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China GP: Post Race Press Conference

NEWS STORY
16/10/2005

Fernando, I think the singing on the radio said it all - 'We are the Champions'.
Fernando Alonso: Yes, I think for the team has been a fantastic season but we arrived in the last race with two points only to McLaren and we pushed a little bit the car, the chassis side and the engine side, to win the constructors'. It was not crucial but quite important for the team for the motivation for next year and thanks to the team we are here.

It looked from your point of view a perfect race, everything went to plan, were you on the radio talking about a bit of understeer and putting more wing on at the first stop?
FA: No, the opposite, a little bit of oversteer and dropping a bit of front wing at the stop. Apart from that the car was perfect, all weekend it has been perfect, we only showed our potential in qualifying, putting all the power in the engine and a little bit in the first stint and that's all, I think, after that we ran with very low revs, Kimi was far behind and it was probably the easiest race of the year.

Your emotions now on winning this second championship. You and Kimi have finished seven-all in terms of race victories but both championships have gone to you.
FA: Yeah, I think it was a good season for us, all through the year. We won all the races at the beginning and then we had some steps in the engine and the car but we didn't take any risks because the gap was far enough to keep the distance and we showed here if we want to put a little more risk, if we want to beat McLaren, we can do it. I am a little bit frustrated that I only won seven races, the same as Kimi, because I think the car had the potential, as we saw here in the last race, to win 10 or 11 races.

Kimi, a difficult race for you I would guess. Early on you were chasing Giancarlo Fisichella, what was the situation then from your point of view?
Kimi Raikkonen: I don't really know, the car was not quick enough, it was a bit not difficult to drive but it just wasn't quick at the start of the race but at the end of the race it got quicker and quicker and it was perfect but unfortunately it came about 40 laps too late so I was not able to do anything any more. I did my best but it wasn't enough today and the Renault was too quick, our congratulations to them and next year we try again.

The safety car came out just as the Renaults were coming in for fuel, did that nullify your fuel advantage, do you think you could have picked up more pace had the safety car not come out?
KR: I don't know, it is always easy to say afterwards but it doesn't change anything so I don't really know.

Your team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya right behind you hit that manhole cover, did you see any problem with the manhole cover in the lap before?
KR: I saw it a little bit, it was out of place and next time I came around and it was sticking up. I missed it and I guess he ran a little bit wider and hit it so it is unfortunate for him and for the team but in the end I don't think it would have made any difference in the championship, so we pushed as hard as we could but today was not our day, so we will try next year.

And in the closing stages of the race you had three cars in front of you who didn't stop in the second safety car period. What was it like after that, when racing re-commenced for you?
KR: It was okay, after the last safety car the car was much better, much quicker and they were pulling away a little bit from me but they were lighter and we knew they needed to stop so I wasn't worried about it, it was only a bit disappointing to see that I couldn't do anything any more, it was a too late to try to catch Alonso, so it was easy for them but that is racing and it could have been worse, the season, so it is alright to go on holiday now and have some fun.

Ralf, a second podium finish of the year, a great call to stay out there and you made good use of it, pulled out a lot of time and here you are on the podium.
Ralf Schumacher: Yeah, we had a very difficult weekend in the way the car was really difficult in the beginning and even qualifying, and then we were a bit lucky with the safety car, this time lucky, last time not, so it paid off, and yeah, the team had a good strategy, the pit stops were brilliant so it worked out.

How good was the car at the end, because in qualifying you were complaining about the understeer at that point, how was the handling at that stage in the race?
RS: The car was, basically after the first pit stop, was handling well, especially after the second safety car, it was incredible, and I was able to follow Fernando which, although I knew he was on more fuel, still I was able to pull out the gap I needed, so it was just very good.

Fernando, returning to you, you have won both championships so it is time for a summary of the season and your feelings about your racing with Kimi this year, as we said, seven-all, it has been a phenomenal season of competition between you two guys.
FA: Yeah, it was pressure for me to fight with Kimi this year, a lot of respect from each other and I think it was a nice fight. At the beginning I had a better car, in the middle of the season he had a better car with more mechanical problems than me, so I won the drivers' championship a little bit before the end and now, as I said before, we proved we had something in the pocket at the last part of the season that we didn't put in the car because there was no reason so I am very happy and confident for next year as well because the potential is here in the team.

Press Conference

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