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Malaysia GP: Thursday Press Conference

NEWS STORY
20/03/2008

Sebastian, you have been here before, haven't you, you did Friday last year.
Sebastian Vettel: Yeah, last year I was able to do the first free practice. I did around 39 laps – I just looked it up. After that I was banned! And I gave all the time on Friday morning to my team-mates.

So your thoughts about the race?
SV: Well, in the last race I only did about 500 meters maybe, so this time I definitely want to do more. I think we had a very strong performance last weekend in Melbourne, especially in qualifying. To be honest we didn't expect that, and hopefully we can keep up the performance and do similarly here.

Is the atmosphere in the team a little bit different after Sébastien's result last weekend?
SV: No. In the end we were very lucky. It was a very strange race I think, and we were able to take two points still, for the team. I think he did a very good job. First of all the strategy was perfect to bring him in, and then he was fuelled to finish, and I think he would have been able to score five points, so bring back fourth position, but then we had a technical problem with his car. Of course, everybody was angry – two laps to the end and then the car breaks down, but anyway, we were lucky to get two points.

What are you feelings about the fact that you're using the well-developed car from last year and you're going to get the new car in a couple of races time?
SV: I'm looking forward to the new car. I think it's a good step forward and then we can see. So far I think it has been the right decision. Obviously we are not a very big team. We are very young and we are about to grow, and based on the experience the team made, especially last year, for the first couple of races I think it was a much better decision to start with a good version of last year's car.

Robert, I guess you have been having a fairly busy few days with sponsors.
Robert Kubica: Yeah, a bit. As usual here, it's quite a home Grand Prix for our team because of Petronas, the prime sponsor partner of our team. So we did some PR activities, playing with the kids and visiting some Petronas facilities. Yeah, it was OK.

Very encouraging pace last weekend, does that encourage you for the season or do you feel it was a bit of a one-off?
RK: I think the performance in qualifying was a big surprise to everybody and to ourselves as well. We knew where we are, more or less, after the last test in Barcelona but we were not expecting to be so close to McLaren and I think Ferrari has some problems, so we cannot say where we are in comparison to them. But in qualifying, everything went quite well. I did quite a quick lap, some small offs, otherwise I could have been on pole but we know that in windy conditions we are struggling a bit, so it all depends. But I think we are on a good way and looking at the progress we have made in the past four weeks. It's incredible and I think the people in Hinwil and Munich have done a very good job and we are on a good way to improve and get closer to the top.

And what about the collision with Kazuki in Melbourne?
RK: Shit happens. What can I say?

Were you very frustrated?
RK: Racing is racing. Normally behind the safety car there is no racing but he made a mistake, it cost me a bit more than him but this is how it is. He missed his braking point, I think. We were very slow and he hit me.

Your version Kazuki? How did you see it?
Kazuki Nakajima: Yeah, it was a shame to have an accident and to hit Robert. Yes, I respect the stewards' decision, so it is a shame to have the (10 place) grid penalty. We will start from there.

So you have a ten place grid penalty; I was reminded that the same thing happened in GP2 last year.
KN: Yeah, sometimes I have a bit of an excuse for some of last year's accidents, but yeah, I think I was in the wrong place sometimes.

What were your feelings about last weekend, though? You had a fantastic result in the end.
KN: Yes, the result was fantastic and it was really good for the team to have this big boost. We are second in the Manufacturers' championship at the moment and for me it was really great to score points in the first race of the season.

Were the general physical demands of that race tough on you? It's going to be tough one here too.
KN: Yes, it was a tough race with high temperatures and many safety cars but at the end of the race I was OK. Here, I think the situation will be a little bit different with high humidity, but not as high temperatures as in Melbourne. I think I've done a good preparation. I've spent some days training in KL (Kuala Lumpur) – these last two days – so hopefully it's going to work well here.

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