What does it
mean to you to be able to drive a Ferrari?
"It's really
great. Every driver dreams of getting into F1 and once you get there,
then the best thing that can happen to you is that you become a Ferrari
driver. That's especially true at the moment, as Ferrari is now a
very competitive team, good enough to win the world championship.
"After last year,
the last thing I expected was to be here and I am very happy to be
back on track, driving for a team where I have the opportunity to
learn a lot. Furthermore, being at Ferrari is very important from
the personal relationship point of view, which is unique in the world
of F1 and that makes me very happy."
What were you
expecting?
"This is like a dream come true. From the mechanics to the engineers,
professionalism is at a maximum and I want to do my best to thank
them for the opportunity I have been given. This is also the best
car I have ever driven, which will make my job easier."
What
exactly is your role within the team?
"I am a test driver and not the third driver. Therefore, when I drive
the car, I have to keep in mind what my duties are. The future is
open and we will see what happens. My contract for this year is as
a test driver and I hope nothing happens that involves me standing
in for Michael or Rubens. I want to do a good job to help the team
win the championship."
What
are your thoughts about the accident in Spa last year?
"An accident like that is a really tough experience. I had never had
a serious accident, but then last year, I had four, of which two were
really big. I was very lucky in Spa. The FIA has done a lot in terms
of improving track and car safety and my Prost stood up really well
to the impact, staying almost intact."
What about
the possibility of substituting gravel traps with grass run-off areas?
"I have thought about that a lot and I can't really say that, if there
had been grass there, things would have happened differently. I went
off the track at 300 km/h. Gravel certainly slowed the car, but there
are times when it can be dangerous. Think for example about Michael's
accident in Australia last year. Tarmac would have been better, but
that would not slow down the cars enough."
Is it possible
that maybe the cars' aerodynamics is the real problem?
"Naturally, if you reduce downforce, the cars will be slower. Every
year, FIA looks for rules to slow the cars down, but every year the
cars continue to go quicker. Safety is a vital factor, but one has
to remember that racing is always risky."
Madonna
di Campiglio, 16.01.02