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October 16, 2004
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Following an enthralling Qualifying session, Pole sitter Steve Elencevski (FinOz), 2nd on the grid Mikko Jakonen (Mapes-VO) and 3rd placed Kieran Ryan (SCUM) answered questions posed by stand-in Pit Reporter Andy Graydon in the official Qualifying Press Conference.
Pole Position ? Steve Elencevski (FinOz - Ferrari (c))
Pretty wet out there Steve, and with over half a second advantage to Mikko you must be pleased with your lap?
"I have to say it was a very good lap considering the conditions & our set-up. We are hoping for a wet race, although the forecast is for a dry race, but the gap to Mikko is nothing to go by, it will be much closer over the 51 laps & we're expecting a closely fought race & we hope to come out on top."
Mikko is right behind you, and so the top two drivers will be heading down to turn 1 with a bit of history going back to Senna and Prost in 1990. I presume you don?t expect Mikko to take you off, so how will the battle resume in the race. A dry track is expected for the race, and we don?t really know who has the speed in those conditions?
"Yes it is hard to say where everyone is in terms of speed in dry conditions, so it will be quite interesting to see how the race unfolds. My aim is to push hard, lap after lap & to drive qualifying laps throughout the race & keep Mikko behind me & hopefully get a few other driver's finish in front of him. I also have to add that i am very confident of a strong race & that our car is handling beautifully around this circuit & that i really enjoying driving here."
This Pole has now put you down as the best Qualifier in F1VWC 2004, overtaking Scott Whiteman. How does it feel having a statisitic like that?
"It's nice to have those statistics next to your name, but in the end it doesn't mean much with how the race weekend format is, where we qualify with fuel for the race. I'd rather have more wins than poles & i feel that is most important. But for my first season here, i wasn't expecting all that much, so we have proven we can fight for poles,wins & the championship & take it to the front running teams consistently & i'm proud of that."
2nd - Mikko Jakonen (Mapes-VO - Honda)
Congratulations Mikko, your first 2nd place on the grid of 2004. Of course in 2003 you were never off the top 3 in Qualifying all season long. What has changed that statistic this year?
"Thanks Andy, it's really nice to be here for a change. You might say that qualifying hasn't been my strong points this season. Last year I had 10 poles and now this is my first front row position the whole year. It couldn't have come at a better place though, it's really damn hard to overtake matching cars here.
Of course the most obvious change to last year is the new qualifying rule, with race fuel and setup. Of course that's the same for everybody, but we've had some problems getting the tyre temperature high enough with this procedure the whole year, so during the first flying lap the car hasn't been at its best, both during the qualifyings and the first laps of the stints in the races. And as I there's only one try in the qual I'd rather lose a few tenths than spin off and start at the back of the grid. But so far I've managed to finish every race higher than where I started, which is good. But yes, we've definitely had problems in qualifyings, and all I can say is that I hope the team finds a solution for that by next season."
How did you cope with the conditions today? It was still quite dry out at the Spoon Curve, but the rest of the lap was pretty wet.
"I wasn't particularly happy about the rain, the track is challenging enough as it is. We did find a stable setup which hopefully works in the race as well. During my warmup lap the track wasn't very wet, but when I started the flying lap the first sector was already much more wet, and I did have a few moments in the first corners and had to ease off a bit. The tyre choice was good, the intermediate Michelins were excellent, and our traction control program allowed me to accelerate quite nicely out of corners. In these conditions it's mostly a question of how comfortable you are with the track, and I think I did pretty good. Steve's time was alarmingly good though."
What are your tactics for the race? Obviously you won't tell us what fuel you have left on board, but you know you only have to beat Steve to take the Championship. Will your team-mate Bratonja be able to help, especially following his excellent showing in Qualifying?
"Well as I said, it's very difficult to overtake equally matched cars here, so I'm glad to be in the front row. We've managed pretty good starts usually, and the tactics are pretty simple; I need to get in the front before the first corner and then keep Steve and the rest behind me.
