01/06/2009
NEWS STORY
Fernando, you picked up a couple points in Monaco - tell us about your race?
Fernando Alonso: It was a tough race, just as it always is in Monaco and very demanding mentally. Starting ninth made it difficult to do much in the race and even with a good strategy we only managed to make up a couple of positions as the traffic did not work out well for us. To score two points is probably the best result that was possible on the day, although the car felt good and improved during the race. It's important that we continue scoring points at every race as they will all be important at the end of the year.
The next race is at Istanbul Park in Turkey - is it a circuit you enjoy?
FA: Yes, it's a fun circuit with good overtaking opportunities, especially turn 12 at the end of the back straight, which leads into the final complex of low-speed corners. There are also fast sections and some special corners like the long left-hander of turn 8, which is one of the most exciting of the year. The challenge of Istanbul Park is to find the right balance so that you have a responsive car that works well in the fast and slow sections.
Are you happy with the development of the R29 so far this season?
FA: It's clear that we need to take another step forward. We will have new developments for the car over the next few weeks and that should help, but I'm not expecting to jump to the front of the grid in Turkey. However, I still believe that later in the year we can be back fighting for podiums and winning races, just as we did last year. We know it won't be easy, but the whole team is extremely motivated and determined to get back to the front.
Nelson, you were out of luck in Monaco, but your race was looking promising…
Nelson Piquet: It was a really frustrating race for me. I made a good start and had gained a place by the first corner, but a few laps into the race I got hit hard from behind by Sebastien Buemi, which damaged the car and ended my race. It's such a shame as I was running a good strategy: I was heavy on fuel and probably could have scored some points. Unfortunately there's nothing you can do in these situations and so I need to put the disappointment behind me and concentrate on getting the most from the car again this weekend.
Istanbul Park is a popular venue for the teams - is it one of your favourites?
NP: I do enjoy driving there as it's quite a varied track with some slow and fast sections. Turn 8 is the high-speed corner that everybody talks about as there's nothing else like it all season. It's a very physical corner which feels like it goes on forever and that makes it tough for the tyres. We will have less aero grip this year, but with slicks tyres I think we will still be able to take it almost flat-out.
What's your objective for this weekend?
NP: My priority is to try and score some points to help the team in the championship. The track should suit the car and we will also have some new updates this weekend which should give us some extra performance. We need to qualify well, hopefully in the top ten, and choose an aggressive strategy so that we can move forward in the race.