Berbic – Fox TV Serbia) Mr Horner, now in Istanbul and in
Silverstone your seat seemed to be the hottest seat of all on the pit wall.
Now do you feel relieved or happy or maybe lucky that now you’re not in the
position you used to be in?
SD: Let’s wait.
CH: When you’re competitive and running at the front, inevitably the
spotlight is on you. We had our issues and people are very quick to form
opinions about those issues. The Ferrari guys touched each other at
Silverstone two weeks earlier but because they were running fifth or sixth
or whatever, it wasn’t particularly interesting. So inevitably it will move
round and I think it’s McLaren’s turn really to take that spotlight in the
next few races!
Q: (Alessandro Berbic – Fox TV Serbia) Now here is the second one for Mr
Domenicali: since you’ve been at the helm of Ferrari, and since you’ve been
leading the team, there have been some criticisms and maybe hard times for
either lack of performance or lack of drivers’ performance or whatever but
do you feel that this time, for the last five or six days, has been the
hardest since you’re the boss of the Ferrari Formula One team, for you,
personally?
SD: For me personally? For sure during these days it is really not good to
see that after such a fantastic weekend, all the pressure is on that side,
but honestly, as I said, it really depends from which side you’re taking
your view, because I know that the reaction from the situation in Hockenheim
was totally different if you speak with different people, or different
countries. For sure it’s something that, as I said, in life, everything has
to bring something to anyone. That’s for sure. But in our job, it moves on
every day. You never know what is happening tomorrow and we will see. |