A lot might be decided in the pitstops but I think we should have a competitive strategy. Zlatko did great and I believe he can give the rest of the field a lot of trouble. It would be great if he could keep Steve busy. But as you said, I need to finish ahead of Steve to take the Championship, and this would be a great place to do it, the Honda people would really appreciate it. If I get into problems the fight may continue in Brazil, but we'll see. I'll do my best and see if that's enough."
How do you like the track, and the Japanese fans?
"Well, the fans are really fanatic here, I've been to a dozen Honda promotions already and signed about a thousand autographs. It's really nice, but before the race I'm going to stay inside with my physician. The track is really great, certainly one of the most challenging ones. The safety areas aren't quite up to standards maybe, I think we'll see a few broken cars this weekend again.
Physically this is the most difficult race for me, last year I had severe neck pains for a week after the race. All the fast corners and especially the snake run in the first sector puts so much G-force on your head that in the practise I usually came in after 10 laps because I was just beat. I just hope I can handle all the stress in the race, I'm not 18 anymore!"
3rd - Kieran Ryan (SCUM - Holden)
Kieran, its becoming a common occurrence for you to be in these Press Conferences now that you've landed a stable seat at SCUM. How did you find the track to drive in these conditions?
''Well I'm sure it's common knowledge that I love these wet or even inter conditions. The car was really amazing today. The team didn't make that many changes so my race should not be affected much since we forecast a dry race. It wasn't the easiest in these conditions. There was a fine line to making sure you got the balance of the trottle right around here. I think another tenth or 2 could have been found but no more so maybe 2nd could have been achieved but I am happy to be 3rd at a track I love. These conditions just suit me more, shame it's not more of the same for race."
OK, so we know that Suzuka is one of your favourite tracks, so come the race with a dry track do you have the set-up to make a win possible?
"This track is very special indeed. It has such a variety of corners and just one big stop at the end with triangle, so for me its a challange and hence why I love it. A win here however, won't be easy to achieve. Much of the weekend has been wet so obtaining a dry setup from no dry running was hard to do but I think I can keep a top 3 position. Winning here will be hard.
I feel Steve has such a big gap to Mikko et al. and that it will be hard to challange him. One tenth seperated me from 2nd so I think I can challange Mikko and from Steve's perspective he'll want me too to keep Mikko as far from him as possible. But this is a race that may decide who becomes champion and in those sort of races, the 2 in the fight, in this case Mikko and Steve, always seem to go into their own little race leaving the rest to pick up the pieces, so in that respect I think winning will be VERY hard. I'll do my best to stay with Mikko and maybe overtake him. I would love to be up on the podium if the championship is decided here."
You could secure 4th in the Drivers Championship by finishing ahead of Daniel Wilkinson. Is that your aim for this event, or are you going for another win?
"Daniel is back in 8th and I know (from being teammates) he'll be heavy with fuel I'd say. And that's fine, he's more comfortable with that strategy - I'm not. I feel I have the right plan of attack, I'm at the front and I can challenge. I will do everything I can to retain my 3rd and in doing so confirm my 4th in the championship. Daniel won't make it easy, as we saw in France, but I certainly won't make it easy either. He's the one who has to do the work, as he's 13 points behind me, so it should be an interesting fight on our hands."
Suzuka is known to be a challanging track in all repects of the word. What are the corners in which you find so challanging around here?
"For me, Suzuka isn't easy and it's simply the challenge that I love about this track. It always takes me ages to fully get a setup developed for me and to be confident with it. The first sequence of corners are "S's" in which they must be taken with speed and precisness. Throttle is key in those corners - it must be applied with accuracy.
Spoon also is a challenge. It seems to steer left forever. It's important not to break late here for if you do, you'll end up on the gravel. Another left kicks in soon after and if you're not right in with the apex then you'll be pushed wide as the track gets smaller on the exit. 130R and triangle are two great corners in respects with the rest of the track. While nowadays the cars can take it flat no problem (in the dry of course) the car has to be set up finely for this to be taken. You do not want a low rear wing setting for here.
