F1 Race India - Vettel wins in New Delhi as Alonso limits the damage

Sebastian Vettel was never remotely challenged in the second Indian Grand Prix on Sunday, winning it even more easily than he did the first a year ago. Once he'd shrugged off a half challenge from Red Bull team mate Mark Webber in the first corner, he controlled the race and won it as he pleased. It was his fourth consecutive victory, and the first time since Ayrton Senna in 1989 that a driver has led every lap for three races in a row.

His only moments of concern were when his undertray generated a few sparks under braking towards the end, and when Ferrari's Fernando Alonso pushed ahead of Webber when the Australian ran into KERS problems, and began to close the gap slightly. Vettel had plenty in hand, however, and won by 9.4s to move 13 points clear of the Spaniard in the drivers' standings.

Webber had his hands full with Lewis Hamilton's McLaren in the closing stages, as the silver car belatedly came alive on Pirelli's harder tyre after failing to match either Red Bull's or Ferrari's early pace on the soft. That enabled Alonso to make moves stick after a first-lap charge against the McLarens succeeded in splitting them, and he at least kept himself in play for the title after another feisty run.

Hamilton just failed by 0.6s to dislodge Webber from the final podium position while team mate Jenson Button, who had earlier held third before Alonso overtook and then suffered a slight delay with a sticking left-rear wheel during his pit stop, came through for a lonely fifth. Vettel set the fastest lap on the final tour, only for that then to be beaten by Alonso, Williams' Bruno Senna and Button himself. It was small consolation for McLaren, who had hoped to fight for victory.

Sixth place fell after a great drive to Ferrari's Felipe Massa, who fended off an attentive Kimi Raikkonen all the way to the flag. The Finn momentarily moved ahead in their stops, but Massa soon repassed the Lotus and kept ahead thereafter. Nico Hulkenberg delivered again for Force India by holding off a challenging Romain Grosjean in the other Lotus, while another strong performance from Senna saw the Brazilian catch and pass Nico Rosberg's Mercedes to snatch the final point.

Force India's Paul di Resta was 1.1s behind Rosberg by the flag after a lonely race, then came Toro Rosso's Daniel Ricciardo who just held off Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi by less than half a second. The Japanese driver was involved in a small incident with Pastor Maldonado while they were battling with Senna, which resulted in the Venezuelan pitting with a cut right-rear tyre on his Williams. The stewards, who included 1980 world champion Alan Jones, decided that it was just a racing incident.

Jean-Eric Vergne got the front wing of his Toro Rosso pincered in the first corner traffic, which resulted in a cut right-rear tyre for Mercedes' Michael Schumacher. Both pitted for repairs at the end of the first lap, then fought their way back. Vergne's excellent efforts earned him 15th place, but Schumacher was later investigated for ignoring blue flags (the outcome has yet to be announced), but in any case the German retired his Mercedes.

Maldonado recovered to 16th, half a second behind Vergne, while Vitaly Petrov comfortably won the Caterham race against team mate Heikki Kovalainen as Charles Pic beat Marussia team mate Timo Glock home.

Narain Karthikeyan successfully nursed his brakes to get his HRT home as the final finisher in 21st, team mate Pedro de la Rosa joining Schumacher and Sergio Perez in retirement after crashing because of brake failure. The Spaniard was unharmed. The Mexican, meanwhile, was fighting Hulkenberg for eighth early on when he sustained a cut rear tyre, and retired after two further stops.

Vettel's victory thus puts him 13 points clear of Alonso in the hunt for the driver's title, whilst his team moves up to 407 in the constructors' table to Ferrari's 316, McLaren's 306 and Lotus' 263.

Only 4 days remaining!!!! The drivers also seem equally excited about F1 race India…

India preview quotes - Caterham, Force India, Williams & more

Last season the Indian round arrived on the calendar with a bang. Drawing universal praise from the paddock, the Buddh International Circuit offers challenging gradient changes, two ample straights, an interesting mix of corners and seating for around 130,000 cheering fans. What’s not to like? The teams and drivers look ahead to New Delhi…www.f1raceinindia.com

Heikki Kovalainen, Caterham
2011 Qualifying - 18th, 2011 Race - 14th
“It’s our second time racing in India and I’m excited about getting back there. Last year I think we were all impressed with what they did with the circuit - the layout was really good, an interesting mix of elevation changes and different types of corners, not what we’ve seen at a lot of the newer circuits so one I think we all enjoyed.

“Performance-wise I think we’re all realistic about what we can do in India, but that doesn’t mean we’re not working as hard as we can to keep progressing. The guys behind us are putting up a good fight and, while we have clear air between us on track, we need to make sure we keep that gap, and, where possible, take advantage of anything that happens ahead.”

Vitaly Petrov, Caterham
2011 Qualifying - 16th, 2011 Race - 11th
“The Indian track is one of the good ones. It’s pretty smooth, nice and wide, so you can take different lines into some of the corners, and it has a couple of really good corners like the double left turns five and six which you come into quickly, and then braking for the chicane through seven, eight and nine. The track surface itself is pretty similar to Korea. It will evolve a lot over the weekend and you’ll see times coming down as the grip levels improve but, as with the whole year, managing the tyres is going to be really important. In Korea we didn’t have as much track time in the practice sessions as we’d have liked, so one of the main objectives will be making sure we get as many laps done as possible so we go into Sunday knowing as much as we can about the tyre behaviour over a race distance.”

Giedo van der Garde, Caterham test driver
“With each session I’m doing I’m getting more comfortable with the car and the team and the feedback I’m getting from the engineers is good, so India’s another chance to build on that. It’s another new track for me but one that looks cool on my simulator, and the other drivers have told me it’s better than quite a few of the stop / start type of tracks so I’m looking forward to getting back out on track.

“I’m also really looking forward to going to India. I’ve never been before and I’ve always wanted to go to India, plus I’m a big fan of spicy food so it’ll be a chance to have a completely new experience, on and off track.”

Paul di Resta, Force India
2011 Qualifying - 12th, 2011 Race - 13th
“It’s obviously our home Grand Prix and a special weekend. There’s pressure on us to perform and clearly we need to go there ready to keep the momentum going. It’s a busy week for everyone involved with the team and there’s a lot going on in terms of media work and extra events, but it won’t distract from our focus to come away with the best result we can.

“We’ve got to go there and qualify in the top ten. That will get us in contention and allow us to concentrate on the race. All year we’ve shown that we have a car capable of reaching Q3, but the grid is very close and we don’t have any margin so we need everything to come together perfectly. Also, based on our performance last year, we looked quite competitive at this track so you’ve got to hope that will carry over for this year.

“It’s one of those new-style Herman Tilke circuits so there’s a good mixture of corners, plenty of run-off and a few areas where overtaking is possible. We found last year that the grip built up quite quickly and the track was exciting to drive with some satisfying corners. I remember that tyre wear was quite high last year and I had to stop three times during the race, so understanding the tyres on Friday will be the priority.”

Nico Hulkenberg, Force India
2011 Qualifying - n/a, 2011 Race - n/a

Nico force India

“I was at the first Indian race last year, but obviously I didn’t get a chance to drive. I’ve been around the track in a road car and tried it on the simulator, but I still have a bit to learn on Friday. As a race it’s as big as they come for this team. We will be in Delhi at the start of the week to meet the local media and fans and they always show lots of enthusiasm for us. I hope that we will see their support at the track with lots of fans cheering us on.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
“Last year’s race was already a tremendous success and I’m sure we can expect an equally spectacular event this year. Buddh International Circuit always looks after us very well and I know that they have been working hard behind the scenes to fine-tune the circuit and facilities even more. But above all else, the most important thing is the layout of the track because last year all the drivers loved it. It’s certainly one of the best tracks in the world. 

