20/06/2005
NEWS STORY
Following the biggest farce in the history of F1, Ferrari team boss, Jean Todt, sat down to answer some questions.
In other circumstances a Ferrari 1-2 would have been something to celebrate, especially as, other than McLaren in 2000, Ferrari is the only team to win the United States Grand Prix since it arrived at Indianapolis in 2000.
However, this wasn't a day for celebrating, and even Todt looked weary, as the shock of what had just happened - F1 virtually committed suicide in the so-called home of motor racing.
First off, Todt was asked if what had just happened - a six car race - was the best solution.
He sighs: "OK, it's a race and you decide to compete in a race and then you take part in the race which is what we did.
"Then if some (other competitors ) for some reason decide not to do it, I can feel sorry about that, mainly sorry for all the supporters who were here, for the American supporters, for the TV viewers but it was not our decision. Don't ask me to comment on that, I would far prefer to have had everybody at the start."
Asked whether the credibility of Formula One is now in jeopardy, he sighs again: "Sure," he replies, "that is true, that is true. It has been a hard hit for Formula One today.
Some are pointing the finger of blame at Ferrari, claiming that the Italian team failed to agree a compromise, the installation of a chicane at Turn 13.
"Number one, it's an FIA decision," he hits back. "Number two, if something happened, on the other side, if, for example, we don't have enough grip for qualifying and we ask for three laps because we have good grip after the third lap, or if we ask for a chicane because we feel it would be safer for our tyres, I think everybody would laugh at us.
"So you just have to be prepared to react to a situation. You have two sets of tyres which you chose from, one normally is soft, the other one is hard and then you make your choice. I feel sorry for those who could not compete, but I feel more sorry, again, for the supporters."
The other nine teams are said to have agreed that a chicane would be a solution, however, it's said that Ferrari was against this.
"That's not true," he snaps back. "It's not true, we were never involved with that. Never involved. You said 'your team did not agree'. It's not true. We were never asked about that. Whether we would have agreed or not is another question, and I tell you right now, to be sincere, we would not have agreed, but we were never asked about that.
"If we knew beforehand that there would be a chicane, we would have come prepared for a chicane," he continues. "We would come with different tyres, we would have a different set-up on the car, we would have different gear ratios. Honestly, why should we compromise. We try to do a good job with Bridgestone, and we did not do a very good job with Bridgestone since the beginning of the year. We arrive, we are in a situation where we see from Friday that we are competitive, we don't have any problem with tyres so for us it's an opportunity."
The other nine teams said they would have competed for no points if a chicane had been installed. Would Ferrari have competed for no points?
"No," he replies, "No way. We would not have competed if there were no points.
"You ask if we would have competed for no points; I say no," he continues. "If this race would have been a race without points, which it cannot be, it would have been out of the FIA standard, we would not have started."
It's pointed out that the Michelin teams were willing to compete for no points and that they were 'happy' for the other three teams to take the points.
"Then it's a joke," he replies. "It's a joke."
It's pointed out that the sight of six cars 'racing' was also a joke.
"Go and speak with the people who made the joke," says the Frenchman. "Again, we should not be accused of doing our job. If somebody didn't do their job, and if you want to accuse somebody, which is your right, but I have nothing to say about that.
Asked if he had spoken to Max (Mosley) over the weekend, he replies: "Yes, but I was not the only one, I think everybody spoke with him.
"Max has a very strong personality," he continued, "and he knows… He has these people with whom he discusses things, he has the director of the race, he has the clerk of the course, he has the stewards. To the question did I speak with him, yes I spoke with him, but that's it."
The Frenchman is asked to clarify that Ferrari was never asked, or offered the option of a chicane, in order to get the race under way. Since is the rumour spreading throughout the paddock.
"Bernie came this morning to see me with different proposals," he reveals, "including a chicane, but again, it's a matter of the FIA, it's not a matter of the commercial rights holder. And I said that for me it was up to the FIA to decide."
He's asked if one of the proposals was to put a chicane in but also apply a penalty to the Michelin teams?
"I heard that the teams were prepared to offer to the Bridgestone teams to start in front," he responds, "but it's completely a nonsense. We did qualifying yesterday for the starting order."
It's suggested that the Michelin teams were willing to accept a one-minute penalty: "I never heard about that," says Todt.
So, was Ferrari not involved in the team principals meeting on Sunday morning?
"No, because it was only Michelin runners who were involved," says the Frenchman..
It's then pointed out that Minardi and Jordan were present: "Well, I wasn't there," he replies, "but it wouldn't have turned anything".
He's asked what sort of damage the day's events have done to F1 in the United States.
