Question: Martin, is Heikki Kovalainen going, is Kimi Raikkonen coming? When will you decide?
Martin Whitmarsh: The answer is simple. We have not determined a driver line-up yet and we haven’t set a timetable for doing so. We now have clarity about Ferrari’s drivers and we know now that other drivers are available. We try and give Heikki every opportunity to do a good job, Heikki is a very committed driver and a lovely chap, and we would like him to get some good results over the rest of the season. We are focusing on that and are not announcing a driver line-up for the moment.
Question: You were reported as saying that McLaren wouldn’t have any problems with Kimi Raikkonen coming back. What exactly does that mean?
Martin Whitmarsh: Kimi is a fantastic driver, and I like him and know him well. He was with the team for five years. He is quick, he is committed and I think he probably would be very committed to beating Ferrari in the future - knowing him. All these are attractive things with Kimi. He is not political. He is absolutely straightforward - what you see is what you get with Kimi. And on top of that everyone knows that he is a winning driver. I think he has been underestimated technically. He is a very good racing driver and I think he would fit well in this team, if we choose to go down that route.
Question: You’ve emphasized that he is not political. Is that something McLaren looks for in its drivers?
Martin Whitmarsh: I think we are very fortunate at the moment as there is tremendous harmony in the team. Both our current drivers aren’t political. They are very open to one another and they genuinely like each other. Team mates don’t necessarily like each other - that is not a prerequisite. They have to be honest and open and not political, that is part of the ingredients needed this year. We started in a very poor state with a slow car and then we had other controversies at the beginning of the year. I have to say I am personally proud of how the team pulled together during the year. I credit that to the genuine harmony among people who enjoy working together. And for the future, whatever driver line-up we have, you want to have that.
Question: Lewis’s place in the drivers’ championship is almost irrelevant, but McLaren have the chance to oust Ferrari from P3 in the constructors’ standings. Is that your prime aim?
Martin Whitmarsh: Absolutely. From a number of points behind, we are now only two points adrift of Ferrari. We’ve got a tremendous respect for Ferrari and have a very constructive working relationship with them, which is probably a change from the majority of the last 30 years of that relationship. But of course we want to beat them. Not winning is disappointing, so if we can get ourselves to third - which is realistic - I would be very disappointed if we don’t beat them in the constructors’. It will be a good battle and I hope that we’ve got a little bit of an edge. You have to beat Kimi first and he can pull it out if he needs to pull it out.
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