Q & A with Anthony Davidson

One of the most popular drivers in the pitlane, Davidson is clearly buzzing by the support that he is getting from everyone, although he is realistic to know that there is a lot of hard work ahead for Super Aguri.

In London on Thursday night he was present at the official launch of Sony PlayStation 3's new 'Formula One Championship Edition' game. After showing off his abilities in the virtual world, autosport.com heard from Davidson about what he is expecting when he turns up in Melbourne for real.

Q. So are you nervous or excited ahead of the season?

AD: Both! It sort of swings between the two really. I think before the Bahrain test, and definitely before any test at the beginning of the year, there were a lot of nerves.

But after doing the testing and it going so well, especially for me, getting a lot of laps in and with the car being reliable I am definitely a lot more excited now. And that is it - the testing is over for me and the next step is the race weekend.

It was weird flying back from Bahrain and thinking: 'That's it. No more days in the car and no more practice.' So I am well excited now.

Q. How has testing gone, you've just got back from Bahrain?

AD: Yeah. Winter testing has been going very well. We've been working hard and the car is getting quicker all the time. We are making slow but sure developments and we are looking forward to the first race.

Q. You have had your PlayStation 3 for a little bit now. Have you been practicing being on the grid there in Melbourne?

AD: I had it before I went away to Bahrain for testing, so unfortunately I haven't had much time to play it. But the times I have had to play it, it has blown me away. It is incredible. It is so realistic and I have really, really enjoyed playing - and I am sure my wife Carrie is not too happy!

Q. Can you actually learn anything from it though?

AD: Absolutely. When I did the 2004 season, I really relied on having video data from the team and using the PlayStation games as well to learn the circuits. We always deal in corner numbers, we don't use the proper corner names, so we have a little map in the car with the numbers.

For you to visualise it beforehand is a help, because when they talk about a bump in turn three then you know what they are talking about before you have even walked the circuit or seen any onboard footage. You know roughly what the track looks like and when you get out there you smile because it is exactly what you were doing in your living room. And now the graphics have stepped up another level it is so much more realistic.

Q. Have you won a Grand Prix on the PlayStation?

AD: Yeah, I have. And in a Super Aguri. How about that! I was saying to Carrie on the way up here tonight that I should change my contract to just do the PlayStation. "No problem," I could tell them. "I can win the championship for you."

Q. Now you have tested the car and you are a Grand Prix driver, what are your goals and aims for 2007?

AD: Realistically we know that we won't have the fastest car out there. But it should be a bit of improvement over last year's car, and we should have a stronger package than with what they ended last season. We finished 10 th place in the last race, having gone from strength to strength over the season, so we are building on that.

We will be in a position where we might be able to score a point or two over the season, which will be fantastic for everyone there. Until we get those points we have just got to work harder to make the car go quicker.

Q. There will be a very strong focus on Lewis Hamilton this year. Are you miffed by that, or does it give you a bit of breathing space?

AD: It's good. I am really pleased that I can slide in and feel my way and learn slowly - without the whole media pressure there like I think will happen with Lewis in a car that should be right at the front. He should have the second or third quickest car in Melbourne, so that is big pressure. And although every driver has pressure, it is going to hopefully be a lot less for me.

Q. What does it mean that there are four Brits on the grid this year?

AD: It is really good. It is a sport that as a country we excel at, and it is never really given the full credit I believe. There are a lot of clever people in the F1 circle that boost the technology, and it is a good showcase for what this country can do I feel. I have always felt that. It is a sport that we are so good at. It is great from that respect.

Q. And what does it mean to be one of the four Brits?

AD: It really hasn't sunk in yet. I believe I won't be racing many of them, because they will be further up the field from me. But it is good to have more Brits on the grid.

Q. Will it finally sink in in Melbourne?

AD: I hope it does. But you always need a little bit of nerves. I always perform a lot better when I have got nerves, and I think the nerves will properly kick in on Sunday morning when I think: 'This is it. I am not going home like normally when I did the Friday running.' It is probably going to be that morning when I wake up and think: 'This is it. This is race day.'

