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Q&A with Jean Todt

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08/07/2007

Do you know yet what caused Felipe Massa's stall on the grid?
Jean Todt: When Felipe went to the grid, he informed us by radio that finishing the burn-out the engine stalled and for the time being, we have not understood what was the reason so hopefully we will understand in the coming hours and we will be able to give the information, but we don't know yet, why it happened. Anyway, it's something that was wrong with the car, he didn't do anything which caused the problem.

It's the mid-season and both Fernando and Robert Kubica, who both had problems the Bridgestone tyres at the start of the season, are saying that they are finding it more comfortable, they've adapted their driving style and it looks like Kimi's done the same. Is that a fair observation?
JT: I don't know what happened with the others. The Bridgestone tyres are in a way are completely new for everybody, because you are well aware that the specification which have been given by Bridgestone are completely different from what we had in the past, due to only one tyre company involved at the moment in Formula One, so for us, when we started with those tyres last year, at the end of the year, when we had those tyres together with the other teams, it was completely new for us and then, probably, some car specifications, some way of driving of some drivers is more or less suitable to those tyres.

Is he still happy with his car?
JT: I will say that Kimi sometime was very happy with the car, I just think the first race in Australia, where he was on pole, quickest lap during the race, won the race and he had some more difficult races. We knew that looking back at the races like Monte Carlo, Canada, Indianapolis, we were not at the level of our major competitor and in Magny Cours and here, mainly during the race, we were probably performing better than them. I don't have any idea what will be the situation for the coming races. That's why we need to push hard and try to improve as much as we can, on the car and definitely on the reliability, because we have had too many problems with the reliability since the beginning of the season.

Have you read the Nigel Stepney interview this morning; what is your opinion about it and if you can give us some more details about Tuesday in the High Court of London, if there will be some public development or a new act of Ferrari or is just a normal procedure.
JT: I would say that the situation unfortunately is quite clear. To answer the first part of the question, yes, I have been reading some of the magazines which have been writing about that. Unfortunately at the moment I am not allowed to make any kind of comment. But as I said before to the Italian television, it's just a question of time to have more detail. I wish I could answer and give more detail now, but as it's a court case, I'm simply not allowed. If you analyse the different statements, official statements, which have been made by some people involved in it, you can clearly make your own judgement from what has been officially stated and then came out with some interviews. The last part of the question: yes, at the High Court there will be one public hearing next Tuesday.

I understand fully that you can't comment on the court procedures but Nigel Stepney has categorically denied handing any information over. Are you satisfied that there is nobody else involved in this.
JT: How could I say, to stop talking about that for the time being because I'm simply not allowed to speak about it because it's a court case, so don't ask me if it's only one, two, three… the things will come over the next days, over the next week and then when everything is settled, then probably it will be easier for us to comment and to answer to details, but at the moment, unfortunately, I'm not in a position… I cannot, simply, I cannot because it's a court case, one in Italy and one in UK.

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