Q & A with Colin Kolles

Colin Kolles: The situation is that we had a meeting with the stewards, who confirmed to us that this is not a matter for the FIA but a matter for the Concorde Agreement. This clarification for us is very important because we had some voices that the FIA should be involved, but I always thought that it wasn't a matter for the FIA but a matter for the Concorde Agreement.

Q. So this means that you are now going to arbitration?

CK: Yes, this is how I see it.

Q. Why are you unhappy with the Super Aguri?

CK: We have found it is the same car (as last year's Honda).

Q. What, you believe it is exactly the same car?

CK: Yes.

Q. Is it true that you only filed the protest here against Super Aguri?

CK: Yes. The Red Bull situation is a different situation to the Super Aguri situation this year.

Q. Are you worried that you may come under pressure from the FIA and Max Mosley to drop this action?

CK: I don't know. He didn't put any pressure on me yet; I just get encouragement about it.

Q. You met with Bernie Ecclestone this morning. What did he say?

CK: That only constructors belong in this championship.

Q. Is the customer car situation a greater worry for you because Super Aguri were so fast in qualifying?

CK: I think Flavio (Briatore) was also not very happy that Sato destroyed the lap of Fisichella. I think that we will have some fun.

Q. Are you ready to accept a compromise to stop this going to court?

CK: Bernie made four times a proposal for a compromise. But some other people, I don't know, I cannot say what other people are thinking.

Q. What do you want to happen? Them to be thrown out of the constructors' championship, or their points to be removed?

CK: No. Just that they fully agree with the compromise offered by Bernie. We have a constructors' championship, and I repeat that: a constructors' championship. So you have this defined in the Concorde Agreement. It is in singular and you must manufacture your car. This qualifies you to be a constructor.

Q. And Bernie's suggestions is that if you run a customer car you get no constructors' points?

CK: This could be a compromise.

Q. You said the situation with Super Aguri this year is very similar to the situation with Toro Rosso last year. Why did nobody act last year?

CK: We will act on this. On this matter we made a decision to go to arbitration and the lawyers are working on this. And we have a strong case against this.

Q. So to clarify, the arbitration action will be against Super Aguri, Toro Rosso and Red Bull Racing for this year, plus Toro Rosso last year?

CK: Yes.

Q. And will you be acting alone on this, or are Williams supporting you?

CK: You will have to ask Williams. I don't speak in the name of Williams.

Q. So is the protest route completely closed, or will there be one in Malaysia now?

CK: No. We have to think about this. We had a meeting first. There were special circumstances, like unveiling the car shortly after scrutineering, and there are certain regulations, that you have to make a protest against the entry within two hours of scrutineering. But if the car is not shown to the people in that time frame then you cannot do it.

Q. Do you feel you have enough support from people in the paddock to push through a compromise arrangement?

CK: Well, I met Flavio and I met Martin Whitmarsh and they all confirmed to me what is the case. And obviously Ferrari also told me very clearly what is their position. I think this is very obvious, and last year we had an obvious situation as well.