Quotes of the week
"Before the race all the guys were saying, 'OK, go out and destroy them!' You can say we had the balls today to go and do just that. It's difficult to take it all in. I had a good lead and controlled it over the last laps, but I forgot all about that the moment I crossed the finish line. To see the shape of the podium and the people down below you: I will never forget this picture all my life. And to listen to the German national anthem was fantastic and I nearly started to cry. We can all sleep tonight with the feeling that we are winners." Sebastian Vettel, Formula 1 driver, Toro Rosso, winner of the Italian Grand Prix
"They [Toro Rosso] did an extremely fantastic job. They deserve it, they are close to us, we are happy to work with them because we are giving them our engine. And we offer our congratulations to Sebastian Vettel because he drove perfectly and he was able to do a fantastic qualifying yesterday and he was able to do a good race today without taking any risks, above all at the beginning in the difficult conditions, so a really great job." Stefano Domenicali, Team Principal, Scuderia Ferrari
09/14/08
"A fantastic race, a fantastic weekend with pole as well and a fantastic strategy this afternoon. As for the podium ceremony it was unbelievable and this is the best day of my life. I will never forget these feelings. It is so unbelievable. It is better than I had ever expected. A big thank you to everyone in the team for their great work. After a poor start to the season, we got better and better. Maybe in today's conditions, we could close the gap with a bit more effort or by staying on the throttle a bit longer. I'm speechless. As for the race, we were very fast in a straight line because we didn't go for high downforce as we thought it might be dry, so we stayed on the dry level. Being out in front with no visibility problems was the key and I could build up a solid gap to Heikki straightaway. Then I was pushing very hard, maybe going over the limit sometimes and I nearly lost the car. In the last stint I was in a very good position on the intermediate tire. I couldn't believe it when it kept saying "P1" on my board. But I kept my focus and kept pushing so as not to lose concentration. A perfect weekend." Sebastian Vettel, Formula 1 driver, Toro Rosso, winner of the Italian Grand Prix (youngest winner and polesitter in Formula 1 history)
"For me he [Sebastian Vettel] was already the surprise of the season. But what he demonstrated today, in these weather conditions, making no mistakes and dominating from the beginning, was completely clearly top-class. And the people at Monza are also happy because a half-Ferrari still won." Michael Schumacher, 7 times World Driving Champion
"Since then [after releasing Sebastian Vettel from his contract as test driver], his development has been fantastic. But he is only 21; perhaps when he is 31 he will be back with us." Theissen also said, "As expected, it was an action-packed race, but not for the man in front. Under these difficult circumstances Toro Rosso had the best car, and Sebastian Vettel managed to score his and the team's maiden victory with this excellent performance. Hats off to them! " Dr. Mario Theissen, Motorsport Director, BMW Sauber
"This was Vettel's race weekend. From Friday onwards, he controlled the pace and the situation and today, from start to finish, he drove a fantastic race without any mistakes under very difficult circumstances. I think today he showed that he will become a very successful Formula 1 driver. It was unfortunate for Bourdais that he had a problem on the grid, as he too had a good weekend up until today. The team, under the direction of Giorgio Ascanell also did a fantastically good job in terms of being prepared for the race and in how it executed the strategy and pit stops and we can all be proud of what we have achieved. It was great to get this result here in Monza in our home Grand Prix and I am particularly happy for Gerhard who has waited twenty years to get back on the Monza podium as a winner." Franz Tost, Team Principal, Toro Rosso
"That's the way he [Raikkonen] drives. If you don't have the balls to brake late, that's your problem. At the end of the day, in those situations, it's the driver who can feel the grip more – and put the car more on the edge – that gets past. I'm great in those conditions." Lewis Hamilton, conceited Formula 1 driver, McLaren
"Any suggestion there is a bias for or against any team or driver is completely untrue. Absolutely not. I think it's a reflection, and I'm sorry to say this, of the stupidity of the people who say it because they haven't really thought the thing through and put themselves in the position of the people who have to take these very difficult decisions. I think he [Lewis Hamilton] is a brilliant driver and it would be really excellent for Formula One and the world championship, if he won it. But that doesn't mean we are going to help him or hinder him. We are going to be utterly neutral. But that said, it would be brilliant if he won because he is a supreme talent and when it's difficult, that's when we see it. He has done a great job, and whilst we can admire, we mustn't assist or hinder." Max Mosley, FIA President
"The fact that [top British spy Lord Stevens] Stevens is quiet does not mean that Stevens is not working. I do believe that it had more to do than with one lady. It's not from my private life. It's most likely something to do with motor racing." Max Mosley, FIA President, has engaged top British spy Lord Stevens to investigate the true source of the sex scandal story.
“I just want to say thank you [for the ovation], but most of all I want to thank you for your support for the men and women in the military. It's remarkable. It’s uplifting to these young people. When I am in Iraq and Afghanistan, they’re watching you. You are their role models. You are their heroes. And they are ours. So I just want to say that NASCAR and the heroes and the competitors and the teams are supporting the men and women who are serving in the most exemplary fashion – I thank you, God bless you and God bless America." John McCain, Republican Presidential Candidate, thanking NASCAR for its support of the military during the prerace drivers meeting at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway
"That's ESPN. We've had a terrible relationship with ESPN for years. We've been very outspoken with them as a company about how they treat the drivers, treat the teams. They're a production team that wants to do everything they can to stir the pot up. Do they have a right to air it? Absolutely. Trust me, if there's anything negative I do, ESPN is going to pick up on it and run with it every chance they get. That just shows you what's important to them. It's not the positive things in the sport. They want to pick up on everything negative they can." Tony Stewart, NASCAR driver, Joe Gibbs Racing