Lewis, what a day: four safety cars, obviously that big accident with Robert, who we hear is OK now. What a day for you!
Lewis Hamilton: It has been a fantastic day. This is history. To come here, my first time in Canada… it's really been a fantastic season already. We've had six podiums and I've been ready for the win for quite some time. It was just a matter of when and where. The team gave me the best car. I had no problems during the race at all, a few safety cars which sort of made it a little bit boring at some point but as soon as we got going, it was exciting again. But I did hear about Robert. He's a good friend of mine. I hope he's OK, and so best wishes to his family and everything. I have to dedicate this win to my Dad because without him this would not have been possible.
Lewis, now that first win is behind you, talk us through the closing stages; what was going through your mind, what did it feel like to take the chequered flag?
LH: As I said, we sat behind the pace car for quite some time so it sort of dulled down for a while, and then it was about building it back up. The team did a great job in getting me in before the first pace car, and so I was out in the clean air and I was very fortunate. I had a good pace. Nick wasn't very close to me, so I was able to keep a good gap and then the last few laps, I was just counting them down. I could see my board; I'm the type of guy who usually pushes right to the end but it's a tricky circuit and if you make one mistake you get on the marbles and you're in the wall, so I quietened down towards the end and just enjoyed it and it really was about just enjoying the whole moment.
And you made a great start too, Nick Heidfeld right behind you too going in there, and Fernando on the outside. I say a great start, you came out of the second corner in front, anyway.
LH: Yes, I made quite a poor getaway to be honest. I don't know what exactly happened. I'm supposed to have a certain amount of revs and I went over it and then under to try and get it back so I had a pretty poor start and I saw Nick getting close, so I had to close the door, and then I saw Fernando fly past. Obviously I didn't want him coming past but somehow he got onto marbles I think and went straight on, and I just took the corner as normal and then Fernando came flying past. It was quite exciting, but it was just great to get out in front.
Nick, qualified third, finished second: a fantastic day for you also and for the team.
Nick Heidfeld: Yeah, it was great and definitely the start was a special moment, as we just spoke about. I had a fantastic start, easily overtook Fernando, I was right behind Lewis in the slipstream, tried to get to the inside but he closed the door. I saw that Alonso was probably just pushing a bit too hard and then went off, and then the safety car. Let's put it this way, I was not unlucky but I lost a lot of time I pulled on the other guys behind me, but I have to say that the team did a great job today. I was happy to hear that Robert is OK. It was difficult to get some information at some point. You just saw the car on the side with nothing left, and I think he's fine.
Obviously very, very difficult conditions today for the drivers; talk about that and the marbles off-line.
LH: Well actually, I don't think it's acceptable that we have that many marbles here again. I doubt that it's just the rubber off the tyres coming loose. We had it yesterday. Fernando probably lost pole due to that. We've seen in turn ten that they did something to the circuit. We had it numerous times in the last couple of years and OK, we are the best in the world and we should keep on line but we're talking about centimetres. You just go off half a meter and you lose a lot or you can even crash, so that was a difficult thing again.
And Alexander Wurz, P3 in the Canadian Grand Prix; 24 hours ago that would have seemed like a dream.
Alexander Wurz: Yes, it's still a dream. I had a difficult weekend, never found the rhythm but hey, if you just keep pushing… I've showed the whole year that I'm a strong racer. Today I was a bit lucky as well as just keeping the pace all the time on the option tyres, out for very long, very difficult but the car was running fine, no problems and I made no mistakes and I'm very pleased to bring that third place home.
As you say, difficult with the option tyre, the only driver, the only finisher on a one stop strategy. What was it like in that second phase of the race?
AW: To be honest it was hell, so I thank God for the safety cars, because the tyres just grained to bits. What I did, tactically, was I really scraped the tyres as much as I could, just to get rid of the graining quickly and that was very important because in the end I had Kovalainen behind me on the prime tyre. But then my tyres cleaned up and I could control the pace. I actually got close to Nick but there weren't enough laps. But anyway, I'm super happy with third, exactly on my tenth year anniversary. It's a bit kitsch but I'll take it.
Returning to you, Lewis, finally for your thoughts: leading the championship, going to Indianapolis next weekend, so not too much time to enjoy this win of yours, but nonetheless I guess it will be a great evening for you?
LH: It will and there is plenty of time to enjoy it. I have to say hallo to all my family back home. I know they are all sitting at home watching me, supporting me, and to all the fans, they have been great, and the team – what a job they've done, back in Woking, in Brixworth, in Stuttgart to prepare the car and make it quicker than everyone's. There's really a big thank you to them but going into Indy, obviously I go there with great confidence. We have to try and continue with the performance that we have, and I have no doubt we can do that.
Press Conference