“I remember how proud I felt last year to see our cars racing in India in the colours of the Indian flag. It was a moment I had dreamed about and a great sporting achievement for our country. To score points was the icing on the cake. This year I would like to go one better and see both our cars in the points - at the very least - so that we can give our fans something to smile about. The gap to Sauber is now 27 points. It’s a big lead, but not impossible to catch them before the end of the year. There’s still a lot of racing to go and we will keep the pressure up for the final four races.”

Pastor Maldonado, Williams
2011 Qualifying - 13th, 2011 Race - DNF
“India is enjoyable because it’s so different and the track is one of my favourites. It’s still a new track but it has a good combination of medium and high-speed corners, chicanes and good changes in direction. Coming to the final few races, making the most of our cars potential is going to be important, so hopefully we can score points here and put ourselves in a strong position for the final three races.”

Bruno Senna, Williams
2011 Qualifying - 14th, 2011 Race - 12th
“I’m looking forward to this weekend because India has a different atmosphere to many other Grands Prix and it’s always a unique place to visit. As a new track the surface is very smooth and the layout is fast and flows well with some high speed corners which will suit our car. We should therefore be looking to improve on our performance in Korea.”

Mark Gillan, Williams chief operations engineer
“On the back of a disappointing result in Korea the team have worked extremely hard to address the balance inconsistencies that affected both cars. We believe that we have found a solution and look forward to testing and optimising around the updated car. The weather forecast in Delhi is good with predicted dry running throughout the weekend in reasonably high track temperatures and, as ever, the aim is to keep both the Pirelli hard and soft tyres within their optimal working window throughout the weekend.”

Remi Taffin, head of Renault Sport F1 track operations
“The first part of the track is mainly composed of straights, including an awesome 1.12km straight, the longest on the calendar. Unusually this straight dips in the middle. The second part of the track is a lot more intricate, with all the corners linking together, so driveability will be very important. The challenge will be getting the right balance between the responsiveness needed for the off-camber turns, such as the chicane at turns 13 and 14, and longer corners such as the radial turn 10, which need a steady application of power. At the start of the weekend dirt on the racing line and pollution within the atmosphere can have a detrimental effect on air filter performance, so this will need careful monitoring during P1 and P2.”

Pirelli
Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director
“There was an amazing atmosphere and an extremely warm welcome at the Indian Grand Prix for us last year, so we’re all looking forward to going back. This year we know a little more about the track so we’ve made a less conservative choice, with the hard and the soft tyres striking exactly the right balance between performance and durability. The circuit layout is one of the toughest that our tyres will face throughout the second half of the season and it’s also the last time that we will see the hard and soft combination this year, which was previously used in Barcelona, Britain and Japan - which gives you some idea about the demands of this circuit. The Buddh circuit has been specifically designed to encourage overtaking, which is also one of the objectives behind the design philosophy of our tyres, so we should be set for an action-packed race at a crucial point in the championship.”

Jaime Alguersuari, Pirelli test driver
“I think that the layout of the Buddh circuit is one of the best in Formula One, and it also happens to be one of the toughest on the tyres. I’ve got good memories of the track personally too: last year I finished eighth after a good qualifying as well. You get this interesting combination of low, medium and high-speed corners, as well as long straights. A lot of the corners are quite unusual: for example we have a chicane right at the end of the lap that we take in fifth gear, which doesn’t happen very often! What puts the biggest stress on the tyres in India is the fact that many of the corners are very long, so there is a sustained lateral load with some fast changes of direction as well. You need all the grip you can get and there is a risk of graining as well if you do not manage the tyres properly. The hard and the soft tyres are a very good choice here - the hard will be perfect to race on - and I think that a one-stop strategy could be possible if you look after the tyres in the correct way.”

Jenson Button, McLaren
2011 Qualifying - 4th 2011 Race - 2nd
“Through no fault of my own, my weekend in Korea was a wasted opportunity - but it’s already far behind me, and I’m really looking forward to these next two back-to-back races.

“The Indian Grand Prix went well for me last year - I had an absolutely straightforward drive, running second from start to finish. It’s a circuit I like: it has a good feel to it, and you can tell it’s quite different from the normal places we visit.

“There are a couple of unusual factors: firstly, the approaches to Turns Three and Four are incredibly wide - almost like a motorway - in order to stimulate different lines into the corner and encourage overtaking. I hear that’s an element that’ll be carried over to the new track at Austin, too.

“Secondly, the combination of Turns 10 and 11 is also pretty special - it’s a huge, bowl-shaped double-apex right-hander, a bit like Spoon at Suzuka. It’s unusual for a new circuit to have such fast corners, and it’s really enjoyable when you get the car hooked up through there - the lateral g feels great.

“I think we can have a good weekend there - I’m already looking forward to it.”

Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
2011 Qualifying - 5th, 2011 Race - 7th
“I love India - the people, the colour, the noise, the spectacle, the chaos: it’s an intense and vibrant country, with some of the most enthusiastic and friendliest people we meet all year.

“The circuit, too, is something of a revelation. Most modern tracks have a very similar feel; you find that the same driving style and rhythm suits them all. But the Buddh International Circuit is different: it has more in common with a great track like Spa than it does with any number of the more modern places we visit.

“And that’s because it’s got an incredible flow - basically, from Turn Four, a wide-apex right-hander that sweeps downhill, the track is just a series of fast, rolling curves which really allow you to put the car absolutely on the limit.

“I didn’t have a particularly tidy weekend there last year: but I feel I’ve been driving better than ever recently - even if the results haven’t quite shown it - so I’m headed to India determined for another good result. I think we’ll have a car that’s a match for the circuit and I can’t wait to get out there and start practicing on Friday.”

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren team principal
“Our two weekends in Japan and Korea weren’t particularly prosperous. But while fortune certainly didn’t smile on Vodafone McLaren Mercedes during those two races, it’s proof if it were needed that no team or driver is immune from tides of good or bad luck.

“Of course, luck flows both way, and I’m positive that, after two disappointing races, this next double-header will be a more profitable affair for Jenson, Lewis and the whole team.

“I think the Indian Grand Prix has the potential to become a classic event on the Formula One calendar - the circuit is well regarded by all the drivers, there is a natural fanbase eager and ready for Formula One and there is terrific market potential within the entire continent. I am a big believer in the value of the Indian Grand Prix.”

Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus
2011 Qualifying - n/a, 2011 Race - n/a
“India is a brand new place for me. Like with Korea, I’ve never been to the country before which means I’ve never seen the circuit properly. I’m not like other drivers, so I haven’t driven the simulator to learn it, but all in all it’s not that much of a tricky situation. I like to go to different places and the challenge of driving a new circuit is always interesting. So far I’ve learnt tracks after a few laps in FP1 on Fridays. I didn’t have any problems learning the Yeongam circuit that way, and I don’t expect to have any issues here either. As for India, I have never visited the country before… I have certainly enjoyed Indian restaurants in almost every country I’ve been to though!

“We know this circuit is likely to be very dusty at the start of the weekend so that will make things interesting for the first practice sessions. We’ll have some new things on the car and it will be our second time with the new exhaust system so hopefully we can make more gains with our pace. India should also be pretty hot which should suit us. I’m looking forward to it.”

Romain Grosjean, Lotus
2011 Qualifying - n/a, 2011 Race - n/a
“I was at the circuit with the team last year in my role as third driver and it was fascinating to see Formula One come to a new venue like India. The track is very impressive, in the middle of what will be a massive facility. The layout looks very interesting, with some slow corners and high speed sections as well. I’m sure it will be a great track to drive and I’m looking forward to unlocking its secrets so it can go into my portfolio!”

James Allison, Lotus technical director
“(Korea) was a solid debut for the Coanda (exhaust) system and we will see both Kimi and Romain using it in India. We were reasonably pleased with how it performed on its first outing. We knew that our first implementation would be a little power hungry, but we hoped for - and were delighted to register on the track - a good downforce boost. Our initial design was already a step forward relative to the previous system, but we expect more from this package as we modify the exhaust to recover much of the lost power. Romain used a new front wing in Korea which has proved to be a mild step forward and will be available to both drivers in India. 

