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Canadian GP: Post Race press conference

NEWS STORY
13/06/2011

Jenson, an amazing race. Well worth waiting for the finish. You went from last to first. You collided with your team-mate (Lewis Hamilton) and Fernando Alonso. But what a race victory.
Jenson Button: Yeah, I mean I really do not know what to say. It has been a very emotional three hours or however long it has been since the start. The incident with Lewis... I couldn't see anything when he was alongside me. I couldn't see anything in my mirrors. It was one of those things and I have apologised to him. Then, it was really a fight. I got a drive-through for speeding behind the safety car and I had to fight my way through about three times. Eventually, on the last lap I was chasing down Seb. He ran a little bit wide onto the wet part of the circuit and I was able to take the opportunity and take the win. But, for me, a fantastic race I think even if I hadn't won today I would have enjoyed this race immensely. But, yeah, amazing win and possibly my best.

Sebastian, another very high-pressure finish for you but this time it didn't go your way. How disappointed are you feeling right now?
Sebastian Vettel: Of course you are disappointed. I think it was a very difficult race from start to finish and we led every single lap except the last one. Or part of the last one. I was probably too conservative when I was in the lead after the last safety car and didn't open the gap quite enough. I was trying to hold the gap to the cars behind. Then I saw Jenson coming through. I was pushing and I think it would have been enough to the end but obviously it was not as I did a mistake. It is clearly down to me. I locked up the rear a little bit and what you have to do then is open the car going a bit straighter when there is only one line. But I ended up in the wet and it was quite easy then for him to pass. Surely, I think it is a good day today. It was a difficult day, easy to do mistakes and we have seen a lot of cars not finishing so it is good points. But if you have got it in your hands and you give it away it is not the sweetest feeling, but all in all it was a good race for us.

Mark, you were the first to go onto the slick tyres and then an unbelievable battle at the end with Michael Schumacher and Jenson.
Mark Webber: Yeah, I had to roll the dice a little bit. It was very hard to clear some of those guys with the dry line when you were trying to come through and it is such narrow window to get down the inside of people. Obviously, you have got the experienced guys like Michael and (Nick) Heidfeld and those guys they know what they are doing. I thought I would roll the die. I was happy to see not everyone taking the next lap after me as I thought they would be so the two laps were enough to bring me back into the game for the podium. Then it was a pretty good fight with Michael. Again it was difficult, as we both wanted the same bit of track for the main braking point for the chicane. In the end got there, but when JB arrived he was absolutely flying and I was trying to be, we were all trying, to be as fair as we could. I passed Michael through the chicane so I had to give the position back. In the end these are the results we all deserve today. JB drove a great race. Seb did a phenomenal job but obviously it is easy to make a mistake in those conditions. I think third was the maximum i could get today after the first lap with Lewis.

Jenson, are you off to have a chat with Lewis and Fernando after this and how will you be celebrating tonight?
JB: I have already spoken to Lewis and we both agree it was just one of those things. I am sure I am going to have a busy afternoon here at the circuit then I am definitely going to go celebrate. I am going to enjoy Montreal with some good friends whose birthday was yesterday and also Jessica (Michibata) is here and my old man, so I am looking forward to it. Mikey (Muscles) Collier, my physio is here as well, so hopefully we will have a good night tonight and enjoy what we achieved today. It was an immense battle and a great result. I have got to say a big thank you to the whole team and the work they have done. I think I must have pitted eight or nine times in this race and they did a great job every time so thank you very much.

Press Conference

Jenson, I don't know if it was as incredible inside the car as it was outside but that was one hell of a race.
JB: It had its ups and downs, let's just say that. Definitely one of those grands prix where you are nowhere, then you're somewhere, then you're nowhere and then you're somewhere. As we always say the last lap is the important one to be leading and I was leading half of it. Amazing day. It really is an amazing day and I don't know what else to say really.

The count was five pit-stops and a penalty just in case you thought it was nine stops or maybe you felt like it was?
JB: It felt like I spent more time in the pits than on the pit-straights. The guys did a great job of calling the strategy. At some points we definitely lucked out on the strategy, especially when the red flag came out but we called it very well going to slicks. The car was working really well in these tricky conditions, so I enjoyed it very much coming through the field. Fighting your way through the field is almost as good as winning a race: that feeling of getting one up on someone. A great race I think for the people who are sat here. To be on the podium was a pretty exceptional result and to fight my way through from, I think, last position... yeah, it's definitely my best race and I want to say a big thank you to the whole team for staying calm in some very difficult circumstances, especially when I damaged the front left and the front wing. But we came away with the victory, so thank you very much.

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