10/09/2006
NEWS STORY
Seventh win of the season for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, the sixth courtesy of Michael Schumacher. This is win number 190 from 738 races entered by Ferrari, the seventeenth in the Italian Grand Prix. Michael Schumacher recorded his ninetieth victory from 247 Grand Prix starts and his fifth at this track.
Jean Todt: I don't know if I should start by talking about my feelings after this fantastic victory or about those that stem from the announcement of Michael's retirement. Of course, I had known for a while that this was his decision, but the news breaking alongside this great win makes today special. It is very gratifying to win here, in front of our Ferrari colleagues who packed out the grandstand at the Parabolica and in front of all our fans. The car, the Bridgestone tyres and the team were all great. This result sees us move into the lead in the Constructors' classification and it also considerably reduces the gap between Michael and the leader of the Drivers.' I am sorry for Felipe: an unplanned stop prevented him from bringing home a good result in a race where he never really managed to get the most out of the car because of traffic. It's a shame, because all weekend he had been very competitive. Now both championships will be decided over the three races. We are up against very strong opposition but we are very determined and motivated to win both titles. We must remain concentrated and united to make Ferrari even better and to bring to a close in the best possible way this magnificent chapter in our history, which began eleven years ago when Michael arrived.
Michael Schumacher: A marvellous win in front of our fans. Being on the podium alongside Jean was an indescribable feeling. From up there, we could see a sea of fans and you could feel the love they have for Ferrari. Super! If I had had to talk about my decision at that moment, I would not have managed to get the words out of my mouth….The race was relatively straightforward. We were hoping that Kimi would pit before us and he did. Everything went according to plan with no particular worries. The most emotional moment was the final lap. After the chequered flag I came on the radio and told all my friends in the team what I was about to announce and it was really difficult to keep my emotions under control. This win is very important in terms of both titles. We have taken the lead in the Constructors' and as for the Drivers,' we are no longer dependent on our rivals' performance.
Felipe Massa: To lead the Constructors' championship is fantastic. I am very happy for the whole team and also for Michael, who deserved this win and it's great that he took this victory on a day that is so special for him. Michael is an amazing guy and I am honoured to have had the opportunity to race alongside him. He is an example to us all. Now we must try and reach the targets that we want so much. Right from yesterday's qualifying it was clear this was not going to be my weekend. Today, I was always in traffic, never able to use all the car's potential on a track which, while very quick is definitely not easy to overtake on. Then, when it seemed like I could bring home a good fourth place, I flat-spotted my right front tyre when I had to brake on the oil from Alonso's Renault. It was too bad to continue and so I was forced to pit to change tyres, losing any chance of a points finish. Now there are three races to go, in which we will do all we can. I can tackle them with the added motivation of helping Michael and the team win both championships. As for me, I am proud to have the opportunity to be racing with this great team for the next two years.
Ross Brawn: Winning the Italian Grand Prix on the day Michael announces his retirement is the best possible way for this news to be delivered. He drove brilliantly and was always in control of the situation. The car went well, helped by fantastic Bridgestone tyres, not forgetting the valuable support from Shell. We knew that our tyres, while possibly giving a little away in qualifying, would be superb in the race. This win is the result of the great work carried out over the past few months by our partners and our test team. It's a shame for Felipe, who never really had the chance to push as hard as he could, being nearly always stuck in traffic. Now there are three races to go which we will tackle giving our all. We have many new parts coming, including a new aerodynamic package that we will test over the next two weeks. I am confident about this final part of the championship and we will fight right to the end to try and win both titles.
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