“Last year India was the track with the most important racing line in the world, with any deviation from that line punished pretty severely as the surface was very dirty. This year the circuit organisers have invested in impressive track cleaning equipment the likes of which we see in Bahrain, so matters should be somewhat different. We’ve learnt that it’s a pretty challenging circuit and a good test for both the car and driver with a bunch of nice corners. It’s a typical modern Formula One track and an interesting place to go racing.”

Mark Webber, Red Bull
2011 Qualifying - 2nd, 2011 Race - 4th
“It's a challenging venue and I really enjoy the track, it's a nice circuit to drive. There was a massive crowd there last year and it was a good atmosphere. The track is similar to Korea with mainly long straights in sector 1 followed by a very busy sector 2 and 3, so we need to get the balance right between downforce and top speed. It should be reasonably straightforward weather-wise and I'm looking forward to getting out there.”

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
2011 Qualifying - 1st, 2011 Race - 1st
“I loved the track layout last year, but not just because I won the race. With an average speed of 235km/h, the course is the second quickest of the year after Monza. There is a lot of elevation change around the lap which adds to the fun, from as much as 8 percent downhill and up to 10 percent uphill; it’s like a roller coaster! It really has emerged as one of the most challenging circuits on the calendar for the drivers."

Michael Schumacher, Mercedes
2011 Qualifying - 11th, 2011 Race - 5th
"The Formula One debut of India last year was certainly a success. There were a surprising amount of fans during the weekend, and the track itself really is cool. We drivers were given a very enthusiastic reception, and it will be interesting to see if this enthusiasm has remained as strong. After two races which have not been totally satisfying, we naturally wish for a more positive trend to come, and I can say that everybody in the team has put in a lot of effort to achieve it. Let's see what we can make out of it."

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2011 Qualifying - 7th, 2011 Race - 6th
"The Buddh International Circuit is very challenging with an interesting combination of slow speed corners and long fast straights. The track also has one of the highest average speeds in Formula One and is good for overtaking. Last year I was really impressed by the passion and friendliness of the Indian people so I'm looking forward to visiting again and having some more interesting experiences. I hope that I will have a bit more luck than recently next weekend, and I will have the chance to achieve a good result."

Ross Brawn, Mercedes team principal
"Next week will see Formula One's second visit to India following the inaugural Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit in October 2011. This year, our team is very pleased to be partnering with Airtel, title sponsors of the race, and we look forward to sharing our Indian Grand Prix experience with them. It's always a pleasure to welcome new fans to our sport, and Formula One certainly seemed to capture the imagination of those who came to the circuit last year. The facilities are very impressive, and the track proved a good challenge for the drivers."

Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
"After a successful inaugural race last year, we are all excited to return to the Buddh International Circuit for the second edition of the Indian Grand Prix. We received a warm welcome from a very enthusiastic public last year and it was impressive to see the prestige Formula One enjoyed with the people on its first visit to India. Following two long straights, and one shorter one, the circuit offers a challenging flow of corners from turns 5 to 15, especially the long right-hander at turns 10 and 11. This puts high loads through the front-left tyre, while the expected temperatures in excess of 30 degrees Celsius will also make for additional challenges."

Pedro de la Rosa, HRT
2011 Qualifying - n/a, 2011 Race - n/a
"Just like Korea this will be a new circuit for me and all I know of it is from the work I did on the simulator last year. From what I know it’s an interesting circuit with a lot of medium and fast corners where we will have two DRS zones. It will be interesting to see how the asphalt has evolved from one year to another because last year it was brand new and quite dirty. I must admit that, overall, it’s a circuit that I like the look of. We hope to have solved the reliability issues which we suffered in Korea and complete another good race here.”

Narain Karthikeyan, HRT
2011 Qualifying - 24th, 2011 Race - 17th
"Obviously this is the most anticipated race on the calendar for me and there is already a great buzz around the event. The layout of the Buddh International Circuit is a great mix which makes it challenging for the tyres as there are very few conventional straight-forward corners but since the surface isn’t abrasive at all, wear shouldn’t be an issue. I’ve got great memories from last year’s Grand Prix as I had a great weekend; the car was good and we were quick. I hope this year things go even better and I can dedicate it to the fans who are showing me so much support. I can’t wait to get out on track!”

Luis Perez-Sala, HRT team principal
"Personally I’ve never been to the Buddh International Circuit but I’m eager to see it because I’ve heard great things about it, being a very complete track. We’re looking forward to it because of Narain, who will have all the fans backing him throughout the weekend. It’s a very special Grand Prix for him and we hope to put in a good performance and for him to complete a good race like last year. Pedro has never driven there and will have to adapt first but he’ll definitely lean on Narain’s experience from last year. Our target is to have good reliability and finish the race with both cars and improve the performance from Korea to reach the level we were at in Japan.”

Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber
2011 Qualifying - 17th, 2011 Race - DNF
“I am keen to see what the circuit will be like when we arrive there for the second time. Last year everything was new and the surface was very dusty. The track lay out as such should probably mean our performance will be average, which means we should be able to score points there. It is a bit similar to the Korean circuit, which might have something to do with the fact the same designer did it at about the same time. Unfortunately I haven’t seen much of the country yet. What I really love is Indian butter chicken - an Indian classic dish and one of my all-time favourites. Perhaps this year I can manage to go and visit the city of New Delhi, but it is quite far away from the track and, as it is so big, it is not easy to get your bearings there.”

Sergio Perez, Sauber
2011 Qualifying - 20th, 2011 Race - 10th
“I cannot believe we have only four races left, so the season will now end quite soon. To make up 20 points to finish fifth in the constructors’ world championship means we have quite a job to do. The race in India should be a bit better for us than in Korea, and our car will be quicker there. I like the fluent sections of the track. Outside the circuit I haven’t seen anything of the country yet and I know that, unfortunately, I won’t have time for a trip this year either.”

Monisha Kaltenborn, Sauber team principal
“For me the second Formula One Grand Prix of India certainly will be a very special race. Going to my home country, not for private but for business reasons, and for the team to race in front of my fellow countrymen is exciting. This is the emotional part of it. Looking at it in a more sporting way, it is clear we want to score a lot of points, be it in India or at any of the remaining four races. Technically the track in Greater Noida should not be a problem for the C31, but it isn’t our favourite either. We have to stay focussed and maximise our potential there.”

Giampaolo Dall’Ara, Sauber head of track engineering
“The race track in Greater Noida has similar characteristics to the one in South Korea. It has a first sector with long straights and slow-speed corners, then there is the mainly high-speed second sector, and a short third sector with some low-speed corners. Maybe the main difference is that the track in India has some slopes while the track in Korea is flat, and in India there are some bumps as well. The temperatures are expected to be higher, but also the tyres are harder - the compounds will be hard and soft, and I expect the hard one to be a challenge on this type of track. An interesting aspect compared to most of the other races this year is the fact there will be two DRS sections with two detection zones, which should normally help overtaking. We are fairly confident our car will perform well on this track.”

Japan preview quotes - Mercedes, Force India, Pirelli & more

With packed grandstands full of fervent fans and a track widely considered to be one of the best and most challenging on the calendar, the 2012 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix is one of the most eagerly anticipated races of the season. The drivers and senior team members look ahead to the Suzuka race and discuss their prospects…

Michael Schumacher, Mercedes
2011 Qualifying - 8th, 2011 Race - 6th
"My motivation is completely intact after the news last week, especially because Suzuka is one of the season's highlights for me. I enjoy the circuit - it has sections that challenge you as a driver like almost nowhere else. Then there are the fans: they love motor racing and it is fun to feel their passion. I'm also a big fan of Japanese food, so I'm always happy to travel to this race. Logically, it would also be nice to achieve a sporting highlight this weekend, although my chances are of course very limited because of my grid penalty. But I've always approached these things as a challenge."

