Grand Prix du Canada

Question: Michael, seven times a winner here, what is it between you and Montreal?
Michael Schumacher: I don't know but certainly something good.

Q: Is it a circuit you enjoy?
MS: Obviously you enjoy any race you win. I have no special reason why I have won so often here, there is no particular reason for it. I have always had a good package and this little bit of luck you need sometimes.

Q: Why didn't you think you were going to be good in qualifying?
MS: We saw the first lap times, the Renaults, the BARs in particular, didn't see much of Williams at that stage, we were not putting out the times for whatever reason, and that sort of indicated that we wouldn't have been able to do that pace.

Q: It is a remarkable capability to be able to change the strategy and still win.
MS: Yeah, I mean, the remarkable thing is that we had a consistent package and that is the reason. We knew we had a consistent race pace and just in qualifying we were lacking. We were clearly fast in the race pace otherwise we couldn't have won and we just played it the way it worked out for us.

Q: The margin came down quite substantially towards the end of the race. Were there any problems in the race?
MS: No, actually, no, there was no problem, just bring it safely home without risking anything. No, brakes were very safe this year.

Q: And how hard was Rubens pushing you during that stint?
MS: Very hard. I mean, the two of us had different tyres on and I thought 'I think he made the right decision and I have the wrong one!' and he was pushing me very hard. He was obviously going very well, had his car sorted out very well for him and there was not much I could do. I was really pushing because I had to look forward as well as I looked backward and I just stayed in front. With the third set I sort of got on a little bit better, the second set I had some trouble with but I don't think it was that huge, it was just very good.

Q: Ralf, as you mentioned, it was a little bit disappointing having started on second.
Ralf Schumacher: Yeah, I think we did all we could with the package and it worked out perfectly. It is not a real surprise Ferrari being a second quicker than everyone else in the race at the moment, no doubt it happens again they even could win on a two-stop. I thought had they got held up more there could have been a chance for us and it was actually very close but unfortunately not good enough.

Q: Now, was the car as good as it was in qualifying, was it consistent.
RS: Oh yes, all weekend. After the first qualifying, or in the first qualifying, it started to be brilliant. As I said before we simply did a great job and Michelin supplied us with a great tyre this weekend, it had a little dip in the middle of the stint but it came back strongly so it was a very good tyre.

Q: So, can you be on the podium a few more times?
RS: I must say I think it will take another two or three races until we really see an improvement in our car and at the moment it is basically the same car we used to race two or three races ago. It is simply down to the fact that on low downforce, in Montreal, for whatever reason it has been reasonable with our package. I think even in Indianapolis it could be reasonable. It is a bit more difficult because there is more downforce needed there for the tiny infield. We will try our best and see what the outcome is.

Q: Rubens, when you had that little off, was there any damage to the car, did you feel differently afterwards?
Rubens Barrichello: I don't think there was any damage, the problem was when I was running really close to Michael I didn't feel that the brakes were getting worse. Obviously they were hot, very hot, and sometimes I felt the pedal very spongy but when I went out on the heavy fuel load I just felt that the first brake, when I went for it, it was very much of a problem and not stopping. I thought Michael was going to be in any time so I had to keep on pushing to see if I could do anything but unfortunately at that turn it is very bumpy and I couldn't stop the car so I lost five seconds in that corner and that was it.

Q: Then, when you were pushing him, presumably you were pushing him as hard as you possibly could?
RB: Well, I was pushing, yeah. I had a better set-up, a better car at that time and when everyone says I sit behind and am happy and they can see that, I am not, I am fighting as hard as anybody to win. It was a good fight, I thought I had him and I was taking him and he managed to brake even later and go around the outside and I had some years ago with David some sort of a fight that he didn't manage to do the corner but I didn't need it. So when he was on the outside I was in control, I could have done the corner and I said 'ooh, go straight, go straight' but he managed to do the corner, so there was the only chance I had at that time.