"Very bad," he admits. "I wish we could come back to the States because it's a very important country, it's now your number one market, the States, and since so many years Bernie has tried to implement something in the States. Unfortunately, it was not the best demonstration today."
He's asked if he feels it is more important to run the sport under the regulations in force than to put on a show?
"At the end of the day, we want to win races," he replies. "It's a big competition. I don't think people think about the show. People think about the best they can get. You know, I tend to agree. We spend so much money, sometimes it's not necessary for the show, but we spend money for technology, we spend money which could be avoided in many ways, but that's competition."
It's pointed out that many people blame Max Mosley for the perceived stale-mate: "I feel so ashamed for the people who say that," Todt interrupts, "because, tell me, what is the responsibility of the FIA here?
"To govern the sport…" replies one of the journalists present.
"OK, to govern the sport," agrees Todt, "but we all got a letter two weeks ago warning us after the Monte Carlo race and I think it was after Monte Carlo and Nurburgring, after Nurburgring when Raikkonen had his problem, that we had to pay special attention about the tyres, about the pressure, about all that, and it's something we thought could happen for a while."
He's asked the $64,000 question. Under what circumstances would Ferrari have been willing to race with the Michelin runners?
"I would say there were three options," he replies. "One, they could have changed their tyres. Two, they would have to compromise in this specific corner. And three, they could have used the pit lane.
"You asked me what could have been the possibilities and I tell you what could have been the possibilities. They could have used the pit lane, every lap. Sure. Why not? You would have had a race. You say it is not a question… there would be no safety problem. I'm sure that if it would have been asked of the bureau of the F1 Commission to increase the speed in the pit lane from 100 to 120 it was something which would have been accepted."
"Fourteen cars going through the pit lane…" says a journo, clearly incredulous.
"If these cars cannot take this corner, what can I do?" shrugs Todt.
Under the circumstances, is Ferrari able to take any satisfaction from this victory?
"I must say that I'm very happy about the work which was done by Bridgestone," he replies. "They did an outstanding job and the team did a very good job in the current situation. If you ask me if I would have preferred to have all the competitors in the race, the answer is yes."
Is a single tyre is now the way forward?
"I prefer the competition with more than one tyre company," he admits. "We are spending a lot of effort with Bridgestone to try to get the best out of the situation. I'm quite pleased with the actual situation on tyres. But it's definite that one tyre company could solve some problems, could reduce some costs, so it's like always: you have pluses and minuses."
So, if Max Mosley asked about a single tyre, what would be Ferrari's answer?
"That is not a possibility at the moment," he replies.
Putting the politics aside, it's pointed out that Ferrari is back in the championship race, does he think it can carry this forward? "We will try," he replies, "we will try our best."
And what of Rubens Barrichello's future at Ferrari, he hasn't appeared too happy recently.
"Rubens has a contract with us until the end of '06," says Todt. "Saying that, I want our drivers to be happy, I want our people to be happy in the team. If he's not happy, he should speak with me rather than speaking with you. I haven't spoken to him, he just called me now. I will speak with him afterwards."
Formula One appears to have some sort of 'death wish'. Every time one turns around there's some new controversy.
"You know, I think you have some commercial, economic - how could I say? - competition and everybody's trying very hard, at the limit, sometimes over the limit, and it started a few years ago and it's a very competitive world, and competition is sometimes very tight, sometimes too tight, too hard but everybody tries to compete in this situation."
So, should they have been more flexible this weekend?
"As I said, I think that if it would have been the other way around, nobody would have even thought for one second to accept any compromise," he replies.
Is he proud of how Formula One behaved today?
"For me, you are putting the wrong problem," he responds. "It's up to tyre companies who did not secure the right tyres for their teams. I tell you, for me… maybe at the end I'm a bit concerned to give a judgement on that because I don't know, but you know sometimes you have to accept to sacrifice your performance to reliability."
Is he concerned that Ferrari might be blamed by some when the problem had nothing to do with it?
"I'm used to that," he shrugs.
Would he be happy for Michelin to supply the rest of the grid if Michelin decided to withdraw for any reason?
"I would not have any problem with that," says the Frenchman. "Do you think we could ask them to give us the soft tyres and harder for the others. It would be a good idea. Maybe let me think about it?"
In normal circumstances, could Ferrari have still fought for victory at Indianapolis?
"I don't know," he says. "I know we were very competitive today. You just have to take the lap times during free practice and all that. It's clear we were very competitive. What would have been the result? I don't know. Maybe they would have touched in the first corner, we don't know."
"When Michael and Rubens were racing very hard, did his heart go crazy, just for a moment?
"In a way," he smiles, "we wanted to get the best out of this opportunity, but on the other hand they are racing drivers and each one was challenging for the win, fortunately nothing happened. I would have felt very bad if something happened."