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2011 Qualifying - 23rd, 2011 Race - 10th
"The last race in Singapore was my best result for a little while and I hope this is the start of an upward trend for me and the team. So I'm looking forward to getting to Japan this week and getting on with the work to get the most out of our new aerodynamic package and upgrades. Suzuka is a very exciting track which is popular with every driver for the interesting corner combinations and unique layout. I also look forward to meeting the Japanese fans again who have such a great passion for the sport and their support is always so enthusiastic."

Ross Brawn, Mercedes team principal
"Suzuka is a fantastic racing circuit, and the support that Formula One receives from the Japanese fans every year is so impressive. They really do love the sport and it's always nice to see their enthusiasm as we arrive at the circuit every morning. The track is a popular one with the drivers for its challenging layout, and Suzuka has seen some very exciting and decisive races over the years. For the team, we are looking forward to having more time to continue the ongoing work to optimise our new developments, and will be working hard to have a good weekend."

Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
"Suzuka is one of the most demanding race tracks in the world and, if you asked the drivers to rate it between one and ten, I'm sure that the average would be very close to ten. The circuit is a classic: almost every corner is a challenge and the high-speed uphill Esses behind the pits provide a real benchmark for aerodynamic performance. The average lap speed is comparable to Silverstone and the engines spend over two-thirds of the lap distance at full throttle. Engine performance and driveability are important requirements in Suzuka in addition to good aerodynamics."

Paul di Resta, Force India
2011 Qualifying - 12th, 2011 Race - 12th
"It's a track that's all about aero so it's a real test of your car. I also found it very technical with corners like the 'S' curves where you need a good change of direction. Finding the sweet spot isn't easy because half the track is made up of straights so you need efficiency as well as downforce for the high-speed corners. Tyre degradation is also high so a neutral car is what you need during the race.

"The thing that surprised me last year was the commitment and enthusiasm of the fans. Even on Thursday the grandstands were busy. So that makes it a special race and the fact that it's a track with a lot of history. I also enjoy Japanese food, although the challenge is making sure you order the right thing!"

Nico Hulkenberg, Force India
2011 Qualifying - n/a, 2011 Race - n/a
"My race in 2010 with Williams was not especially memorable because I was taken out before the first corner. That was a real shame because it's a track I really enjoy and with corners like the 'S' curves it's a great experience in a Formula One car.

"Suzuka is definitely one of my favourite circuits: it's really challenging and technical, and you need a good car balance to hook up a good lap. Because it's so technical it's important to find a good rhythm because if you mess up one corner you can lose the flow of the whole lap.

"I'm feeling positive and we have generated some good momentum within the team recently so I want to keep that going. The goal is to keep getting consistent results in the points."

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
"Historically Suzuka has never been our best track, but hopefully this time the team has something up its sleeve. I think we have been pretty consistent on most tracks this season so we are quietly confident that we can perform well this weekend. I certainly hope we can pull some rabbits out of the hat in Japan and Korea and come away with some more points."

Pirelli
Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director
"Suzuka is definitely one of the highlights of the Formula One calendar for us: not only from a technical point of view but also because of the unique atmosphere. The fans are some of the most knowledgeable and enthusiastic in the world, and we are always assured of an extremely warm welcome. But it's the layout of the track that delivers the technical challenge: Suzuka is a classic drivers' circuit, a bit like Spa or Monza, with some of the most awesome corners that we see all year and very little margin for error. While it might at first seem from the names of the compounds that we are bringing harder tyres to Japan this year, in fact they are softer. Despite the increased demands that this places on the compound and structure, they are still more than capable of withstanding the immense forces to which they are subjected lap after lap. With a full step between the compounds as well, we hope this will bring extra performance and excitement to what is already a classic race. This should also open up the opportunity for lots of different strategies, which as we have seen already this year can form the foundation of a memorable victory, or boost drivers to a top result even if they have started from lower down on the grid. Last year the drivers' championship was actually decided in Japan, but this year has been so competitive that we are still a long way from seeing the titles settled - and that is great news for all the fans."

Lucas di Grassi, Pirelli test driver
"Suzuka is really enjoyable to drive and it always produces good races but it's not so easy for the tyres because there are so many heavy demands: the first part of the lap, for example, is just corner after corner so the tyres are constantly working with no real chance to cool down. There are a lot of combined forces in particular, when the cars are turning and accelerating, and this is what always puts a lot of energy through the tyre. Because of this, there is never a problem with tyre warm-up, but of course you have to take care over a longer stint, particularly when the car is heavy with fuel. It's good that we have the hard tyre in Japan this year: I tested this 2012 hard tyre a lot and it's a really versatile product, which has plenty of performance but durability as well: a big step over the equivalent compound in 2011. The soft tyre should be the perfect choice for qualifying, but I would expect to see the hard tyre come into its own during the race."

Timo Glock, Marussia
2011 Qualifying - 21st, 2011 Race - 20th
"Suzuka is quite a different circuit to the last race in Singapore and with a lot of high-speed corners. Now we just need to wait and see how the car performs there. For this race we again have a couple of new developments on the car suited to this track, and I am hoping we will see another step forward and an even better chance of fighting with our immediate competitors and further closing the gap to the front of the field. Another tough and demanding race for the team, being a back to back with Korea. Although Singapore was a tough challenge logistically and operationally, the result there gave everyone a boost, which was very nice to see and share in after all the hard work that has gone on this year in particular. I hope we can be strong again at Suzuka and do everything we can to defend our 10th position in the championship."

Charles Pic, Marussia
2011 Qualifying - n/a, 2011 Race - n/a
"I visited Japan for the first time in 2011 to watch a race I was hopeful I would come to take part in. Twelve months on, I'm back and doing just that. My visit was quite short last year and as I passed through Tokyo I was also hopeful that I would be able to spend a little more time exploring Japan next time around too - I loved the city and the country. I really like what I have seen of the circuit. It will obviously be another new challenge for me, driving here for the first time. Although it is a very technical circuit, I think the hardest new track for me - Singapore and its night-race - is behind me and my preparation will be much more representative of the other new long-haul tracks I have tackled in my debut season. These are important times for the team and we need to work together to ensure that now we have 10th place back we hold on to it. I realise that is the key objective for us in these races and I will be playing my part in that - hopefully with some strong performances along the way to underline everything I have learned this year. As far as Japan is concerned I am looking forward to some time to explore before and after the race, so I can really make the most of the whole Suzuka experience."

John Booth, Marussia team principal
"We take the trip back to the Far East after a week back at base, feeling very positive about the way the last third of our season has started out. We are in a much stronger position in development terms at this stage of the year than ever before and that is really exciting for us as an ambitious team looking to make significant strides for next season and beyond. It was fantastic for us to earn back 10th place in the constructors' championship, but we have to keep pushing all the way to Brazil now. Fortunately we have two highly competitive challengers in Timo and Charles - and continual developments coming through from the technical team - to be able to do just that. We enjoy the Suzuka experience immensely, although the weather conditions as we all embark on the trip seem quite interesting! It's still a little early to see how that will affect us over the race weekend, but we'll approach it as a potential opportunity. We also look forward to having Max Chilton alongside us in his new capacity as reserve driver, up to the Brazilian Grand Prix. He is extremely motivated to be working alongside the team so closely and to see what he can learn during this period."

Pastor Maldonado, Williams
2011 Qualifying - 14th, 2011 Race - 14th
"I'm really looking forward to getting to Japan this week. I think everyone in the paddock looks forward to this race, as the fans in Japan are some of the best in the world and give us all such a warm welcome. I also enjoy the track as it's one of the historic circuits in Formula One. There is a good combination of high-speed corners and we run close to the maximum amount of downforce. It's a great challenge as a driver."

