FIA Press Conference

[f1manoz]

Quote from F1-Live.com:

PRESS CONFERENCE:
Question: Do you think the sport's credibility has been damaged today?
Michael Schumacher: I don't think so because we have seen this in racing all the time. I'm sure next week there will be lots of moaning and lots of complaints about this, but then you see the sport has always seen things like this, whether they are in the middle of the season or whether they are a little bit earlier or a little bit later in the season, they have always been. Some will understand, some will not understand, maybe the majority here today is not understanding. I understand this as well, but I don't think this is in our hands honestly. At least, today it wasn't.

Question: Just a point perhaps, you have actually pulled over for your teammate in the past when the championship was in another situation...
Michael Schumacher: Yes. No, I don't think it would be any different. The think you mustn't forget is that Rubens was very unlucky at the beginning of the season with his retirements so right now, looking at the point situation, unfortunately for Rubens, it's too clear in my favour and that's probably why the team took this decision. If the points situation was much more close, I'm sure they wouldn't have done anything.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR:

Question: Michael. According to your very strong position in the team, couldn't you have disobeyed the order?
Michael Schumacher: I was thinking very strongly about this and that is why said I was hoping there wouldn't be such an order. If you can see the telemetry data on the straight when Rubens backed off, I backed off but then he backed off even further. You sit outside and you have a lot of time to think about all of this. We sit in there and it wasn't a long preparation of discussion. They came on in the last couple of metres on the radio and said that he would back off. I didn't feel like, but then I have to be honest to say no it was probably the wrong decision to win this race, yes I agree, but if I had the chance to turn it around I would probably do but I cannot now.

Question: Juan Pablo. As a driver and sportsman, what do you think about what happened to Michael and Rubens?
Juan Pablo Montoya I won't really get involved in it. It is team orders. That's the way they work. It is disappointing, I would say, for Rubens. He has been working, and in the last few races you can see he has been starting to out-pace Michael and he has been really strong. I really felt he deserved this. Michael, when you really think about it, doesn't really have any challenge in the championship. I am running second and we have done six races and he is already more than 20 points ahead of me. And they are maybe a second a lap clear on us, so what they are nervous about I don't know. But it is a team decision, I am sorry for Rubens, and he did deserve it.

Question: Michael. In the unilaterals, did you say you discussed a situation such as this in the morning and thought it was not necessary?
Michael Schumacher: No we didn't discuss it. This morning I was asked by a journalist whether I would expect any such decision and I said no.

Question: Michael, what is this championship worth now?
Michael Schumacher: I didn't know I am not champion yet.

Question: If you win this championship, Michael, what is this championship worth now?
Michael Schumacher: I don't think that is a very nice question to ask now.

Question: Isn't this a sport? Isn't this about motor racing?
Michael Schumacher: (No comment)

Question: Michael. Are you going to return the victory in the next race to Rubens?
Michael Schumacher: I don't think Rubens needs me to return this favour. The way he drives now he is going to win a race sooner or later by himself, without me. But be sure, if he doesn't it will be returned. I was hoping we had the chance already last year, but the way the race went in Suzuka we couldn't, obviously. As I said before I think he is really strong this year and he does it out of his efforts.

Question: Michael. You said if you could reverse it you would. Are you then saying that if the FIA excluded both of you for bringing the sport into disrepute, you would not appeal?
Michael Schumacher: Thank you.

Question: Michael. You said before in the German TV commentary that you were longing for the next race to come up soon to get back to real racing. So what was this today?
Michael Schumacher: It was a real race until near the end. You just keep riding on us. The situation is as it is. We are all not happy about it, we have agreed on that, so the thing I believe, the next race, once we get into racing, to some degree it will fall back and we concentrate on the next event. That is what I would like to do because I don't want to go on and discuss through and through on this one, because it is not going to change unfortunately.

