Formula Juan speaks out

[BBKing]

These are some parts of the interview with Montoya after qualifying and before the race. Full interview at:

http://www.f1i.com/articles/ARTICLE_272855.html

QMichael has to look out for Rubens, which makes it quite interesting for you...

It's good isn't it? But I don't think he will. Where is Rubens in the points?

QHe's really got to win, Coulthard has to finish fifth...

OK first thing he has to do is to get by Ralf and myself, I don't think it will be an easy task.

QIs Michael on soft tyres? QMichael has to look out for Rubens, which makes it quite interesting for you...

It's good isn't it? But I don't think he will. Where is Rubens in the points?

QHe's really got to win, Coulthard has to finish fifth...

OK first thing he has to do is to get by Ralf and myself, I don't think it will be an easy task.

QIs Michael on soft tyres?

QYou must take a lot of satisfaction from this year, but at the end of the year the satisfaction must be consistently beating Ralf. Perhaps more satisfying is that he was going to try your set-up from yesterday...

Did he? I don't know

QYou really are close aren't you? Did you not even talk about that?

No c'mon! He talks to my engineer and I talk to mine, we have a meeting and we talk and it is fine. It works well and we get the results; first and third isn't bad. It would be nice to be first and second but it didn't happen.

QMichael is very neat through the first sector here isn't he?

Yeah but the car! He is very neat through here, but it is the car. I mean even Rubens is quicker than me through there. I'm the quickest Michelin runner by about 0.2s and I'm 0.6s off him through there. Rubens is 0.2s quicker than me.

QWhat are the Michelins looking like?

I think they should be pretty good.

For it being my first season I have caught Michael and passed him three times, the one time he tried to pass me he couldn't. So it's brilliant, I'll be honest with you.

QHas your opinion changed, you said he wasn't any Senna before.

For me Senna was my hero and that's it, if Senna was alive he would have had 300 more records. He was signed with Williams and after that was '94, '95, '96, '97. Until 97 the best car there was the Williams, he could have had like three or four more World Championships.

QMichael is a good driver, but it is not just himself, the car is bloody good as well. I think Williams is trying really hard to catch up and Ferrari trying a new chassis shows they're concerned about us.

Today they had a really good qualifying engine in, I've heard they're revving higher than us, that's the rumour anyway.

QRalf has been quoted as asking for team orders, what do you think to that?

No I don't think so, it's not about the contract if a team gives an order that's it, but we made it very clear that it did not work here. If they made an order saying the guy who was fastest in qualifying would lead the team, but what if I blew up in qualifying, like I nearly did today, then Ralf would have qualified ahead of me. Then I would have been a lot quicker than him, but wouldn't be allowed to pass him because he was ahead of me. No way! Team orders don't really work here.

Interesting or what?

[Inigo Montoya]

Originally posted by BBKing
Interesting or what?

I'll take the "what" rather than the interesting.

Sounds like he also has the arrogance to become a great driver..

[Sonatrap]

Why is it arrogant to believe in yourself when clearly there is a lot to believe in? I think he´s telling it like it is.
I mean there are no put downs or condescending phrases there.

[Valve Bounce]

The most significant aspect of this interview was that at no time did he say anything against his team mate. Even when the questioner tried to bait him, he just shrugged it off with a technical/realistic explanation.

[drexel]

He's already got the excuses down for a World Champion.

'He won the race in the first few laps with better tyres'

I've never seen tyres that were 3 secs a lap quicker for 3 laps only.

Next year we'll have Kimi making arrogant comments aswell. It's becoming more like the WWF which can only make it more interesting.

[Gt_R]

What is interesting is that Michael is deemed "ARROGANT" and all sorts through and through when he displayed self belief, and hypocrite when he praises others...but when JPM do the same...its "A FUTURE WDC" with the attitude~ Blah!

"For it being my first season I have caught Michael and passed him three times, the one time he tried to pass me he couldn't. So it's brilliant, I'll be honest with you."

Ah...that one time failed because JPM screwed up (or at least his car did)~ :P

"Today they had a really good qualifying engine in, I've heard they're revving higher than us, that's the rumour anyway."

Okay...try convincing me the BMW is worse than the Ferrari unit!!~ Strange...but where did he get the rumour? Seems like its different from what i hear!

"QMichael is very neat through the first sector here isn't he?

Yeah but the car! He is very neat through here, but it is the car. I mean even Rubens is quicker than me through there. I'm the quickest Michelin runner by about 0.2s and I'm 0.6s off him through there. Rubens is 0.2s quicker than me."

Oh? JPM doesnt seem to have that problem in Hockenheim and Monza to say Michael lost because of the Ferrari and Rubens lost because of a faulty pits... did he? Why dint JPM say "I'm good at Monza, but it is the car...not me!?" haha


But good Montoya, he is growing well and has the confidence to boot, and so hope he does improve. There is a lack of fellows who can bring the wheel to Michael, and i want the 2 of them to be racing next year!

[Don K]

Originally posted by drexel
I've never seen tyres that were 3 secs a lap quicker for 3 laps only.

Before the race, the dutch commentators told us that the Ferrari's would be much quicker than the Williams from lap 2 until lap 7.
But in the race, I think Rubens had lost his advantage on Montoya within 5 laps.

[Valve Bounce]

This is a well known phenomenon of hte Michelin tyres; I don't know whether it has to do with the temperature of the tyres, but I suspect it has more to do with wearing out the remainder of the grooved section to produce an almost slick tyre. Bridgestone have given notice that they will protest next year concerning this, while Michelin stated that they asked for clarification specifically concerning this aspect and the FIA simply dodged the subject.
So yes!! The Michelins are hopeless for the first 7 or so laps and then they function properly - even MSch knows very well about this and commented in relation to this at the post race conference.

[drexel]

I don't know whether it has to do with the temperature of the tyres, but I suspect it has more to do with wearing out the remainder of the grooved section to produce an almost slick tyre.

Why dont they just scrub them for a few extra minutes.