Bruno Senna, Williams
2011 Qualifying - 9th, 2011 Race - 16th
"I'm really looking forward to the Japanese Grand Prix. It's one of my favourite tracks of the season and it's very fast and flowing but quite narrow compared to some of the other circuits we visit. It feels amazingly quick and is one of the biggest challenges as a driver. It is similar to Spa-Francorchamps so it's a real drivers' track. You can get variable weather in Japan ranging from warm and sunny to rain that stops qualifying. It's always exciting though and we have a good potential to be strong there."

Mark Gillan, Williams chief operations engineer
"Suzuka is a fantastic old-style track with its trademark figure-of-eight layout that proves a tough technical test for the drivers. The circuit layout leads to very high average cornering speeds and energy input into the tyres, but it's reasonably light on the brakes. Following Singapore we have been working hard to ensure that the cars run as reliably as possible for the remaining races. Given the excellent pace shown at Singapore in both qualifying and the race, we expect to be strong in Suzuka and will bring further updates as part of our continuous improvement process."

Remi Taffin, head of Renault Sport F1 track operations
"The power sensitivity at Suzuka is not higher than say Canada or Valencia, but the variety of corners over the lap requires some careful preparation. The first half of the circuit, from the First Curve to Spoon Curve, is flowing so the engine needs to be responsive and smooth throughout the power curve. The second half of the track, from the exit of Spoon to the end of the pit straight, is all about outright power as 90 percent of this section is spent at full throttle. We will most likely introduce new engines here for this reason."

Heikki Kovalainen, Caterham
2011 Qualifying - 18th, 2011 Race - 18th
"I stayed in Singapore for a couple of days after the race before heading back to Europe to spend a couple of days at home and then do a session in the simulator before going to Japan.

"Suzuka is one of the races everybody looks forward to and I'm no different. It's a proper track, exactly the sort of circuit you want to drive F1 cars on as it has everything – high-speed corners where you can really feel the downforce working, medium-speed sections where it's all about car balance and some of the most passionate fans in the world.

"For me the best bit of the track is in sector one, from T1 to T7. You go into T1 and T2 at high speed and if you're not fully committed you can lose a lot of time right at the start of the lap. Out of T2 the track is positively cambered and you can really lean on the car as you go into T3. From there, right through to T7 if the car is well balanced the whole section seems to flow. It's a great feeling when you get it right, but get it wrong and you lose a lot of time."

Vitaly Petrov, Caterham
2011 Qualifying - 10th, 2011 Race - 9th
"Japan's one of my favourite places to race, in fact it's one of my favourite countries to visit whether we're racing or not! At home I eat Japanese food quite often and the fact it has great food and really cool fans makes it a great place to go as an F1 driver. The fans really are incredible. The stands are packed throughout the whole weekend, even on Thursdays when we're not on track, and they're so polite, almost a bit scared of asking for autographs or photos, but you can tell how much F1 means to them and it's always cool when they give us presents or things they've made for us.

"On track Suzuka is obviously a cool track to race on. The first sector is a good challenge in the car and for the engineers, to make sure we have a well-balanced car. The second sector is also pretty quick and then you're into S3 and heading towards 130R. A lot of people talk about that being a major corner, and it looks pretty good on TV when you see the cars flat out through there, but in the cockpit it's really not that much of a challenge. Despite that you need to be flat through there as the chicane afterwards is one of the few overtaking spots, so if you lose time through 130R you're going to come under pressure from cars behind right at the end of the lap."

Jenson Button, McLaren
2011 Qualifying - 2nd, 2011 Race - 1st
"All of my Grand Prix wins have felt special, but winning at Suzuka in 2011, at the first Grand Prix held in Japan since the terrible tsunami last March, was an achievement that still makes me feel incredibly proud and emotional. As everybody knows, Japan means a lot to me. It's a place I love, I've been here so many times - for business and pleasure - and I still feel that wide-eyed awe and deep emotion for a country that exists so comfortably on so many different levels.

"Suzuka is definitely a circuit that puts hair on your chest. It's extremely uncompromising; like a street circuit, it doesn't allow for a single mistake, punishing you for putting a wheel wrong at almost every point on the circuit. But it's also extremely quick - there's only one line through the esses that make up the whole first section; the Degner corners are blind, hidden in dips in the track, and approached over bumps that jolt the car, trying to unbalance it. Successfully hitting the apex for Degner 1 is a bit like trying to thread a needle while running the 100 metres - difficult!

"We go to Japan with a car that I feel convinced can fight for victory - it should be another good weekend for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes."

Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
2011 Qualifying - 3rd, 2011 Race - 5th
"When I first raced here in 2009, I couldn't believe a place like this could still exist in Formula One - it still feels like a proper old-school circuit. It doesn't have the polish or finesse of an ultra-modern track - but is all the better for it. It's fantastically quick, too, and very difficult to master. It's an unforgiving place, and it also has that special atmosphere that you only get in Japan, for some reason.

"I think that's due to the fans - they're what make any visit to a racetrack in Japan feel so special. They're very passionate about Formula One, but also extremely polite and friendly - they make you feel very special every day when you're going in and out of the circuit.

"In terms of the championship, there's nothing to really be gained by analysing the points tables, from now on, it's simply gloves-off. As in Singapore, I'll come out fighting, I'll just be hoping for a better result next weekend."

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren team principal
"Suzuka is a very special circuit, a place where some of the greatest chapters in McLaren's history have been written over the past 25 years. Of all our achievements there, I look back at Jenson's victory last year with particular fondness and satisfaction. It was an extremely tense afternoon, and the victory was a perfect team effort - Jenson drove with all the measured aggression we've come to expect, and his back-up from the team was superb.

"Despite Lewis's retirement from the last race, our performance in Singapore was encouraging for the whole team; it showed that we have a car that can fight for victory on a wide range of circuits, and we're confident of once again challenging at the front in Japan next weekend."

Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber
2011 Qualifying - 7th, 2011 Race - 13th
"I'm very much looking forward to my home Grand Prix in Suzuka. I think our car should be very fast there and we also will get new parts on the C31 for the Japanese Grand Prix. I am confident about getting a good result in front of my fellow countrymen. Last year I was seventh on the grid but then had a problem at the start and only finished 13th.The Japanese fans are great and the mood and atmosphere they create is an enormous support. And it is not only me who they cheer for! They are true Formula One fans and that is why I'm really proud of them. Nowhere else will you find the fans being at the circuit so early in the morning and staying for so long at night, no matter what the weather is like. Also regarding the track itself, Suzuka is a very special place. I'm sure a lot of drivers would agree it is a really great circuit. It is a very technical track, really exciting to drive and challenging, especially because it is so difficult to put a perfect lap together there. I would say at most of the circuits it takes no more than 20 to 30 laps to really learn them. Some are getting boring even before that, but in Suzuka you are still learning and improving after you have done hundreds of laps."

Sergio Perez, Sauber
2011 Qualifying - 17th, 2011 Race - 8th
"I really like the Suzuka Circuit. Last year I drove there for the first time and enjoyed it an awful lot. I finished eighth after having started from 17th because we had a problem in qualifying. After underperforming in Singapore, in Japan I am expecting our car to again to be as good as it used to be and we should be strong in the high-speed corners. The circuit has got some quite nice sections and corner combinations. Thanks to the Japanese fans the atmosphere there is really great and our team gets a lot of support because it is Kamui's home race. I am very much looking forward to it."

Giampaolo Dall'Ara, Sauber head of track engineering
"Suzuka is one of the most fascinating and challenging tracks of the season. It's got a first sector with very technical high-speed corners, and then you encounter the middle sector with the hairpin and the tricky Degner corners, which are relevant for stability. Spoon corner is also quite special. It's a medium to high-speed corner, leading onto a long straight with the R130 corner, which is flat nowadays but still challenging. Finally there is the slow chicane at the end of the lap where you need good traction. Overall it is a very complex and technical track. It requires a well-balanced car and it is very challenging for the drivers. The tyres will be the hard and the soft compounds, which should be fine for this track. Due to the abrasive surface and the fast corners in the first sector, which put a high load on the tyres, there should be no issues with warming them up. Also we will be introducing a new aero package in Japan, including a new front wing for the C31. Looking at the requirements of this track I expect our car to be very competitive there."