Question: In the next race are you going to discuss with the team about team orders two laps before the chequered flag?
Michael Schumacher: Honestly, it is not in our hands. To some degree I am in favour of this and have always said that team strategy is important. We are maybe in a very special situation this year where we have a very strong car, we have so far a reasonably comfortable lead in terms of points, and that is maybe why it is a little bit more a point of discussion. And that is why as well that I am not very happy about it. But then what is really different to last year, to some degree? It is the same time in the year, the Grand Prix is the same one, and you have to see the target of the team. The team wants to win the championship and they invest with sponsors, with people behind, so much money in that, if we fail in this target for maybe a point in the end, you never know, then we look stupid and the team simply doesn't want to get into this situation. And as I said before if Rubens would have had a different points situation I am sure the team wouldn't have taken this decision.

Question: Michael. Do you know if the FIA rule against team orders is still in use?
Michael Schumacher: Whether there is still an existence of a rule? The funny thing is if it was in the last race, nobody would complain. We would do exactly the same. So go to the facts. The fact is that it is a team sport, isn't it? So whether you do it a little bit early in the year or you do it later...and it is not only us. You keep on picking on us because we are the highlight, we are in the first position. But if you go to other teams they would do exactly the same. It is a common thing. I have seen it with Sauber, I have seen it with much smaller teams, where if a faster driver or a driver for the points situation is in such a situation they will call team strategy, sometimes early in the year, sometimes later. That is the fact. I know you don't have the understanding for this, but you have to maybe see another opinion and point of view and respect this.

Question: Juan Pablo. Your body language in this press conference seems that you are enjoying this situation...
Juan Pablo Montoya I am actually surprised by the amount of BS going around here because Michael already told you that it is a team sport this is a team order and you have got to accept it. Myself, like anybody else, would like to see fair racing. In a way it is fair racing. It is probably the first time this year that Rubens has had the chance to beat Michael and he did it. He beat him on the track and he had to back off. It is a team order, everybody is disappointed because they saw a challenge for Michael and it disappeared but...

Question: If you were in the same position as Rubens, what would you do?
Juan Pablo Montoya Well, I would probably have to lift. If I was in Rubens' position I either lift or look for a job somewhere else. Simple.

Question: Rubens. Who gave you this decision via radio, Ross or Jean, and how many laps before the race?
Rubens Barrichello: This is internal. There is no point. Why should we talk about that? It won't go back now, okay? What is done is done, it's not important and I have a slot in half an hour - can you let us go? Thank you.

Question: Michael. You were talking about sponsors who may be unhappy if you miss the championship at the end of the year, but do you think they are happy at this kind of situation?
Michael Schumacher: Maybe not as happy, but they would be far less happy if we didn't win the championship. I would think we are done (with the questions), because it just goes on and on and on.

Question: Michael. Ferrari is such a strong team in every way. You say it would look stupid if it failed to win the world championship given this sort of result, but are there any signs that the team can learn that this kind of event makes it look more stupid than it would in that kind of situation?
Michael Schumacher: In the end of last year, did anyone ask me about Austria? No. Everyone in the end altogether thought it was okay and it was a fantastic job the team had done. Nobody discussed about Austria any more because it is one event out of 17 and that is simply it. Let's not go on and on about it because there is no point. We have discussed why and what is the reason, we have gone through the emotions of the people sitting here, and that is it.

Question: Michael do you want to win the world championship because you are the best racer or because you have got the best contract?
Michael Schumacher: No comment

Question: All three of you are talking about this as a team sport. Why do we have an individual world championship for drivers?
All drivers: No comment

Can't help but laugh!

Squirm, TGF, squirm!

[Mania]

They really gave the Ferrari boys a hard time. Montoya seemed to find it funny - he claims he would have done the same in a similar situation - I find that hard to believe but anyway...
the journalists gave them hell and rightfully so. F1-Live is also reporting that journalists were also actually booing Ferrari during the press conference itself.

