Quotes of the week
JEFF OLSON, SPEEDTV.com journalist
Let’s hope Sebastien Bourdais goes to F1 as expected, but let’s hope it’s with a more competitive team than Toro Rosso. His stints with Peugeot’s runner-up effort at Le Mans were nothing short of brilliant. Afterward, he said what everyone else thought, that the team’s accomplishment was as significant as a victory. During the pre-race parade, Bourdais received a welcome that would rival anything Dale Earnhardt Jr. receives at Daytona. In France, he is a superstar. Deservedly so. (Talking about his post-race 24 hours of LeMans thoughts.)
06/18/07
Bernie Ecclestone, President and CEO of Formula One Management and Formula One Administration
"It is not vital to Formula One to be in the United States," said Ecclestone days ahead of him trying to close an extension deal with the USGP at Indy. "There are bigger markets for us to be in other parts of the world. We could be in India soon instead of the United States. We don't have a lot of sponsors from the U.S., no American teams and only one driver," he added. "I get along with (Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner) Tony George and I hope we can strike a deal, but we have offers from other places in the U.S. too."
Bob Kravitz, Journalist Indy Star newspaper
"I've got advice for (Tony) George. Learn how to say 'Bite me' in all the languages of today's F1 drivers. They are the Guests From Hell. And it's time for them to leave. Let me mention something to F1: Nobody outside of Indy cares about this race. And the truth is, very few inside of Indy care about this race."
Lewis Hamilton, rookie Formula One driver, McLaren-Mercedes
"What a dream! To come to two circuits that I didn't know, my first time, to really come out with such pace, to see the team moving forward always and being competitive and just to see how much work the team back home, back in Brixworth, in Woking, in Stuttgart, how hard they all work to produce the car and to develop it – they've done a fantastic job and I'm really just so thankful to them because it wouldn't be possible without them. And the guys here, they are a great bunch of guys. They've done a fantastic job on strategy, setting up the car. So really, it's a perfect team and I'm really happy I could put the icing on the cake. (This is) fantastic and I am really just extremely pleased and proud for the team. I would have never thought in a million years that I would be here today sitting against these drivers here and finishing, winning both races in North America. So a great leap in my career, in my life, and extremely proud and thankful for my family and to God and to the team."
Robert Kubica, Formula One driver, BMW Sauber F1
"I have seen the video now and all I can say is that I am very happy to be able to sit here now in one piece," said Kubica. He said he crashed when Toyota's Jarno Trulli left him with "no more room" to overtake on the outside of the flat-out kink before the Casino hairpin. "I thought Jarno would hold his normal line but then we touched and my front wing went under the car and I lost control. But it happens — there is no-one to blame. This is motor sport, we all know the risks." He looked skywards when he was asked who he thanks for being alive. "There is no reasonable explanation for the fact that I didn't break even a finger — you could hurt yourself more if you trip on the way up the stairs. If I had that crash ten years ago, we would not now be talking; so thanks to everyone at the FIA, all the safety people. We say in Poland — what doesn't hurt you makes you tougher. If I wanted to play it safe, I would stay at home — but then I would no longer be a racing driver."
Fernando Alonso, reigning Formula One World Champion, McLaren-Mercedes
"It is all sorts of things; strategy, testing, the sharing of telemetry. They are things that I assumed would be another way but it is not the case. It is a personal thing and nothing else — it starts and ends here. The team has its own ideas, its own philosophy to prepare for qualifying and the race. You can either share it or not, and I have my own opinion as well." Alonso told the radio transmitter Cadena Ser that he does not feel "totally comfortable" with Hamilton as his teammate. "I am with a British teammate in a British team — and everyone knows that all of their support and their help is for him," he said. "But I have always understood this and I do not complain about it." Alonso agreed that the British press, preoccupied with the local hero Hamilton, is seemingly "indifferent" to him. But "thank God the Spanish press has more respect," he added.