Finally triangle is skillful in a way. Braking has to be so accurate as the chicane almost appears from nowhere into your vision. It all depends on the right left flick and how quick you emerge from it and then the lap should have unfolded a suitable lap time. These are the challenges I find at Suzuka!''
Pole Position ? Steve Elencevski (FinOz - Ferrari (c))
Pretty wet out there Steve, and with over half a second advantage to Mikko you must be pleased with your lap?
"I have to say it was a very good lap considering the conditions & our set-up. We are hoping for a wet race, although the forecast is for a dry race, but the gap to Mikko is nothing to go by, it will be much closer over the 51 laps & we're expecting a closely fought race & we hope to come out on top."
Mikko is right behind you, and so the top two drivers will be heading down to turn 1 with a bit of history going back to Senna and Prost in 1990. I presume you don?t expect Mikko to take you off, so how will the battle resume in the race. A dry track is expected for the race, and we don?t really know who has the speed in those conditions?
"Yes it is hard to say where everyone is in terms of speed in dry conditions, so it will be quite interesting to see how the race unfolds. My aim is to push hard, lap after lap & to drive qualifying laps throughout the race & keep Mikko behind me & hopefully get a few other driver's finish in front of him. I also have to add that i am very confident of a strong race & that our car is handling beautifully around this circuit & that i really enjoying driving here."
This Pole has now put you down as the best Qualifier in F1VWC 2004, overtaking Scott Whiteman. How does it feel having a statisitic like that?
"It's nice to have those statistics next to your name, but in the end it doesn't mean much with how the race weekend format is, where we qualify with fuel for the race. I'd rather have more wins than poles & i feel that is most important. But for my first season here, i wasn't expecting all that much, so we have proven we can fight for poles,wins & the championship & take it to the front running teams consistently & i'm proud of that."
2nd - Mikko Jakonen (Mapes-VO - Honda)
Congratulations Mikko, your first 2nd place on the grid of 2004. Of course in 2003 you were never off the top 3 in Qualifying all season long. What has changed that statistic this year?
"Thanks Andy, it's really nice to be here for a change. You might say that qualifying hasn't been my strong points this season. Last year I had 10 poles and now this is my first front row position the whole year. It couldn't have come at a better place though, it's really damn hard to overtake matching cars here.
Of course the most obvious change to last year is the new qualifying rule, with race fuel and setup. Of course that's the same for everybody, but we've had some problems getting the tyre temperature high enough with this procedure the whole year, so during the first flying lap the car hasn't been at its best, both during the qualifyings and the first laps of the stints in the races. And as I there's only one try in the qual I'd rather lose a few tenths than spin off and start at the back of the grid. But so far I've managed to finish every race higher than where I started, which is good. But yes, we've definitely had problems in qualifyings, and all I can say is that I hope the team finds a solution for that by next season."
How did you cope with the conditions today? It was still quite dry out at the Spoon Curve, but the rest of the lap was pretty wet.
"I wasn't particularly happy about the rain, the track is challenging enough as it is. We did find a stable setup which hopefully works in the race as well. During my warmup lap the track wasn't very wet, but when I started the flying lap the first sector was already much more wet, and I did have a few moments in the first corners and had to ease off a bit. The tyre choice was good, the intermediate Michelins were excellent, and our traction control program allowed me to accelerate quite nicely out of corners. In these conditions it's mostly a question of how comfortable you are with the track, and I think I did pretty good. Steve's time was alarmingly good though."
What are your tactics for the race? Obviously you won't tell us what fuel you have left on board, but you know you only have to beat Steve to take the Championship. Will your team-mate Bratonja be able to help, especially following his excellent showing in Qualifying?
"Well as I said, it's very difficult to overtake equally matched cars here, so I'm glad to be in the front row. We've managed pretty good starts usually, and the tactics are pretty simple; I need to get in the front before the first corner and then keep Steve and the rest behind me.
A lot might be decided in the pitstops but I think we should have a competitive strategy. Zlatko did great and I believe he can give the rest of the field a lot of trouble. It would be great if he could keep Steve busy. But as you said, I need to finish ahead of Steve to take the Championship, and this would be a great place to do it, the Honda people would really appreciate it. If I get into problems the fight may continue in Brazil, but we'll see. I'll do my best and see if that's enough."
