Q & A with Luca Badoer

Luca Badoer: You are right, it was a very hard weekend for me. There were too many new things to learn. The track, the car, the new Formula 1. It was really a very, very difficult situation. But as I said before, it was very good in the end for me because on Friday, Saturday and Sunday I learnt a lot of things. I have better confidence with the car, I know which direction to take for my driving style and set-up, and I have more confidence and feeling with F1.

And now we are at a track that I know. I drove here, okay ten years ago, but I remember the corners, the speed. I have an idea, more or less. I have spent a lot of time watching the on-board cameras from last year's race, so for sure, the pace from the start is much better here in Spa.

Q. So you are here to race this weekend, not just test. What do you have to do to keep the seat and make sure someone else doesn't replace you?

LB: I have to be quick. I have to be reasonably quick, as much as I can be.

Q. You're here to race?

LB: This is a race now, yes.

Q. Are you conscious of some of the corners at Spa, like Eau Rouge? Are you looking forward to them?

LB: Eau Rouge is a challenge. We are already looking at all the telemetry, for the corners. For a driver the challenge is to make it flat. Last year was flat, but with this car we don't know yet. So tomorrow will be a challenge to see if it is possible to take it flat. And regarding the other corners, I think at Spa honestly, all the corners are very challenging. So it is really fun to drive here at Spa.

Q. After Valencia, what are the most important things you have learned about this car and modern Formula 1?

LB: The most important thing that now I have much more feeling with the car. Before, I never drove it properly, only for some kilometres. And I was 10 months without driving F1. It was a new track and a very difficult situation. Now I have a better feeling with the car, I know which kind of set-up I prefer and I can adapt my driving style. And I am at a track that I have driven on already - without the walls being very close. So for sure the baseline is much different.

Q. Do you see Romain Grosjean and Jaime Alguersuari as adversaries?

LB: No, I don't compare them. But Grosjean drove all season in GP2 and he knew Valencia, so it is completely different base from the start. It is not possible to make a comparison.

Q. How close can you get to Kimi this weekend?

LB: I hope very close. On Friday we will have three hours of free practice and we will have a better idea. I can say anything here, but we will see. You don't need to know it now.

Q. Back to Valencia, it was reported that the team gave you the order to let Grosjean by in the pit exit, is that true?

LB: No, it is not true. We had a misunderstanding. The team called me on the radio. They told me: 'traffic, traffic' and it was a mistake. I was surprised. It was the first time for me , and I lifted the throttle and let him past. It was just this.

Q. There were reports that you hit the back of Adrian Sutil's stationary car in parc ferme, is that the case?

LB: Yes! Because I left the brakes and the car stalled. Is that important? Wow! I think it was a procedure - I was without the brake and the car moved a bit in front.