[Mania]

Speaking of which - Todt just opened his beak and gave an interview to pitpass. Here's what he had to say -






Austrian GP: Jean Todt Interview
12 May 2002



Q: Jean, why did you take this decision today?
Jean Todt: There was great domination by Ferrari today and the race was between our two drivers and clearly we knew that Michael had 44 points in the championship before this race in the World Drivers' championship and Rubens six points. Michael therefore had a greater chance of winning the Drivers' championship and therefore four points was important and that's why we asked Rubens to let Michael passed.

Q: Was it a difficult decision to take for you?
JT: It's always a difficult decision to take, to change the finishing order, it's not something you do all the time. Having said that, we've finished too many races in the final race of the year to underestimate our competitors and to prevent taking the slightest. So, today, we are enjoying a favourable period. We have a car that is very competitive, a good engine, remarkable Bridgestone tyres. We cannot be certain, with 11 races to go to the end of the championship that the situation will remain like that, so we are trying to take the maximum at this stage.

Q: We are only at six races, wasn't this decision a bit too prudent, given the sport?
JT: It was a decision that was perhaps very prudent but history has taught us to be prudent and that things are never easy.

Q: What about the sport?
JT: The sport has seen Ferrari drive a very good race. We have seen clearly that the moral winner has been Rubens Barrichello, he was a very professional driver like the whole team and it's something that he understands.

Q: What would have happened if either of the drivers had broken the contract and not done what they were told?
JT: Michael is a very professional driver and as Rubens is a very professional driver. We told them something on the radio, it's quick decisions, quick reaction and they both respected it, what they were told.

Q: So was it right you expected him to follow his decision anyway.
JT: So they are professional, we are all professional, we try to be. Sometimes you take difficult decisions, but you feel you have to take them, and you accept the consequences.

Q: When exactly did you tell him?
JT: I think it was lap 63. Both of them. But he did not say no because he passed him, didn't he.

Q: Has the reaction of the spectators and the reaction of the media surprised you?
JT: Not really. I honestly I prefer this kind of reaction being first and second. At least you have something to write, otherwise you would have said the race was very boring.We just feel... sometimes we have very difficult decisions to take. But we are fighting for a Championship. It is a difficult fight. We lost the championship at the last race in 1997, 98 and 99 so we just want to try to avoid that. Maybe if that had not happened, we would not have reacted like that. But it has happened, we have some hard times and really I had even more people to face, and no result. At least. I know some people are not happy but we have the result and we feel it was the right thing for the team.

Q: Don't you feel the image of Ferrari has been damaged?
JT: Honestly, I think some people will be against and I've heard different reactions. Some people feel that they are in favour but at the end of the day, it is more damaging if you lose the Championship rather than if you decide who is going to win a specific race after such domination by Ferrari. We did not allow our drivers to fight, you know, because I must say it is hard for me to say, but we were much quicker on the track today, so there was no point to allow our drivers to fight each other, because we have given the game to the others.

Q: But Rubens had a big advantage?
JT: I mean because we ask them not to go over the limit . The car had a very good potential today.

Q: But the situation was different to last year, surely?
JT: That is true but we are only at the one third point of the Championship. We have 11 races to go. You know lots of things can happen, so we have seen… last year I think we were almost in the same situation, or was it two years ago? And we retired in three races in a row. Everybody remembers that we had five or six difficult races and we did not score points and we lost the lead. We took the lead in the race before the last. We try not put us in that situation.

Q: But surely racing is about risk?
JT: This is what we do but then we can calculate some risk and that's what we do. But I cannot ask everybody to accept our decision, but it is our decision and that is it.

Q: Does this mean that Rubens must now follow Michael in every race until he wins the championship?
JT: At the moment, the priority is to try to win the manufacturer's Championship and Driver's championship. We feel, rightly or wrongly, that Michael has more chance to win the Drivers' Championship. So we have to decide in favour of one, at the moment it's in favour of Michael.

