Question: Sebastian, how annoyed are you with the start to 2008? I’m sure you had other ideas about what you wanted from your first full season…
Sebastian Vettel: Well, the start of the season was definitely one that I wasn’t dreaming of. But on the other hand it was something that was out of our hands - one time we had a technical failure and the other three times there was a collision on the first lap. So I started the Turkish race with the knowledge that if I do two laps it’s already an increase of 100 percent - and finishing the race was close to a miracle!
Question: How difficult is it to introduce a new car during a season, especially if the track picked for its debut is as atypical as Monaco?
Sebastian Vettel: It is difficult and far from being an ideal situation. But we made the decision at the beginning of the season to start with the old car and I still think it was a good decision, even though we have not been able to show it, as many of our races have been quite short. We now have to get the STR3 going almost mid-season. The data we have gained from that one day in Barcelona before my team mate (Sebastien Bourdais) crashed it have shown that it looks quite reliable straight away. So the Paul Ricard test will be crucial as we will not only prepare for Monaco but also for Montreal, as the track there can be modified to simulate both circuits.
Question: Bourdais crashing the STR3 in Barcelona seems to have signalled a downturn in the team’s performance. Was it really that damaging?
Sebastian Vettel: Well yes, it cost us a lot of resources. Obviously we are lacking parts - that was the main reason why we were not able to introduce the car already in Turkey. And it was quite a big crash that caused a lot of damage. But it would be wrong to blame my team mate - we are racing drivers and are supposed to go as fast as possible, so a crash is always within reach. If you are not allowed to go fast - to push to the limit - then you should stay at home.
Question: There is a lot of speculation about your future. What are your thoughts on switching teams?
Sebastian Vettel: First of all my priority is racing. The start of the season was disappointing, so there is a lot to do and worry about for this year. I am on a mission this season. If that is accomplished, I can start to look at other things.
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