Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
2008 Qualifying - 2nd, 2008 Race - 2nd
“It’s great to be getting back to business after the four-week break. I’m still buzzing from the win in Hungary and I’m hopeful of being able to carry that pace into the Valencia weekend - particularly with our new upgrades to the car. It’s a very demanding circuit, the kind of place that punishes any mistakes hard. It’s quite tight and relatively slow, so it should suit our package. It’s also very difficult to overtake, as we discovered last year - but, with our KERS, Mercedes-Benz has proved that anything can happen and I’m once again hoping that it will provide the difference in the race.”
Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber
2008 Qualifying - 3rd, 2008 Race - 3rd
“I really enjoyed the Valencia circuit a lot. I like the character of stop-and-go tracks. In Valencia you have a lot of long straights followed by narrow corners and long straights again. That means a lot of heavy braking. It was very hot there last year as the track is between concrete walls and there is not a lot of air. These conditions are very tough for the car’s cooling. Last year I performed quite well in Valencia.”
Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren
2008 Qualifying - 5th, 2008 Race - 4th
“Having driven the fully updated car for the first time in Hungary last month, it was very encouraging to be able to feel just how much progress the team has made developing MP4-24. We’ve now got a car that’s much easier to drive on the limit, and which really rewards your input. So I’m really looking forward to the European Grand Prix, which, while it won’t suit us as strongly as the Hungaroring, should be another strong opportunity for us to score some more points. After the summer break, I think the whole team is really looking forward to the second half of the season. We’re all refreshed and united. I think there’s a lot of potential for the remaining races.”
Jarno Trulli, Toyota
2008 Qualifying - 7th, 2008 Race - 5th
“I am really glad to be racing again; it’s great to have some time off to relax with my family but my passion is racing so it’s good to be getting back to the track. It seems like a long time since the last race so everyone in the team is fired up to come out fighting this weekend. Valencia is not such an exciting circuit for me but that doesn’t matter so much if we are strong, which we were last year on this track. Unlike somewhere like Monaco, Valencia is actually very fast for a street circuit so that should suit our car pretty well. In fact, it doesn’t really feel much like a street circuit at all because it is so much faster than other city tracks. We were in the top six last year in Valencia and that is my target this season. It was good to have both cars in the points in Hungary. The Valencia track has a different character so it’s difficult to predict at this stage but my target is to score as many points as possible.”
Nico Rosberg, Williams
2008 Qualifying - 9th, 2008 Race - 8th
“This will only be our second trip to Valencia and I’m looking forward to going back as the organisers have built a really good track. Unlike what you would normally expect from a street circuit, Valencia has a lot of corners but they aren’t tight and twisty, but quite fast and flowing so the whole lap is quite quick. Combined with the temperatures, it can be a demanding race, but I’m prepared. Valencia’s a cool city. The Spanish are really enthusiastic about Formula One, so the atmosphere is usually buzzing. The paddock is in the harbour, right next to the sea, so it’s a little bit like Monaco, maybe not quite as glamorous, but a really nice location for a Grand Prix.”
Fernando Alonso, Renault
2008 Qualifying - 12th, 2008 Race - DNF
“I think the break was good for everyone and the team has come back refreshed and ready to push hard for the final part of the season. I also have a new team mate this weekend and I’m looking forward to working with Romain who I’m sure will do a good job for the team. I already have a good relationship with him and hopefully he can help us score some important points for the championship. Racing at home is always special and Valencia is a beautiful city and a great place to have a race. I’ve always enjoyed racing on street circuits as they have a special atmosphere and the whole city gets involved in the race. Also, as it’s a home race for me I know that there will be amazing support from the fans and I really want to reward them with a good result. As I’ve said, I would love to fight for the podium, but the main priority is to score points this weekend.”
Jenson Button, Brawn GP
2008 Qualifying - 16th, 2008 Race - 13th
“It’s going to be great to get back racing again after the summer break and everyone at the team is looking forward to Valencia. I’ve kept pretty busy over the past few weeks with the London Triathlon at the start of the month and then some time to relax with my family and friends but it’s seemed like a long time without a race! Valencia is a beautiful city and the track is quite fun when it goes round the edge of the marina and over the bridge. It’s quite challenging for the drivers with so many turns and the added factor of being surrounded by barriers means you have to maintain your concentration. There’s been a lot of work going on at the factory following our shutdown and with the cars at the front being so close at the moment, it will be an interesting weekend.”
Luca Badoer, Ferrari
2008 Qualifying - N/A, 2008 Race - N/A
“I am very motivated to make the most of this opportunity, even if I know I am facing a tough challenge, especially during the first couple of days in Valencia. It will effectively be a test session for me, but I will be trying my best to secure a good result. I have to say, my first thoughts when I take to the track will be for Felipe (Massa), because I got a real fright when I saw his accident. I am delighted that he is making a good recovery and I hope he will be back racing as soon as possible. I have to add that I am also thinking of Michael, because having trained with him over the last few weeks, I know how much he wanted to make this comeback and how much effort he was putting into his preparation. Even though his decision has provided me with this great opportunity to race for the Scuderia, I feel sorry for him, because not only are we friends, but I am also an admirer of his. And finally, I repeat how grateful I am to Luca di Montezemolo and Stefano Domenicali for giving me the chance to make my childhood dream come true.”
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