Q. Have you spoken to Lewis much yet?

AD: Yeah, I was on the plane with him going out to one of the Valencia tests. That was just after he had had that crash the week before, so he was flying back out after they had prepared the car.

So he missed out on a few day's testing there. It was a shame for him, but it is one of those things. With the kilometres that we do in testing it is bound to happen. Just look at Heikki Kovalainen in Bahrain last week. It is part of the learning process as well.

Q. Are you impressed by the way he has handled the pressure?

AD: Yeah. He has been through the schooling hasn't he? He has had Ron (Dennis) on his back ever since he was in karting. He knows the ropes and the pressure won't really get to him. He has been doing a really good job so far, and the car is quick so he should be up there from the word go. He won't have a problem learning circuits, or getting to grips with the car because he knows that already. It should be good for him.

Q. You have done three races already, but does this feel like your debut?

AD: This does feel like my debut. I definitely discount the Minardi stuff I did. To jump in mid-season like I did there, it is harder than what people think. They did not give me much credit for jumping in and having 10kg more than Mark (Webber) in qualifying.

And you can't just expect to jump into someone else's game halfway through and expect to do well at it. Perhaps I was naive but when you are handed these chances then you have to grab them with both hands. That is what I did, and with my management as well we thought it was the right decision at the time.

But now it has all been done properly. We have had a whole winter testing, and the car has been reliable, and this is the way I always wanted it to be. The groundwork done, and then you get your chance to show what you can do.

Q. You and Jenson go back a long way. Do you feel you've finally caught up with him now?

AD: In a way, yes. But in another way he is way down the line. He has properly made it, and he does deserve to have a proper crack at the drivers' world championship. So yeah, I feel like I have joined them but now this is my chance to prove myself. I know there are some doubters out there still.

Q. How much difference will it make that you have not driven the new car yet?

AD: It shouldn't really make too much difference at all. I am not so bothered about it at all. A Formula One car is a Formula One car at the end of the day, and the main thing that has been the hardest part for us has been learning the new tyres. That above all has been the biggest thing.

Most drivers have been overdriving when they get in the car, and I was guilty of that too in Barcelona, when I was slipping around all over the place. You have just had to bring down the expectations of the grip levels, so that has been the hardest part. In that respect the hardest part is done, and it is going to be the same as my teammate.

If we turn up in a wheelbarrow then we will both be in a wheelbarrow, and at the end of the day I have got to beat him! Whether that is in a milk float or an F1 car. That is my job. My personal task.

Q. It seems you a playing down your expectations, but what for you would be a good season? And when you sit back in years to come and look back on your career, what would you have liked to have achieved?

AD: Ultimately I would like to be world champion. You don't do it for fun. I have always been right at the time of everything I have ever done, so that has to be the ultimate goal.

For now we know the car is not going to be right up there, and as the team is only 14 months old you cannot expect too much. They are a good bunch of guys though, it is a small team with only about 120 staff, but it is good because you can get straight to the point in what you want to develop.

They are very eager, they are working flat out and it should be good by the end of the year - we should be a lot stronger than where we are at the moment.

I know I might be playing it down a little bit. We have done testing, but you never know where you stand until you get out racing. So with everyone, with their new cars out there, they are all doing their good job.

Q. Who do you think is hot, and who is not, this season?

AD: Well, Felipe Massa has been looking really good in the Ferrari. Both Ferraris have been pretty strong. When you look in your mirrors and you see a Ferrari behind you, way down in the distance there, you think that they might be up with you in five or six laps. But three corners later, there he is ready to overtake you.

They have strong performance, and they especially seem to know the tyres better than most. The car is looking very, very good so if I was a betting man I would put my money on them.

The other teams are all very close. McLaren, Renault and BMW-Sauber have all done a very good job and it is going to be whoever gets it right on the day.

Q. And what about Honda Racing, the team you have left? Are you surprised they are going as poorly as they seem to be?

AD: I have been quite surprised, yeah. But they will get it back. They are one of the teams that were hurt, like Renault were, by the tyre change. And a lot of development has to happen in that respect. This week in Bahrain they have done a much better job, and they have got a whole new philosophy so things will develop for them.