Peter Talks about Jacques, Antonio and Regulations
Peter Sauber
By FIA Press Conference
October 9 2004
Peter Sauber answers questions about Villeneuve, Luzzi, F1 regulations and the weather the FIA Thursday press conference prior to the Japanese Grand Prix.
Just a general question to all of you, it is a topic at the moment. The typhoon has been up rated to a super typhoon. What preparations are you making for tomorrow and possibly for Sunday? How it will affect qualifying? How you would like to see qualifying re-scheduled if tomorrow is cancelled and how prepared you are to deal with an extreme weather situation as we are facing at the moment?
Peter SAUBER: There are a lot of possibilities. I think if we started to think about it immediately then two weeks later we would have a solution. (Laughter)
Paul STODDART (Minardi): Two years, Peter!
Peter, perhaps employing Jacques Villeneuve for next season after Shanghai doesn’t seem to be such a good idea. Are you worried or do you have any regrets about signing him up for two years now?
Peter SAUBER: After Shanghai? It is nothing to do with Shanghai. I think it was the right decision to drive with him, for him and for us too.
There was a test scheduled with Vitantonio Liuzzi which was arranged before you signed Jacques but took place after you’d signed him. It seemed quite confusing that you were arranging a test with Liuzzi for possibly a race drive. What was the logic there?
Peter SAUBER: We promised him that he could do a test after a successful Formula 3000 season and I think it was okay to do it. It was nice for him to drive for one day in a Formula One car. On the other hand it was very difficult to show his talent for only one day testing. But I think overall the test was very good.
Can I ask the other three guys whether they would allow Paul to run a 2004 car in 2005?
Peter SAUBER: It is a political question, it’s not easy for me to give you a good answer. On one side I would like to help him because I absolutely understand the situation. On the other hand we have to be careful when we go in this direction because there are other teams, maybe between Minardi and Ferrari, Sauber for example, and what would be our compensation to go closer to Ferrari? That’s an example.
Is it hurting Formula One, tobacco sponsorship, Peter?
Peter SAUBER: I don’t understand the question.
Does having tobacco sponsors staying in Formula One affect new sponsors coming into the sport? Does it affect the teams who don’t run with tobacco sponsorship?
Peter SAUBER: No, I don’t think so. You have a lot of people without tobacco advertising and people smoke more than the others: China, Denmark, for example, there are a lot of examples I think. It won’t be a problem for Formula One.
You cannot avoid hearing talk about the British Grand Prix and its future and the ongoing political games. Can we get from each of you your own take on what is happening to the race at Silverstone, with Bernie, with everything that is happening, like, with Nigel Mansell? What do you think is happening to the British Grand Prix? Will there be a race at Silverstone next year?
Peter SAUBER: There are two sides. On one hand, I think 16 or 17 Grands Prix are enough, on the other hand Great Britain is the homeland of motorsport and I think it is important to have a British Grand Prix. Personally I like the track at Silverstone.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR:
(Joe Saward) To just follow up, do you think that tradition is important in the sport or is market forces all that matter these days?
Peter SAUBER: Again, I like Silverstone and I think all the tradition is important for Formula One. But when you speak about Silverstone you speak about money and I think it is not only the money, it is also the time and I believe that 19 Grands Prix are too much.
(Marc Surer – Premiere TV) We understand that if there is a cancellation of tomorrow, the organisers and the stewards can change the time schedule, for example they can change qualifying for Sunday morning, but they cannot change, as I understand, the way the qualifying happens, because if they change that they change the sporting regulations and that means all of you, all 10 teams, have to sign. So my question is, would you sign to change for qualifying?
Paul STODDART (Minardi): I am probably the most experienced at trying to get all 10 teams to sign something and all I would say is good luck, because we have never managed to agree on anything else!
Maybe it is a good chance to get the regulations for next year?
Paul STODDART (Minardi): Yeah, it’s possible, isn’t it. Good idea mate! I’ve had all day to canvass it, haven’t I?
Peter SAUBER: Why don’t you start immediately, you need a minimum of two weeks!
Paul STODDART (Minardi): Two years?