Saturday, July 11, 1998

Post-qualifying press conference

With Mika Hakkinen (McLaren), Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) and Jacques
Villeneuve (Williams).

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Q: Mika, you had a couple of runs in qualifying?
MH: I had three runs and for security I went out there on my last run. I
was just waiting for information from the team to see exactly the
difference between our performances. The team did a fantastic job and
talked me the information all the time and I didn't need to use the tyres.
My fastest time came on the very first laps of qualifying.

Q: Have you chosen the harder of the Bridgestone options?
MH: Maybe.

Q: That is what the pit-lane detectives say. Are you pleased with the new
Bridgestone tyres?
MH: I am quite pleased. There is always hopefully something better which is
always welcome. At the start of the season of the season the Bridgestone
was always so strong and I think the Goodyear has changed enormously, and
Ferrari has catched us, and it means the Bridgestone and the team have to
work harder. But the progress they have done since the start of the season
is very good and there is definitely more coming.

Q: You have two other teams behind you, do you feel threatened by them?
MH: No. Not really. I know this track extremely well, I've been testing
here a lot and we've tested more than anyone else. I think we are going to
have a fantastic race tomorrow, an exciting race, and I hope we can fight
for the chequered flag. It is going to be exciting.

Q: Reliability has been a problem recently. Is it still a worry?
MH: I guess it is the turn of every team to have problems with the fuel rig
like we did in Magny Cours, which was unfortunate for David. But again it
is impossible to starting thinking what the main problems that could
happen. The team have worked hard since the last race to understand the
problems and improve the car and to try and stop these problems happening
again.

Q: What about the new pole position?
MH: I prefer the old starting grid. It was quite nice, but if you are in
pole position it doesn't matter where you are.

Q: Michael, second on the grid. Could you have been first?
MS: I had a very good first sector in the last run. I locked the inside
wheel at Abbey, ran wide and it was gone. Even on my run before I ran wide
at that corner, but could continue, so overall there were a couple of
tenths to improve. Whether it is enough to improve for pole position is one
question, but like Magny Cours I wasn't on pole position but we were still
competitive in the race. So that is why I am looking forward totomorrow.

Q: It is an interesting mix at the front though isn't it?
MS: It is going to be interesting at the start, because whoever makes a
good start and is in front, that decides the outcome of the race in the
end.

Q: If it is wet people say you have got a better chance?
MS: Why?

Q: Because you are acknowledged as a wet-weather expert?
MS: We have been good in mixed circumstances when we have had to make a
decision about which way to go. If it clearly wet circumstances all of us
can drive quickly in the race. A big change in that, the point is how good
are the Bridgestones and Goodyears in wet. That is something we haven't
seen in racing circumstances.

Q: Jacques, you must be very happy to be here?
JV: I didn't remember my way here. It is my first time here this year, it
is good to get back in top three for something. The car the whole weekend
has been stronger, in Magny Cours it was stronger, but here it has been
strong again. The aerodynamic bits have settled the car down a bit and the
strength is in the high-speed aerodynamic stuff. There were improvements on
the engine for qualifyig as well and that obviously helped.

Q: How was the car handling?
JV: I had a little oversteer on my first run and it took until my last
runto get it out. Then I could be aggressive and find some time. There was
still some time to come so I feel pretty confident for tomorrow. This is
the first time this season we have a package that is strong enough to
fight.

Q: Michael, how much improvement has Goodyear made?
MS: You really have to take the old tyre and put it against the new tyre.
We didn't do it here, but take the gap in Barcelona which was 1.5 seconds
and it is probably about a second they have picked up.

Q: Jacques, what do you think?
JV: It was very difficult because we didn't do a back-to-back from
yesterday. It is difficult to quantify, but there was just enough to allow
us to be competitive. It is very difficult to judge, but the way we have
been competing this year the few tenths have been crucial.

Q: Jacques, are you confident you can win a race this year?
JV: If we keep improving the way we are then yes, as long as we get good
luck. Everyone has worked hard in the team, it has taken us a bit too long
to react, but everything is going in the right direction now. It will be
difficult to win, but a podium is definite. I don't think we will get a
situation like Montreal where most of the big guys are out, we just need to
be quicker.

Q: Michael, you were fastest through first section today. Did you gamble on settings?
MS: Basically the same as before but I just got it right. I had made the
change before but didn't use it and when I went out again I had a little
modification but nothing special and went for it.

Q: Which is the most important sector for qualifying and which for the race?
MS: They are all important. If you want to overtake you want fast
straightline speed, and in the race all three sectors are important.

Q: Jacques, how much satisfaction do you get that the work you are doing is
paying off?
JV: It is very satisfying because after a few races it was really, really
bad. We were looking like idiots after last year and to get our act
together and come back strongly at this race is very positive. What you
don't want to do is go backwards

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