Mark Webber, Red Bull
2011 Qualifying - 6th, 2011 Race - 4th
"I'm looking forward to the Japanese Grand Prix as it's an opportunity to get a top result again on a track I enjoy driving on. Qualifying has not been as strong for us recently and we know this has to be improved. We are focusing on that and, once that's better, we can make a strong push towards being better positioned at the end of Grands Prix. The Suzuka Circuit has an incredible combination of corners. You have to be very accurate and rhythm is very important. It's a good challenge for the drivers."

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
2011 Qualifying - 1st, 2011 Race - 3rd
"I love the Suzuka circuit. In short, it has the most amazing corners and brilliant fans, I really like coming here. In 2011 the country experienced unbelievable difficulties, so it was extremely important to try and give them some enjoyment and to show our support for their suffering. I wish I had won in 2011, it was my third Formula One race on my favourite track and it still bothers me a bit that I took my world title with a third place. The track itself is huge and almost every metre of it is special."

Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus
2011 Qualifying - n/a, 2011 Race - n/a
"It's a good circuit, one that's quite fast and there are some nice opportunities for overtaking. The best tracks for me are ones with long straights and sharp corners with lots of space for racing on, and Suzuka has that. In 2005 I had one of my best wins there after starting the race near the back of the grid and then taking the lead on the last lap. Winning in that way, you never forget the feeling it gives you while crossing the finish line.

"It is one of the more difficult tracks and part of racing at Suzuka is that there are usually quite a few accidents. When you are on the limit, a driver will always have some big moments during the weekend at a fast circuit and Suzuka really punishes the driver due to the speed of the track and the small run-off areas. It's a great circuit; very quick and challenging for both car and driver. You need an aerodynamically strong car there, and a solid car to go through those fast, long sweeping corners. I think that suits the E20."

Romain Grosjean, Lotus
2011 Qualifying - n/a, 2011 Race - n/a
"What a circuit! If we have a good base line set up then we can really enjoy the track. It's an amazing circuit. I've only raced there once but I loved it so I'm really looking forward to going back. It's difficult to pick one part of the circuit as your favourite. The first sector is brilliant, with turn one, turn three, four and five - it's crazy! Then you go right under the bridge, then a small hairpin, and next up is the 'Spoon corner' which is a nightmare for the drivers. Then you're flat out, DRS wide open, before the last chicane. A brilliant circuit. Also, I think it's important to say the fans are absolutely amazing in Japan, and the atmosphere around the track is very special. I love Japanese cuisine, especially sushi, and when I cook at home I often try to put some spices in my dishes that are from Japan.

"There are many challenges over the weekend. We have to get the set-up working perfectly as Suzuka is so demanding and exposes any weakness in the car. You have to complete all the sessions without making any mistakes because the run-offs are small and it's easy to damage the car if you run wide or get a corner wrong. You need to get on top of the tyres as Suzuka never stops in its demands on them. I think it is a place where you need just a little luck. I hope we have some of that in Japan and everything comes together."

Eric Boullier, Lotus team principal
"I know that both Romain and Kimi enjoy the Suzuka circuit so we're all looking forward to the race weekend. Kimi still holds the lap record from back when he won there in 2005, so he should feel confident and we are of course looking to provide him with a car to achieve the best that he can. I could tell you that the target is the podium, which it is somehow, but the relative level of performance between the teams is constantly evolving. We're bringing a few promising updates including our 'device'. We think that the track will suit our car, and we're hoping for a gentle build-up to the race, with no technical drama or dodgy weather."

James Allison, Lotus technical director
"It's a track with a wide range of cornering speeds, but there are several very fast turns in the Silverstone mould; in particular Turn 1, the 'S' bends and130R. These are features that have suited us so far but it's a tight season and, as we've shown, you really need to hit the ground running in order to have a good weekend."

Pedro de la Rosa, HRT
2011 Qualifying - n/a, 2011 Race - n/a
"Suzuka is a beautiful and spectacular circuit; I would say it's my favourite track. It's very quick, you hardly touch the brake, and we'll be able to make a better evaluation of the difference between the new floor and the old one. It has inclinations, quick, flowing corners and it's a very long lap. It's a circuit for aerodynamics and horsepower where the best cars stand out. I've got great memories of it because my first victories in Formula Three and Formula 3000 came there and it's one of the tracks which has brought me most luck in my career because by winning there the doors to Formula One opened. I hope to also have a good performance next weekend."

Narain Karthikeyan, HRT
2011 Qualifying - n/a, 2011 Race - n/a
"I'm really looking forward to Japan after not being able to finish in Singapore. Suzuka is a very fluid and challenging track. From a physical point of view it's also tough as it's very quick. It's a circuit that I love and one I have fond memories of. I think we'll take a step forward with the car with regards to Singapore and we'll be able to better evaluate how the new floor works. We've been pretty fast in the last few races but we've been missing a bit of luck. But we have to continue working to maintain this positive momentum through to the end of the season."

Luis Perez-Sala, HRT team principal
"Suzuka is a circuit with a lot of tradition which I raced at during my years as a Formula One driver. It's quite a technical track that's very challenging both mechanically and for the driver and it's also a very attractive circuit because it combines quick corners with quick straights. We'll be able to further test and evaluate the updates we took to Singapore because we will have more data. We're confident that we'll be able to continue with our momentum and it's another race to continue progressing."

Stepped noses and double-DRS out for 2013

The stepped noses seen on most of this season's Formula One cars - and deemed ugly by many - are very likely to disappear next year, thanks to a change in the FIA's technical regulations allowing teams to cover them with special fairings.

The revised rules, just published by Formula One racing's governing body, give details of the 'modesty panels,' which can be used to smooth the transition between the low nose and the high chassis. The fairings will not affect the car's aerodynamics or impact-protection properties.

Article 3.7.9 of the 2013 technical regulations refers to the new panels as "an optional, single piece, non-structural fairing of prescribed laminate (whose precise lay-up may be found in the Appendix to the regulations) which may not be more than 625mm above the reference plane at any point."

The rules have also been amended, as expected, to outlaw the double-DRS system pioneered this season by Mercedes, where the team use the DRS activation mechanism to trigger other aerodynamic changes on the car.

According to Article 3.18, the moveable rear wing "cannot be used to change the geometry of any duct, either directly or indirectly, other than the change to the distance between adjacent sections permitted by Article 3.10.2."

Bernie Ecclestone on Professor Sid Watkins

"What Sid Watkins did in the way of safety in Formula One was incredible. He gave his whole life to that cause, to make sure that it could be as safe as it possibly could be. We all owe him a debt of gratitude for his caring and commitment.

"When I invited him to join Formula One as its official doctor partway through the 1978 season, we discussed many aspects of safety and medical issues. We agreed that we needed a proper hospital at the track in the form of a fully equipped medical centre to stabilise injured drivers with immediate treatment, and a helicopter to transport them subsequently to specialist facilities, and that the helicopter pad had to be as close to that trackside hospital as possible.

"Sid carried all of those things through, and many more. After the accidents to Jochen Rindt and then Ronnie Peterson, I suggested that he should have a medical intervention car and that he should take responsibility for taking drivers into medical care.

"We always talked things through and worked together, and he then took care of all the medical things which I knew nothing about.

"I am pretty sure that he is irreplaceable. You only meet somebody of his calibre once in your lifetime."

