European Grand Prix – Nürburgring, 22nd July
2007
Felipe Massa: 2nd + 8.155 60 laps chassis 260 Kimi Raikkonen:
R lap 35 34 laps chassis 262
Weather: air temperature 18 °C, track temperature 29/26
°, variable, alternating rain and sunny intervals, track
dry-wet-dry-wet.
Jean Todt: “The result of this European
Grand Prix should not be described other than disappointing.
We had a very competitive car and we were starting from first
and third places. But we are going home with just eight points
thanks to Felipe’s second place. At the end of a race
run in changeable weather, - dry, wet, dry again and more
rain at the end – Felipe saw himself miss out on a win
which he richly deserved, losing out in the very last moments
when the track was wet once again. Unfortunately, he had vibrations
with his rain tyres which made the car difficult to drive.
We are very disappointed for Kimi, stopped on lap thirty five
by a problem with the hydraulic system. We have to find out
the cause but once again it shows that you do not go far without
reliability. There is still a long way to go in this season
and anything could yet happen in the seven remaining races.”
Felipe Massa: “A second place that
leaves a bit of a bitter taste in my mouth. I had driven a
strong race right up until the last rain shower, then once
I had the rain tyres on, I immediately felt vibrations which
made the car very unbalanced. And that, after I had been really
strong when it had been wet in the early stage of the race.
In the dry, I managed to gradually make up ground on Alonso
because the car was great. I was lucky at the start because
I managed to stay on track when the conditions meant it was
almost impossible, but then I was not so lucky at the end.
But that’s racing and I have to accept it. The discussion
with Fernando? I was a bit on edge but then he apologized
and that was the end of it. The positive side is that I have
made up a lot of ground in the Drivers’ classification.
There is still a long way to go this season and we have to
be confident.”
Kimi Raikkonen: “I am very disappointed.
I was in a good position, immediately right behind Felipe
and Alonso and the car was very quick and I was convinced
I could win. But gradually, the hydraulic system began to
malfunction, I began to lose time and then I was forced to
stop. This knock back does not mean I feel like giving up
the fight, even if there is now one less race in which to
compete. The gap to the head of the classification remains
the same and anything can happen in the seven remaining races.
We have a very competitive car but clearly we have to improve
on the reliability front.”
Luca Baldisserri: “This was a race
in which we were capable of picking up maximum points. We
had a very competitive car in all conditions, but first a
problem to the hydraulic system put Kimi out of the game when
he was right behind Alonso, and then the final rain shower
cancelled out Felipe’s lead, built up thanks to a great
drive, as at this point he was penalized by a set of tyres
that were causing vibrations. We had come out of the roulette
following the downpour immediately after the start reasonably
well and we timed the return to dry tyres perfectly. There
is much to regret because if we do not make up ground in the
classification while we are as competitive as we were today,
then the situation gets more complicated. But having said
that, we will never give up.”
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