THE MODERATOR: Our winner today, Will Power. Will, you ran away from the field there in the late stages with the wet. How were you able to get away that quick?
WILL POWER: Yeah, well, it was an interesting race. Yeah, it was great that it rained, but also in the dry we went a lap longer than everyone. We were looking good then. We were looking good either way.
So, you know, I’m very happy for the team. The start was really good for wets. We gained a position there. Obviously these guys came out in front of us because they pitted a lap earlier. This is exactly what we needed points-wise, and also for Sebastien not to finish, that really helps us in the championship. We’ve got some pretty strong tracks coming up.
THE MODERATOR: Will, with the finish, you and Simon are now leading the Canadian Triple Crown again. After what we saw today it could be anybody’s game at Edmonton.
WILL POWER: That’s right. Yeah, a lot of mayhem in the race once again. Yeah, stoked to be leading the Triple Crown. Hopefully we can finish it off in Edmonton with both of us on the podium 1, 2. That would be perfect.
THE MODERATOR: We’ll open it up to questions.
Q. Will at what point did you realize it was survival of the fastest?
WILL POWER: Yeah, very early on you’d see people crashing. Once it all settled down it was just all about fuel saving, and we did that really well.
But, yeah, our first pit stop, came out, started sprinkling. Almost a lap or two too early unfortunately, but not too unfortunately. Then when it was wet, I just drove like hell. I just wanted to get to the front. I knew that there was going to be a bit of mayhem throughout the race.
But, you know, once I got to the front, every restart, I just tried to put as big a gap in the first couple of corners and drive mistake-free.
Q. Will, this weekend has been miserable for you, driving into the runoff areas several times in practice, what attributed to that?
WILL POWER: Well, it all started in first qualifying when we had an electrical problem in the car. Then I went out, which I probably shouldn’t have on cold tires and got a penalty for holding people up.
So, you know, we were like a session behind all weekend. In Champ Car that really costs you because you’ve got to be following the conditions all the time.
So, yeah, it was a very tough weekend. I have to say I was very frustrated on Saturday night. I was really down about the results here.
But, you know, we had a good strategy going into the race. Whether it was wet or dry, we knew we were going to save fuel and try and move up a bit. Turns out it was a very good weekend for us.
Q. The big story of the weekend was blocking, Tony Cotman made some changes in the drivers meeting in reference to rules and blocking penalties. Were there problems today?
WILL POWER: Yeah, I got blocked by Bruno Junqueira. It’s probably a bit of payback for first qualifying (laughter). But I also got a penalty for that, so it’s a double whammy, yeah.
That’s life. That’s racing. Drivers always pay you back in some way.
Q. Will on the first lap did you get together with Simon?
WILL POWER: No. I think he might have hit Tag. I saw it as I was going around the outside, I saw his front wing slide in front of me. I was thinking, Is that my front wing? I didn’t touch anyone (laughter).
Q. How hard was it to build a rhythm with all the caution periods?
WILL POWER: Yeah, it’s always frustrating when you build a big lead, like four or five seconds. You know, you see there’s only six laps to go and suddenly yellow. You’re like, Oh, my God. This is never going to end.
But I just really focused on the restarts. If I could get a gap and be comfortable, you don’t force yourself into an error. You don’t have to do something unnecessary to pull away.
Got a big gap and then just drove really as hard as I could without making mistakes.
Q. Will on the restarts you seemed to pick up a lot of positions, were you that much better on the restarts than the others?
WILL POWER: No, I was on it. Like when I was sitting behind Sebastien, I knew he was kind tentative in the wet and I attacked it. The first corner got him. The next restart, I think I got Neel. Next restart, I got Ryan.
Yeah, it’s just about being aggressive at the right time without hitting anyone.
Q. Will, I hear there is a drought in Australia. Do you think they will reschedule the Champ Car race so that the area can get some rain sooner, since it seems to rain every time you are in town?
WILL POWER: That’s right. Every year we go to Surfers, it rains. Massive drought. They need to go to Toowoomba, my hometown. It’s really bad up there. Yeah, the rain follows us everywhere we go
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