Singapore preview quotes - HRT on Marina Bay

From one of Formula One's racing's oldest venues, the paddock moves to one of its newest, as the teams and drivers depart Europe for the heady nightlife of Singapore. With its spectacular backdrop and challenging layout, the Marina Bay Street Circuit has quickly established itself as one of the most popular venues on the calendar. Those involved in the 2012 Formula 1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix discuss their prospects…

Pedro de la Rosa, HRT
2011 Qualifying - n/a, 2011 Race - n/a
"I've never raced at Singapore but I know the circuit because of my simulator work as a test driver for McLaren. It's a spectacular track and probably the toughest circuit on the brakes in the entire championship besides being a very physically demanding race because of the heat and humidity. We should have a good performance as there are many slow corners and it is quite similar to Monaco. Besides, we've got an aero upgrade which should help us to cut down the gap to our rivals. I have to make the most of the practice session to adapt to the circuit but I'm up for the challenge."

Narain Karthikeyan, HRT
2011 Qualifying - n/a, 2011 Race - n/a
"Singapore has a spectacular atmosphere as the race takes place under artificial lighting. The Marina Bay Street Circuit is bumpy and very complicated. You can't make any mistakes as it is a street circuit. Besides, it's also very demanding physically because of the high temperatures and humidity. I arrive here extremely motivated and in good form after a good weekend in Italy and we've also brought upgrades which we hope will help us improve our race pace a little bit more."

Ma Qing Hua, HRT test driver
"I'm very happy to drive the F112 for a second time in a row and I really appreciate the opportunity HRT is giving me. It will be very exciting to drive a F1 around the streets of Singapore. It's a very demanding track for all of us, but it will be even more of a challenge for me as this is only the second time I will be driving the car at a race weekend. But I am looking forward to it and the laps that I added to my tally at the last Grand Prix in Monza have given me plenty of confidence. I have prepared myself in the simulator as well as doing some specific exercises to be used to driving at night. This is yet again another step in my career and I look forward to getting more experience at the wheel of a Formula One car as well as doing my best to help the team to prepare for the race."

Luis Perez-Sala, HRT team principal
"I don't personally know the Marina Bay Street Circuit but I'm really looking forward to getting to know it since everyone says it's one of the most beautiful races in the championship. But also because in Singapore we're incorporating the second major upgrade to the car of the season which we hope will help us take another step forward. Ma will step into the car once more for the first free practice session and the objective is for him to continue learning and improving as he did in Monza, where we were very happy with his work and performance. Pedro and Narain come on the back of a good race in Italy and we hope that with the upgrades they can get even closer to our rivals."

Formula one post-race press conference - Italy

Reproduced with kind permission of the FIA

Drivers: 1 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), 2 - Sergio Perez (Sauber), 3 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)

PODIUM INTERVIEWS - Conducted by Niki Lauda

Q: How is it to win the Italian Grand Prix in front of all these fans here?
Lewis Hamilton: It's been fantastic to win here; you've got the best crowd. I'm just so happy for my team; it was really a fantastic day.

Q: Now you're catching up on Fernando. You're 37 points behind. It's got to be a pleasure?
LH: Fernando is a two-time world champion, he's incredible. I'm very, very happy for him.

Q: Thank you. So, I take my hat off (to you), Sergio. You did an incredible job. I think you even surprised Fernando here. How did you work this fantastic race for yourself?
Sergio Perez: It was a great race for me, for my team. It's unbelievable to get a podium in Monza, with all these people. It's really, really special.

Q: What was the strategy? What tyres did you use?
SP: I went for prime and then I stopped very late in my first stint and then I had fresh tyres at the end. It's unbelievable, thank you very much.

Q: So, Fernando, it was a difficult race for you, from where came from, please explain.
Fernando Alonso: It was a difficult race starting from tenth. But we knew that we had maybe the quickest car maybe this weekend. We missed pole position yesterday but todaywe had the pace to recover positions, so it was good.

PRESS CONFERENCE

Q: Lewis, isn't that just the best podium in the world, with all those people, what do you think? And you got out your best Italian as well.
LH: I tried - but you couldn't hear anything!

Q: That looked a fantastic win, virtually lights-to-flag, apart from during the pit stop. Trouble-free?
LH: It was pretty trouble-free - I don't think I had any problems throughout the race and the guys did a great job through the pitstop. And I got a good start for once, so very, very happy with that.

Q: Any issues with tyres at all? Was it fairly straightforward?
LH: Yes.

Q: And no problems mechanically or anything like that? Obviously your team-mate had a problem.
LH: Very, very unfortunate for Jenson, we were running 1-2 at the time and it would have been fantastic for the team to have won here and have first and second. I don't really know what went on with his car but it was very unfortunate.

Q: Were you told to do anything to your car?
LH: No.

Q: Sergio, how much did you enjoy that? It must have been amazing to be on those softer tyres and just be overtaking, overtaking?
SP: Yeah! It was really enjoyable. One of those races where you have the pace and you are the one attacking. It was very crucial moments during the race, especially during my first stint, to go that long and to be able to keep the pace was not easy at all. I did quite a lot of laps on those tyres. Then in the second stint we managed to go maximum attack and I was able to have good fighting with some drivers. It was just a great race.

Q: Kimi put a bit of resistance, didn't he?
SP: Yeah, but I mean Kimi's a very fair driver. He left enough room, not more than needed, and it was alright with all the drivers that I had the fight, they were all leaving good room, and it was a very enjoyable fight with all of them.

Q: How much do you worry that the tyres are suddenly going to drop off? Or are you confident all the way through?
SP: With the first stint I was a bit worried, especially with the data we had from Friday. I was a bit worried I was feeling some degradation from the tyres, so I was a bit worried that it was going to drop, that the tyre was going to drop but once I got until lap 20 it was looking really good. Before that I was in contact with the team every lap, trying to say that everything was fine. Every lap I asked them to stay in contact every lap, just in case we were in need to change the strategy.

Q: Fernando, after qualifying tenth, I guess third place is good. Still a bit frustrated or not?
FA: No, no. Absolutely perfect Sunday for us. Obviously the win was out of reach after the problem yesterday. Starting tenth is not easy to think about victory, so if you cannot win, podium is next target. In all the simulations and all the predictions we had, it was never a podium finish, so basically it's much better than expected. Jenson was out of the race and the two Red Bulls… so perfect Sunday maybe.

Q: And you picked up a couple of places at the start…
FA: Yeah, the start was good. Obvious we didn't have maybe the best start but it was enough to overtake two or three cars, good first corner and then those two first laps were, I think, making the difference of our race. We overtook di Resta, Kimi, Michael very quickly. And that gave us the opportunity to follow Sebastian and the quick cars that were there in the first five positions. So, when you find yourself sixth after two or three laps, the race improves a lot.

Q: Then you had a bit of a moment with Sebastian, where you found yourself on the grass through the Curva Grande. What happened there?
FA: Nothing really to say.

Q: Do you think he didn't see you? Or what?
FA: [no audible answer]

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Adrian Huber - Agencia EFE) Fernando, yesterday you said it wasn't a good day but it would be OK in the worst case if both McLarens win. The day was even better because only one of them are front of you. Sergio was there. What can you say? You build up your lead in the Championship.
FA: Yeah, definitely. Yesterday was a disappointment day for us and especially for our fans. I think they were supporting us massively this weekend and we really had the opportunity to be on pole or in the first row and we missed it. So, we were sad for us and most of all for the fans. So, yeah, looking at the Championship, we say we need to concentrate who will be second. It was Vettel yesterday and we were happy for the McLarens to be strong this weekend. And yeah, the race went like a movie for us, like a dream.

Q: (Carlos Jalife - Fast mag) Sergio, you were sick the whole weekend, and how much did that cost you during qualifying and if you had started here up in front maybe you could have challenged Lewis for the win.
SP: It's always difficult for sure, I don't think we had the pace in qualifying, on a single lap, to be even close to gaining the front row or close to the top five. We were not quick at all, we were lacking too much speed on the straights and that was our problem. Yes, I've been sick all weekend. It's been difficult but it did not affect me at all, yesterday in qualifying I did not have the good lap. I was too close to Bruno Senna so I lost a lot of downforce - it was the reason why we qualified just out of the top ten. But more than that… maybe top ten was reachable but more than that, not. It helped us, in a way, to change the strategy. We risk, I don't know if we were the only one, or one of a few, to go for prime and it worked quite well. We were a bit worried about the warm up in the beginning but it worked quite OK.

