|
Question :
Michael,
you were so much faster than the others. You must
be very proud of that pole lap?
|
| M.Schumacher
: I
am certainly, because, incidentally, I found out this
weekend that I've never had pole here so far so it's
something which I didn't realise and I really wanted
to have and we had the opportunity, because we worked
very well yesterday and today. We sort of had a good
feeling for the qualifying that we could do it and finally
we did, because the guys did a great job with the car,
set it up perfectly right.
|
| Question :
Why
did you go out right at the end when you didn't have
time to complete a flying lap?
|
| M.Schumacher
: Simply
because we went out too late. And why we did this? I
guess somewhere we miscalculated and sometimes that
can happen. To be fair, it wouldn't have been a better
lap because we made a set-up change which didn't go
the right way. I just wanted to try it out because I
already knew when I left the pits that I wouldn't make
it, but at least I get this sort of information, and
it was good to finish it. |
|
Question :
Michael,
ten years ago you scored your first win at this circuit.
If you win here tomorrow it will be ten wins in a
year. Are you looking forward to it?
|
| M.Schumacher
:
Certainly
I look forward to it. Obviously Spa is my most favourite
circuit and to do well means a lot to me, because of
the history I've had here, and therefore it would be
the ideal result. |
| Question :
Does
it surprise you that you've never been on pole here?
|
| M.Schumacher
: Yes.
Some guys told me at the press conference on Thursday,
but I wasn't aware of that at all. I thought it had
happened somewhere. You know I don't keep too much record
of what has gone on but obviously, today, finally we
were able to do it. |
|
Question :
Why
did you abort one run?
|
| M.Schumacher
:
There
were yellow flags in turn twelve for Fisichella so there
was no point to go. |
| Question :
Were
you fairly confident of being quicker than McLaren and
Michelin, even though they've been looking pretty strong?
|
| M.Schumacher
:
We sort of were reasonably confident. They went out
on new tyres this morning, we didn't and you normally
improve sufficiently, so I thought we had some margin.
But on the other hand, we have seen in qualifying, especially,
with the Michelins, that they sometimes make improvements
which you don't expect. It was probably more with the
Williams than with the McLarens but from that point
of view we were reasonably confident. |
|
Question :
And
you finished early this morning.
|
| M.Schumacher
:
Yeah,
there was a little problem to check but there wasn't
much point in going out again because we wanted to take
the time, because we weren't sure if there was rain
at one 'o clock or not. We wanted to be sure the car
was ready. |
| Question :
Having
said that, nobody went out for about 20 minutes.
|
| M.Schumacher
:
No, when we got closer to one 'o clock we then knew
the weather would stay consistent and then there was
no point to be out at one. |
|
Question :
Now,
I believe you are not happy with the writing on the
circuit here?
|
| M.Schumacher
:
Yeah, because here it is a circuit which traditionally
can have wet circumstances and to have wet circumstances
on paint is very slippery and on a straight I don't
really see the point. There is plenty of space next
to the circuit, it doesn't need to be on the circuit.
The problem is if it is going to be in one place it
is going to be in all the places in future and we know
in Monte Carlo the zebra crossing stripes are very slippery
and I don't see any reason for that to be. It is not
only me, it is us drivers, we feel unhappy about it
and we sort of asked to move it away.
|
| Question :
Michael,
you were on your own for your first flying lap. Was
there a special feeling to be on your own on your favourite
circuit for a flying lap?
|
| M.Schumacher
:
I can only see what I see in the mirror backwards and
forwards so I don't know what is going on on the rest
of the circuit. For me it doesn't make any difference.
The point is to have a clear lap and not be held up,
and that was the case. |
|
Question :
To
Michael, this race could be the last on this track.
What is your feeling about that?
|
| M.Schumacher
:
Well,
it would be a shame, first of all. Secondly, the thing
we should remember is that Spa has been several years
under discussion whether to race or not to race here,
and it has always been on the calendar at the end of
the day. I hope the same sort of story will happen again.
|
| Question :
Michael,
you said the drivers were not particularly happy with
the advertising, but were you told it is going to be
removed?
|
| M.Schumacher
:
Yesterday we were told, yes, it would be taken away.
|
|
|
|
