Post-race press conference Singapore Grand Prix (Part 2)
After some interesting informal comments from the drivers, the podium position holders continued the informal press conference and answered some questions to give their perspective on the race.
Fernando proceeded with his statement and agreed with the press that driving at Singapore for two hours in such intense temperatures is very difficult. The team was aware of that before hand and knew that Singapore was going to be the toughest track of the season physically. The drivers do not even get time to breathe as the track contains 24-25 turns and it is tough to drive.
This win was very important for the team and Ferrari was satisfied with its performance since the past two races. The Marina bay is a unique layout so the team wanted to confirm their performance in a high-downforce track. This win will play a vital role in Fernando’s championship run with just four more races to go however, it will not be easy and the competition will become even tougher. The Spaniard thanked his team as they got 100% of their potential during the whole weekend and thought that they did a great job at the factory as well to ensure the victory.
Sebastian Vettel further told the press about the start and his move on Fernando in turn one. The German explained that his move was straightforward. He just went straight and immediately saw that he had a good start. Fernando closed in and went to the inside making it very difficult for Sebastian to overtake and there was no way to go so he decided to go on the right in order to catch more speed for the rest of the lap. He believes that Red Bull had a very strong start as mentioned by Mark Webber and himself earlier. The team was highly criticized as they struggled to make good starts but this criticism was wrong, as he believes that it is the trickiest part of the race and you need to get the right settings for it.
Mark Webber maintained his championship lead after finishing in 3rd place on the podium and allegedly, that is the most important thing for the team and him currently. The Aussie was happy with his 3rd place finish and said that this weekend was comparatively more difficult for him. Probably the toughest weekend of the season for him. Monaco was much easier as compared to Singapore keeping in mind both of the circuits share the same characteristics and Mark felt incredibly comfortable there. He did not feel that comfort at the Marina Bay though. Webber was extremely happy with how the race ended, as there were parts of the race where he was forced to stay composed, not panic and just finish in third place. The current championship leader did not expect this result and was happy with it as he is still ahead of Fernando Alonso in the drivers’ title marginally.
Returning to the race winner Fernando Alonso, the Spaniard has scored more points than anyone has in the last five races. It seems that Fernando is pushing the most for the championship and if he keeps this up, he might win it. The Spaniard thinks that it is still very tight as there are still five contenders up in the title chase and have an equal chance of winnings the title. Mark is still the most comfortable driver of the top five as he still has some margin over the rest of the contenders. However, the rest of the drivers will have to keep improving and catch up with him and the rest of the pack as well. Fernando vows to perform at his best and still has doubts whether these performances will be enough until the final grand prix in Abu Dhabi. The team vows to give its 100% in the coming four races in order to secure the title for the 2011 championship.
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