Q: (Flavio Vanetti - Corriere della Sera) To Lewis, it's the third victory in a row for McLaren. Is it a clear message for Ferrari, looking at the Championship?
LH: I don't think so. I think Ferrari were as quick as us this weekend. At least as quick as us this weekend. I think if Fernando had better qualifying, I'm sure he would have been up there with me and made the race perhaps a little bit harder than it was. No, I think Ferrari seem like they're very, very quick and we need to stay on it to try to continue to compete with them.

Q: (Vincent Marre - Sport Zeitung) Question to Lewis, after hearing that Button was out, you have obviously drove a bit slower the last laps of the race. My question: have you paid attention to the engine range?
LH: No, you just try to… I was cruising. The last 20 laps I had a 14 second gap. At the time Felipe was behind and he, even though I was cruising, he was going slower than me and then I heard that Fernando had overtook, and it was Fernando who began to catch so then I pulled out a little bit more time and matched his time just to keep it relaxed and then this guy here [Pérez] started catching me at a second a lap. So probably the last four laps I started to push a little bit more, just to maintain a little bit more of the gap.

Q: (Fabrizio Corgnati - 422 race.com) To Sergio, do you think your overtaking on Fernando will hurt your chances to be in Ferrari next year?
SP: Ask him. I don't know. I'm sure… I'm not at all… I'm fighting for my team and will always fight for the team that I'm in. I will always give my maximum I can. And I will fight any driver, no matter if it's Fernando or Lewis, I will fight for my team to get the result - and I think every driver will do the same.

Q: (Frederic Ferret - L'Equipe) Lewis, you put an Italian flag on your helmet, you wanted this win, what does this mean now that you have it?
LH: Yeah, it's an incredible experience for me to come to Italy, a place that I love a lot. I've come here for many many years, since I was 13, met lots of great people here, really do genuinely love the people here and the culture and the food and the country itself. I put the flag on my helmet just as a sign of respect. This is a very historic circuit and when I was driving, I was thinking that all of the greats have won here so to finally get a win here is just the icing on the cake, and I hope that this is the start of something good in the future, coming here. I've not had the best results in the past, and hopefully in the future we will have a little bit more support here.

Q: (Leonid Novozhilov - F1Live) Lewis, what does it mean for you to win in Monza?
LH: I just answered that. It's very very special, very very special.

Q: (Andrea Cremonesi - La Gazzetta dello Sport) Sergio, is this your best race so far in Formula One, and how important has been to do it in Monza in front of the Ferrari guys as a Ferrari academy driver?
SP: I think it definitely is a very nice podium to be on here in Italy, because it's very special to see. It's a very special race which you don't feel anywhere else. So to have my first European podium in Formula One is very great and it's a very special place to have it. I think it was a fantastic race and I'm very pleased with the result.

Q: (Luigi Perna - La Gazzetta dello Sport) Fernando, were you surprised by Vettel's action; you seemed to be forced off to the left side of the corner at that moment? Were you scared that your race could be compromised at that point?
FA: I think it was compromised. I lost ten laps behind him so I lost whatever seconds there were at that moment after the incident, also the laps behind him. I'm sure the car is damaged because at 330kph you are jumping over the gravel. I don't think that the floor and everything - all the details that you take care of because the race - will be completely fine after those jumps.

Q: (Fulvio Solms - Corriere dello Sport) Fernando, do you think that the guy alongside you is going to be your main competitor in the championship?
FA: We'll see, we will see in the next couple of races and how the teams develop the parts. At the moment McLaren has won the last three Grands Prix and they are in top form. I think from Jerez they won in winter testing, who was the driver that I respect more and that was Lewis and we're still here, 11 or 12 races afterwards we are first and second in the championship. It will be tough until the end.

Q: (Livio Oricchio - O Estado de Sao Paulo) To Lewis and Fernando, Fernando, several times you have said that you love the Singapore circuit, it's perfect for your style and Lewis also loves to drive on street circuits. What do you project for the next race, now you're both fighting for the championship?
FA: Well, we'll see. I think it's a very nice race, very nice atmosphere in Singapore and not only for the race on Sunday. I think from the day you arrive, Wednesday or Thursday, it's a special weekend, you feel it. All the times and everything is out of the normal routine and I think you enjoy the change a little bit more and I think the circuit is quite interesting, very challenging. I think you enjoy driving there. Fans are always very close to us in that circuit as well and I think there will be a nice atmosphere, a nice fight. Personally I hope it will be a good test for us because there are a lot of new things that we will bring to Singapore, so let's hope we can fight for the win.
LH: I second what Fernando said. He's just given us the information, that Ferrari are going to be bringing lots of parts to the next race, so I will go back to my team and push them to...
FA: It's not only Singapore.
LH: But I really do enjoy racing with Fernando and I hope that we get to have lots more close battles.

Q: (Sylvia Arias - Parabrisas Argentina) Sergio, in Singapore, it looks good for you now because this race didn't look good for you and you did very well, whereas Singapore is a different track. What do you expect?
SP: I definitely expect to be better than here but here was a big surprise for us. I think the strategy made a very big difference for us, because we had the pace to be where we finished today. I think Singapore will definitely be a better one - I don't think the best for us but if we come here and look better, I think we can be competitive if you consider we lose half a second on the straights here so I think we can be quite competitive in Singapore.

Q: (Sylvia Arias - Parabrisas Argentina) Fernando, you said you were really lucky here, but how much does the car need to improve, because sometimes you cannot depend on being lucky?
FA: Yes, obviously I don't consider that we've been lucky. We've just been unlucky, even yesterday, compared with many of the others, and today someone broke some parts that is probably something that is not right, as we broke some parts yesterday that we need to investigate and it's our mistake. In Spa we've been unlucky because we didn't break any parts so we didn't make any mistakes, it was just a car landing on us, so I don't think that we are particularly lucky but it's true that we need to improve the car, to improve the performance a little bit, not this weekend because to be honest we had the fastest car with McLaren, so we were very happy to fight all the free practice, qualifying and now in the race for the top positions, and hopefully we can continue this in another track, because we know that Monza is a very unique layout, so if we continue like this we will be happy, and that's our aim.

Q: (Carlos Miguel - La Gaceta) Fernando, in your opinion what was the difference mbetween the movement of Vettel today and the movement you made in the same place last season? Was it more aggressive? What's your opinion?
FA: I think we need to see it on TV. Last year it was not penalised, this year it has been. I think there is a big difference for the people who understand this movement.

Q: (Adrian Huber - Agencia EFE) Checo/Sergio, this is your third podium after Malaysia and Canada; when and where do you think your first victory will come?
SP: I hope sooner rather than later. I want to win. I already have a second and a third, as you say. I want my first victory to come and I hope it can come before the end of the season.

Q: (Vincent Marre - Sport Zeitung) Fernando, when you were fighting against Vettel and you were on the grass, what were you thinking at that moment?
FA: Nothing. I tried to get off the grass and continue the race. I wanted to finish the race and not have another DNF because of an accident, just taking some margin, the same as when Sergio arrived a second quicker than us in the last part of the race: what can we do? We tried to defend the position a little bit but we cannot be crazy and try to do things that are impossible to do.

Q: (Peter Windsor - Clarksport Ltd) Fernando, very tight first corner here. From tenth on the grid what was your approach for the start and how did that first corner go for you?
FA: Actually I have a very open mind in terms of strategy for the first corner. I just wanted to see how the car started and how the first 200 meters went and after that decide. The start was good in the first 200 meters so after that the approach was aggressive. After you make a good start, you need to continue, and you cannot lose what you gain in the first 200 meters. We risked but it was close. As you said, very tight first corner here so it's very easy to lose your front nose or whatever. It was tight but it was good.