France Preview Quotes: Ferrari

Michael Schumacher: "We arrive at Magny-Cours at an important stage in the second half of the season, with a points advantage that will push the squad on to work hard until the very end. Naturally we would like to build on this lead in France and I think it is possible to do so. Many consider the French GP the 'home' race for Michelin and it is true that on this track the tyres will be crucial, above because of the elevated temperatures. Over the course of this season though, we have seen on many occasions how the theory that Michelin is better in the heat and Bridgestone in the cold, has been proved wrong. The performance of the tyres depends on many other factors, like the general characteristics of the track and the condition of the asphalt. I don't think you can say that it is determined by a general trend. Magny-Cours is a circuit whose surface can become very slippery if it is really hot. I have to admit that I don't really like these conditions as I prefer going through curves fast and not be held back by a lack of grip. I do like the track overall though as it is very accommodating and represents a real challenge. After all the activity at Nurburgring, it will be nice to settle back in the French countryside. This will benefit me because I love being close to nature. At Magny-Cours there is often a laid back atmosphere, so we can concentrate on the job in hand. As always, we will be going for the win."

Rubens Barrichello: "I expect things will be better in Magny-Cours. I do not agree that that our package will suffer there because of the heat. I reckon we will have a good weekend in France and the new track layout should suit us. Of course, our engineers have done computer simulations of the new layout, but we will have to learn that for real on Friday. I have heard that the changes mean it will be hard on braking, but we will have to wait and see. But I don't think we will see a repeat of the brake problems we had in Canada. The track is enjoyable to drive. It was not so easy to overtake, but it is fun to drive. I'm still searching for my first win this season. It's going to be tough and finishing races is what counts. It is obvious that our nearest rivals and their tyre supplier have made a step forward this year, but this season is so hard to predict. Look back to the Spanish GP for example, where surprisingly it was Renault which seemed to have a very competitive package. It is all very close and, in a way, it's interesting and enjoyable."

Ross Brawn, Technical Director: "The Magny-Cours track is unique in that it has a very smooth surface unlike any other track we are allowed to test on. As a result, wear rate is not really a problem, but we have to use a soft compound tyre to find enough grip and with the usual hot weather conditions and track temperatures, it can create other problems. We will have to take two different compounds based on our experience from previous races and trust we have one that will be suited for the conditions. Friday will certainly be a very busy day for us trying to estimate brake and tyre needs for the race, while the track surface will change a lot throughout the weekend which has also to be taken into consideration."