Q: At the launch in Maranello this year, Rubens said that if he was in the lead, he would not be asked to pull over for Michael?
JT: OK. It did not happen in the first race, it happened in the sixth race where we had one driver with 44 points and the other one with six points so we feel today that Michael has, again, maybe rightly or wrongly, we feel that Michael has more opportunity to win the Championship.

Q: There was a sense of trust for him, what happened?
JT: Because the championship is not starting, we are at the sixth race of the Championship. We just renewed the contract with Rubens, with a clear situation and clear understanding, and I mean Rubens understands that. May be you don't understand it, I'm sorry for you, but I must say that in all fairness that I'd rather have Rubens understand than you!

Q: What does this mean for Monaco?
JT: You know first of all it should mean that we must come first and second in Monaco, and we are far off that. We are far off that. Remember that we have been dominating this championship if you take the six first races, but the first race we were dominating but second race the others were dominating. So there is a long way to go.

Q: What do you feel about this reaction?
JT: It will calm down

Q: How do you feel this will affect Ferrari's image?
JT: I think it will be very good for Ferrari's image to be first and second, and to be performing, but then again I may not change your opinion, but we have been deciding what we feel on what there was to be decided.

Q: You made it quite obvious what you wanted, didn't you?
JT: Because I think it is much better to show what we have decided. It would have been unfair to ask Rubens to simulate being overtaken which we could easily organized. It was enough to put 10 more kilos of fuel in Michael's car (he meant Rubens's, I think) and he would have passed him in the pitstop, which we did not do. Then it was Rubens symbolic that Rubens was the moral winner, he just focussed on Michael to win for the Championship.

Q: Do you have any regrets?
JT: Like I said, it was a difficult decision to take. We took the decision and I explained why we took the decision. I don't say that it is the right decision, it is the decision we took. Sometimes you make good decision, bad decision, it's the decision we took.

Q: When did you start thinking about it?
JT: We discussed about that after the last pitstop, considering the situation of our competitors.

Q: Were you surprised by the reaction of the spectators?
JT: I think they were happy to see Ferrari winning! OK, we had to make decision and we took the decision. I am sorry that a lot of people are unhappy, but some other people are happy. Some of our mechanics are happy as well. May be they will realise by the end of the seasons that the decision was right decision. I am sure again that the important thing is to have a competitive car,a competitive package and to be able to be successful, and Rubens will be able to win races.

Q: Do you think will have damaged Michael's image?
JT: I think rightly or wrongly you are reacting to one race. You should not judge Micheal on one race. In Monte Carlo, it will the 100th race that he drives for Ferrari and so we should judge him on his hundred races.

Q: Most of Michael's wins have been worthy, what does he think of this one?
JT: It's more than a win because he knows that morally speaking it is Rubens's. What is important is the points, so ten points go to Michael who is today in an even more advantageous position in the World Championship. Morally, Rubens is the winner as was the case when Mika Salo allowed Eddie Irvine to win in 1999, when Michael, after his accident at Silverstone, let Irvine past so it isn't something that has never happened before, it's something that has happened before and that was the case today.

Q: What about Ferrari's image and your own popularity?
JT: Well Ferrari's image is all about having trying to have a competitive team to win races, and I think that Ferrari's image today, even if it is slightly contested by the decision taken by the team, there is a great image of domination which seems to be important in a discipline as hard as Formula One.

Q: And you when you read the papers in the coming days?
JT: Well, I shall look at the papers but it isn't the most important thing. The most important is to have worked well for the company and to have made a decision which has benefited the company, even if it isn't the most popular.

Q: The people in the stands didn't think much of that decision?
JT: Listen, there's often some emotion in people's reaction so you have to give them time to calm down and think of our development programme. Next week we are going to be in Italy in order to make the car more competitive and to encourage our fans and the team for Monte Carlo.

[Liz]

In other words: " the fans and the media too. And most of all sportsmanship."

[freud]

Jean Todt is the biggest hypocrite to have entered the sport of formula one.. no wonder Michael loves him.