Sun 10 May, 08:50 AM
Drivers: Jenson Button (Brawn GP), Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), Rubens Barrichello (Brawn GP)
Questions from the floor:
Q: (Ian Parkes � PA)
Jenson, well done, are you aware of just how crucial pole is here bearing in mind that the last eight winners and the last thirteen of the fourteen winners have started from pole?
Jenson Button:
No, I didn�t, didn�t know the stat. We don�t normally concentrate on who�s on pole, we haven�t for the last couple of years anyway. I know it�s important because it�s difficult to overtake here. All of the cars around us have been very quick on long runs, so I wouldn�t say we have an advantage on a long run. P1 for sure is an advantage. I�ve just got to hope that I can stay there into turn one. As you know, we�ve both had some difficulties at the start this year but the starts that we have made properly have been very good, so I�m hoping for one of those starts tomorrow.
Q: (James Allen � Financial Times)
To all three of you: I�m really interested in the mental side of the step from your first run in Q3 to your final run because Rubens and Sebastian both improved by seven tenths but Jenson found a second on that final run, which is what made the difference, so mentally what are you thinking to yourselves, where are you finding that extra time and how did you find a second within yourself?
JB:
For me it was the weirdest qualifying because with Rubens, for example, I thought I had the edge in Q1 and then in Q2 he set a blistering pace and I don�t really know where that came from. My laps weren�t exactly bad but I was surprised that he had so much more pace. In Q3 I changed the balance of the front wing a little bit because I was struggling with the rear end coming round in Q2 and that was costing me time on entry and as you all probably know, that�s not my favourite thing. The rear calmed down in my first run in Q3, so I thought I could probably add the front wing back on for my new tyres and I could and it all came together. It was the right balance for that moment in time on the circuit. I knew I had to go hell for leather because Rubens was doing a very good job and it was very close at the front. I wasn�t thinking about where I was going to qualify, I was just trying to get the best out of it and you could say it looked like a messy lap on TV but it�s a very strange circuit here in qualifying and there�s very low grip and you do have to throw the car around a bit and I had to do that which is unusual for me.
Sebastian Vettel:
First of all, if I observe correctly, I think Jenson did his first run on used tyres and Rubens and I both did ours on new tyres.
JB:
No, he was on used.
SV:
But then I did a bad job because both times I had new tyres. Yeah, not much to add. As Jenson said, this is quite a tricky circuit to get one lap out of the car. In general I�m very happy. We made quite a step forward with the car because we were struggling really to get the first lap out of the soft tyres but we managed well this afternoon. Other than that� how do you approach it mentally? You know what to do, so you just try to get the best out of the car and obviously you�ve experienced runs before, what happens, how is the balance, as Jenson said, you might play with the front wing a little bit and then you just try again, try to get it right everywhere.
JB:
I think a lot of it does come naturally, the feelings and everything, because if you think about it too much, it doesn�t work for sure.
RB:
Well, it�s the same as them really. I�ve been told by Jocky (Jock Clear, race engineer) that I had old tyres and Sebastian had new tyres, so I was worried about him in a way, and I really thought that having new tyres I wouldn�t have the edge, so having new tyres I was pretty sure I could edge Sebastian because I was in front of Jenson. You always have to consider everyone but at that time I just wanted to do a good lap and I think a factor for me, not mentally on your question, but it was just the fact that I probably went onto the track too soon. That was my limitation because the lap was good. So yeah, mentally I was quite strong because I had a new tyre on the back and so I knew I could have gone faster.
Q: (Laurentzi Garmendia � Berria)
Jenson, the first eleven drivers in Q2 were faster than last year�s best time by Felipe Massa in Q2, on an aero circuit where cars are supposed to have less grip this year. What do you think about cars getting faster and faster? Is that what the FIA was looking for?
JB:
For me, aerodynamically we have less downforce and we have more drag, that�s the way that it was supposed to be and that�s the way it is. But we�ve picked up a lot of time with the slick tyres. I would say that the slicks are probably two to two and a half seconds quicker than the grooved tyres, so we�ve picked up there but obviously we�ve lost a lot in downforce. Some of the reasons were because the cars were getting too fast through corners but also some of the reasons for the change was to help the racing. Some drivers might say that it doesn�t help the racing but I think watching the races this year there�s been a lot of overtaking manoeuvres and if you look at the cars this year they look a lot more difficult to drive. We�ve had the quickest car for a few of the races this year and it�s not an easy car to drive. It�s very, very twitchy and if you watch them on TV they are twitching around all the time which makes it easier to make a mistake and other drivers can capitalise on that. For me the regulation changes are positive for many reasons: first, the racing for me has been fantastic and that�s not because I�m leading the championship; watching the overtaking moves on TV�
Q: (Paulo Ianieri � La Gazzetta dello Sport)
As you said, Ferrari looks to have made the biggest step forward. Do you think they might be a threat tomorrow for the podium? Or looking at the long runs and everything do you still feel confident that you still have some advantage?
JB:
Well, I�ve heard that KERS gives you ten meters from the start to the first corner, so that�s quite a lot � just to let you know � so that�s a problem, for sure, starting from pole. If he (Massa) gets a very good start as well it could be a problem for me. I think it�s just going to make it a bit crazy into turn one more than anything because when one car is coming into the first corner a lot quicker than the others in front of him, it could cause mayhem, especially with quite a high speed corner like this one. So it�s about keeping your nose clean at turn one and that�s going to be difficult for all of us. But as you say, the Ferrari has been quick and they are going to be quick in the race also, I think. They�ve made a big improvement, as you would expect really.
Q: (Walter Koster � Saarbr�cker Zeitung)
The FIA has decided on a point system for next year. I can imagine that Jenson might prefer a medal system; can I have an answer from you three about the FIA decision?
JB:
For me, yeah, I would love the medal system this year. I think any driver would who has won three races. For me, I would rather it was more 10-6 points for first and second, rather than medals. Points have been the way for many decades in Formula One and to change that is the wrong thing to do, personally, so I think the points system is a good thing but I�ve never been in this position before where I�ve won three races and I�m (only) getting two points more than second place. I understand why people have found it frustrating in the past, since we�ve had this 10-8-6 system. For me it would be nice if it was 10-6 but next year it might be a very different situation, so I might not be sat here on pole position in Barcelona, so we�ve got to wait and see.
SV:
I think the points system is good as it is and I think in general the points system is more challenging and it rewards also the most consistent driver, so you may face some Grand Prix weekends where you are struggling with the balance of the car, you don�t get it right but in the end it separates the good from the very good if you still manage to get the best out of it and score some points, so getting fourth, fifth, sixth position and collecting some points for the championship. On the other hand, if you won the first seven or eight races then there�s no point in continuing really, so I think the points system is still the way to go.
RB:
I think it all depends on where you are in the championship really. I could change my mind quite quickly, you see. If I was in Jenson�s position I would love to have the medals right now but I think it�s a fair point he made that the points system is the system that should remain because you have to fight for the points. I was racing when the points were 10-6 and it was different. But again, it depends where you are because sometimes you�re winning, sometimes you�re not, so you can change your mind quite quickly on that.
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