How do you like the track, and the Japanese fans?
"Well, the fans are really fanatic here, I've been to a dozen Honda promotions already and signed about a thousand autographs. It's really nice, but before the race I'm going to stay inside with my physician. The track is really great, certainly one of the most challenging ones. The safety areas aren't quite up to standards maybe, I think we'll see a few broken cars this weekend again.
Physically this is the most difficult race for me, last year I had severe neck pains for a week after the race. All the fast corners and especially the snake run in the first sector puts so much G-force on your head that in the practise I usually came in after 10 laps because I was just beat. I just hope I can handle all the stress in the race, I'm not 18 anymore!"
3rd - Kieran Ryan (SCUM - Holden)
Kieran, its becoming a common occurrence for you to be in these Press Conferences now that you've landed a stable seat at SCUM. How did you find the track to drive in these conditions?
''Well I'm sure it's common knowledge that I love these wet or even inter conditions. The car was really amazing today. The team didn't make that many changes so my race should not be affected much since we forecast a dry race. It wasn't the easiest in these conditions. There was a fine line to making sure you got the balance of the trottle right around here. I think another tenth or 2 could have been found but no more so maybe 2nd could have been achieved but I am happy to be 3rd at a track I love. These conditions just suit me more, shame it's not more of the same for race."
OK, so we know that Suzuka is one of your favourite tracks, so come the race with a dry track do you have the set-up to make a win possible?
"This track is very special indeed. It has such a variety of corners and just one big stop at the end with triangle, so for me its a challange and hence why I love it. A win here however, won't be easy to achieve. Much of the weekend has been wet so obtaining a dry setup from no dry running was hard to do but I think I can keep a top 3 position. Winning here will be hard.
I feel Steve has such a big gap to Mikko et al. and that it will be hard to challange him. One tenth seperated me from 2nd so I think I can challange Mikko and from Steve's perspective he'll want me too to keep Mikko as far from him as possible. But this is a race that may decide who becomes champion and in those sort of races, the 2 in the fight, in this case Mikko and Steve, always seem to go into their own little race leaving the rest to pick up the pieces, so in that respect I think winning will be VERY hard. I'll do my best to stay with Mikko and maybe overtake him. I would love to be up on the podium if the championship is decided here."
You could secure 4th in the Drivers Championship by finishing ahead of Daniel Wilkinson. Is that your aim for this event, or are you going for another win?
"Daniel is back in 8th and I know (from being teammates) he'll be heavy with fuel I'd say. And that's fine, he's more comfortable with that strategy - I'm not. I feel I have the right plan of attack, I'm at the front and I can challenge. I will do everything I can to retain my 3rd and in doing so confirm my 4th in the championship. Daniel won't make it easy, as we saw in France, but I certainly won't make it easy either. He's the one who has to do the work, as he's 13 points behind me, so it should be an interesting fight on our hands."
Suzuka is known to be a challanging track in all repects of the word. What are the corners in which you find so challanging around here?
"For me, Suzuka isn't easy and it's simply the challenge that I love about this track. It always takes me ages to fully get a setup developed for me and to be confident with it. The first sequence of corners are "S's" in which they must be taken with speed and precisness. Throttle is key in those corners - it must be applied with accuracy.
Spoon also is a challenge. It seems to steer left forever. It's important not to break late here for if you do, you'll end up on the gravel. Another left kicks in soon after and if you're not right in with the apex then you'll be pushed wide as the track gets smaller on the exit. 130R and triangle are two great corners in respects with the rest of the track. While nowadays the cars can take it flat no problem (in the dry of course) the car has to be set up finely for this to be taken. You do not want a low rear wing setting for here.
Finally triangle is skillful in a way. Braking has to be so accurate as the chicane almost appears from nowhere into your vision. It all depends on the right left flick and how quick you emerge from it and then the lap should have unfolded a suitable lap time. These are the challenges I find at Suzuka!''
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