Imola Qualifying Press Conference

GP2 Asia Series: Ladies and Gentlemen welcome to the qualifying press conference in Imola. Joining us today, poleman Romain Grosjean at Dams. In second place Sam Bird at iSport International and in third place we have Michael Herck at Scuderia Coloni. Starting with you, Romain. Congratulations. An amazing last lap. How did it feel from the car?

Romain Grosjean: First of all, I would like to thank my team who has done an amazing job after I damaged the car this morning in free practice. I had quite a good shunt... It is my first time on this track. I was trying to find the limits and found that there are some curbs you should not touch. I knew the session would be tough. We had a red flag and then with the same set of tyre I couldn’t make a good lap. Then we put the last new set of tyres. I had some traffic after that – like everybody else, but I think at one point I was going for pole and I got blocked at the end of the lap. On the last lap, I pushed and gave my best. Last in Free practice and first in qualy: it’s a good comeback.

GP2 Asia Series: What happened exactly this morning during free practice?

Romain: I tried and I missed! It was the first time and I was on old tyre. When you make a mistake, you feel it more here than in Abu Dhabi. I tried to pass a bit faster in the second chicane and I spun there. I thought I could bring the car back on the track. But the grass was wet and it pushed me into the wall.

Sam Bird: I watched it. I was right behind. It was interesting!

GP2 Asia Series: You seem to be very comfortable Romain on this track. What about tomorrow?

Romain: We’ll see. We have some different temperatures than the ones in Abu Dhabi. We don’t know about the tyres in these conditions which is still the key in the beginning of the season. We will try to analyse what we did in qualy and analyse the data for a first feedback for the set up of the car for tomorrow. Hopefully we can go for the win.

GP2 Asia Series: This pole position means two more points in your pocket. Jules will be starting from P4 tomorrow, not that far from you...

Romain: It’s not that far. We know we have some really drivers at the front. You say Jules, I will say Sam and some other. It will be quite complicated and tough here. But I enjoy the challenge and I am very happy for my team Dams and for myself as well.

GP2 Asia Series: You were talking about the cold temperatures. How much will it affect the tyres?

Romain: Well, we will see after the race. I think everybody did a good job in Abu Dhabi to preserve the tyres and go until the end of the race without having to go for two pit stops. We will see tomorrow. For sure we have different conditions. Maybe we have to be less careful with the tyres and enjoy a bit more the beginning of the race.

GP2 Asia Series: Thank you Romain. Sam, you were this close to being the fastest man of the day. What happened?

Sam Bird: Yeah. Congratulations to Romain. I think I’ve learnt a lesson on not celebrating too early... (Laughs). It was a good session. I am relatively happy, not overly happy. I would have liked to have gotten pole position. I just got pipped at the end. It wasn’t one of those laps when you think “I’ve got everything right”. I got pole position in Hungary last year and I think I got everything right there. This one was not one of those laps. It was a little bit scrappy. There were corners where I think I could have gone a bit better. I was better on another lap and when Romain said everybody is getting traffic out there it spots some maybes, but you know, it was a solid session. We are at the front of the grid so... Let’s see what happens tomorrow.

GP2 Asia Series: You seem to have recovered nicely from a disappointing performance in Abu Dhabi...

Sam: Abu Dhabi was disappointing but I’m not really concerned about that. It was the first race of the season. We have a brand new car, brand new tyres. I’m just looking for tomorrow now. I’ve learnt from my events in Abu Dhabi. You learn from everything and we are putting in place now.

GP2 Asia Series: How do you think the race will go tomorrow?

Sam: It will be a tough race for sure. There is still the issue of managing the tyres. There will be the issue of managing the Frenchman next to me. There is a lot of factors that we have to take into consideration. After I leave here I will go back to the engineers and think of the best way to go quickly, manage the tyres and try and win the race.

GP2 Asia Series: Thank you Sam. Michael, welcome back to the press conference. Good job today. How does it feel?

Michael Herck: Well, not too bad. I was expecting to get pole position but on the second set of tyres I was a little bit blocked in traffic and after I could not improve my best laptime. It was a pity. I think it is a good day for me. It’s the first time that I am in the front on a dry track in qualifying. I think for tomorrow we expect a lot. We start in front. I am a little bit scared about the start because here it is really bumpy track. I think for the braking at Turn 1, it will be a bit of a gamble but after we pass the first turn I think the race will be much easier when we are in front.

GP2 Asia Series: Do you think that tomorrow another key will be managing the tyres?

Michael: That is the job of the engineer and the team. I think the job tomorrow is only to be as quick as possible in order to stay with the leaders and after that to try to be the quickest on the track. Because when you are in front everything is easier. Some drivers are at the back and when they are in front you never expect that they can be so quick. So it’s much easier. Now I think tomorrow I can fight for the win. As I told you, my goal is to avoid a crash at the start and after this the race is not done completely, but half of the job is done. It’s important.

Roberto Chinchero: Sam, do you see yourself as a title contender for tomorrow?

Sam: Considering I’ve got two points at the moment and Romain has twelve, it’s all to play for (laughs). Anything can happen in motorsport, everyone knows that. It’s going to be really difficult, let’s be honest but I’m going to try my best to get as many points as possible this weekend without being stupid. I was able to do that very well in Monza. We got sixteen points there. Here I could get eighteen. But we will have to wait and see. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow and a long day Sunday. It’s going to be difficult as well. I think this year the GP2 grid is superb. You look at the calibre of drivers and it is full of really hot up and coming young talents. I will try my best and we will see what we can do.