DRIVERS – Jaime ALGUERSUARI (Toro Rosso), Fernando ALONSO (Ferrari), Lewis HAMILTON (McLaren), Pastor MALDONADO (Williams), Sergio PÉREZ (Sauber), Sebastian VETTEL (Red Bull)
PRESS CONFERENCE
Q. Sergio, a good race last weekend, finishing eighth. Can we expect the same this weekend?
Sergio PEREZ: Well, it was a very special race for me. It was quite a good race, very good race, starting on P17. We had a hydraulic problem. We thought the race was lost and our pace was very strong in the race. We managed very good strategy and it was very good to score some good points and hopefully we will keep up the momentum in the last races.
Q. Presumably you have sent a birthday card to Peter Sauber if you want to keep your drive for next year, as it is his birthday today?
SP: Yes, of course. It was his birthday and we all congratulated him. It is a very good atmosphere in the team, everybody is very happy, and we are looking forward to the last four events.
Q. This is a new circuit for you and I believe you have driven it on the simulator. Now you've seen it for real what are your initial impressions?
SP: I went for a walk this morning and, of course, it looks very dirty. The track, the layout, looks very promising. I have driven the circuit on the simulator already and I am looking forward to doing a good job this weekend. It is a very challenging circuit.
Q. Jaime, you started 15th last year and drove up to 11th. Similar or better this year?
Jamie ALGUERSUARI: I hope better. We had a problem in the pit stop last year and I think a top-seven position was possible here. It was a chaotic race with the rain, a very difficult one for all of us. I expect a lot from this year and especially now we are not far away from Sauber. I think we can manage to score some points in the last four events and hopefully to finish the race in the top 10. That would be awesome.
Q. You are not doing FP1 at this race. How much does that potentially upset the weekend?
JA: At the moment, not much. Tomorrow it is raining at the moment. That's the prediction that we have. We know that on Sunday possibly the race will be in the dry conditions and also the Saturday, so at the moment it is not a bad job. Also the fact I know the track so it is also fine and it is not bothering me so much.
Q. One other story is all about your music CD. How much does that take up your time. It sounds as though it is very successful.
JA: Yeah, at the moment the first release has been quite good. It was number one in the chart of iTunes in Spain and top five in the UK, so working a lot in the studio and hopefully with more releases for the winter and next year. Keep on working at that as well. It's a part of my life, what I love. I obviously cannot do it when I'm here but I try to do it at home. I have my studio there in Barcelona so I spend a lot of time there having fun.
Q. So a good second career?
JA: Yeah, absolutely.
Q. Pastor, first time here. Have you driven it on the simulator? What are your first impressions of this circuit?
Pastor MALDONADO: No, I've never driven it on the simulator. It will be my first time tomorrow. The track looks really interesting; challenging. I think especially the second sector will be quite technical. I hope to improve our last results and be a little bit more competitive here. Even if it will be my first time here, I think after P1 I will be competitive.
Q. You have got a new technical leadership in the team. What are your thoughts about that?
PM: I think the team now is having many changes and important at the same time, but we are really happy, we are pushing, concentrated, focused on improving even this year's car. I hope to do well, especially in this last part of the season and even working so hard with the team. I think the changes are really important. All the people feel comfortable in the team, so looking forward to this end of the season.
Q. And your thoughts about your first grand prix season?
PM: I think it was really difficult, especially at the beginning. We didn't run a lot because of so many problems in the car. But now we are getting the pace, more confidence, more experience, so I think I am doing good. I feel good in the team, with the people. As I mentioned before the team is really compact. It is a big family and I hope to improve and score some more points in the last part of the season.
Q. Fernando, the championship is over but what are your goals for the last four races? And obviously you won here last year.
Fernando ALONSO: Try to win one race if possible. We know it will be difficult. Red Bull will remain favorites for the remaining races. McLaren is very strong at this part of the championship as well, so we know it is going to be difficult. But we will try every Sunday, we will try to enjoy racing, with obviously not the pressure of the championship position or whatever, as I think finishing, second, third or fifth in the Drivers' Championship is not a big difference. Once you cannot be World Champion it is not any more a big interest on that. And then in the Constructors' Championship, which is maybe more important, McLaren is still quite a long way ahead of us, so we need to do the maximum, but we know it is also going to be difficult to catch them. As I said try and enjoy racing like we did at Suzuka last weekend, when you can be aggressive on the starts, you can play a little bit with the strategy. We can enjoy Sundays, try do good races, maximize the potential of the car and if we do that then we know a podium is very possible and as I said if there is one opportunity to win one of the remaining grands prix we try to take it.
Q. Suzuka was a very good result. You were right there with the leaders, but Singapore say wasn't such a good performance. How do you explain those ups and downs?
FA: I think this year there has been some up and downs for everybody which no one can understand 100 percent. We can have some ideas of what happened in Singapore to us and we are quite convinced that we know the problem. We are also quite convinced we know why we were a little bit better in Suzuka. Obviously, I will not tell you now. I think it is the same for everybody. I think everybody was expecting a strong Red Bull in Suzuka and they finished third so more and more difficult to understand Formula 1 for everybody in these days.
Q. Have you got more bits and pieces coming here? Is there a new wing, maybe a development for 2012?
FA: I know some things but I plan not to tell you what we have new in the car, [this would] give you an easy life.