Q & A with Giancarlo Fisichella

Giancarlo Fisichella: I feel probably like a spiritual leader because I have more experience, as this is my third year in the team. But there is not a number one in the team at the moment. I just feel happy and confident for the start of the season.

Like the last couple of years, I felt a good behaviour and good potential from the new package. We just need to run a little bit more, to put some more miles on the engine and the gearbox, and see where we are compared to other people. I think next week there are lots of team in Valencia and we will see where we are.

Q. Pat Symonds has said that you see more relaxed compared to when Fernando Alonso was here. Do you feel different, that a monkey is off your back now?

GF: Of course this is a good opportunity. As I told you, I feel strong mentally and physically. I am confident and feel happy to start the season. As the third year in the team, I feel very comfortable with them and as I told you, last week I drove four days the new car and there is a good potential.

I felt straightaway that there was a good behaviour. We need to work a lot for the reliability and even for the performance, but we are already on the right direction.

Q. Have the last couple of years been difficult for you?

GF: It has been difficult, but I did my best and with the team I won the Constructors' Championship. Obviously it wasn't my target, which is to win the drivers' championship, but straightaway I had a problem in Bahrain and then in Australia so I did not have enough points to fight for the championship as Fernando scored a lot of points.

Once Fernando scored much more than me, I was helping the team and Fernando to go ahead for the championship to win both championships. It was a difficult season but I think I did my best.

Q. With Fernando going, is that a weight off your shoulders? Has the pressure been relieved at all?

GF: It is good for me. It is good to see all the people concentrate. There is a big motivation because now we want to win even without Fernando. They are pushing night and day to build a good car and I am pushing too. I am really pushing on the dream, on the preparation.

Q. And there is a chance for you to make this team your own, isn't there?

GF: Well, as I told you, it is important to score straight away lots of points and concentrate all the team in one car - as last year.

Q. Do you feel that Renault has yet to see the best of you?

GF: I don't know. I think Renault did a fantastic job in the last couple of years, and they want to do again the same job. They want to win again, even this year. I think we have got a good chance to do it, it is going to be a difficult and tough season but obviously we all need to work together to go forward.

Q. Can you be the winning driver they need?

GF: I think so. At the end of last season, in the middle of the year, there was the possibility for them to choose anyone, but they resigned with me. They believe in myself and together we go forwards.

Q. What will F1 be like with only Bridgestone? Will the sport change?

GF: Not a lot. It is a bit more interesting to see all the teams with the same tyres and maybe the level is going to be a little bit more equal, but as usual the top teams like Renault, McLaren, Ferrari and some other outsiders, are still there fighting for the victories.

Q. How well suited is the new car to the Bridgestone tyres?

GF: Well, after the first few tests in December we accumulated some data and after that we worked around the new behaviour of the new tyres, so we built a better car. The stability, the rear end stability, and the grip is much better with this car, but especially the consistency with this car over a race distance is very good.

Q. Renault have showed a lot of belief in you by sticking with you. They think you can do the job, don't they?

GF: I think so, if they make that decision.

Q. Is this your last chance to fulfil your dream of a drivers' title?

GF: No. It is a chance, yes, but hopefully it is not the last one.

Q. Were the mechanical gremlins you suffered in the first laps with this new car a worry?

GF: No, we had a couple of problems but we had a second fantastic day. I did 115 laps, a race distance without any problems. And obviously it is a new car so sometimes you have a new problem and stop for half a day, but this is normal.

Q. Last season Ferrari finished very strong, do you anticipate the departure of Michael Schumacher and Ross Brawn upsetting their balance?

GF: Obviously the exit of Michael and Ross Brawn is not good, but I think (Kimi) Raikkonen and some other good guys are still with Ferrari. They are still a good choice, so obviously they are going to be one of the main opponents of us for the title.

Q. Do you think your main opponents?

GF: I don't know. From the experience they have with the Bridgestone, maybe they have an advantage for the start of the season. But even McLaren looks really strong with Fernando.

Q. How have you found Heikki Kovalainen?

GF: Heikki is a very nice guy. Usually the Finnish guys are quite closed, but Heikki talks a lot. I met him more than two years ago, he did a fantastic job with us in 2006, and he is quick. It is going to be difficult to be in front of him.

Q. Will he be your first rival?

GF: No. First of all we need to work together because together we can work to give the right way to the engineers, and it is important. Then when you are on the track it is important to be quicker than your teammate. He is a rookie but he has clear ideas and he is focused for the championship.

Q. Will that relationship be more comfortable than working with Fernando?

GF: No, Fernando was really good. We had a really good time together. In fact, we won two championships. With Fernando it was good because he talks very good Italian, but even Heikki speaks fantastic English.

Q. Speaking about your new car, are there things you like and things you don't?

GF: It looks a step forward over last year. It is not a big different look to last year's car. Obviously the mirrors are in a different position, but in testing the only problem was the vibration. Now we are fixing that problem and for the future it is going to be alright. The car looks quite narrow in the rear, which is important. Aerodynamically it looks good and soon we will have some more new bits, which is a good step forward.

Q. Heikki says he just wants to finish Melbourne first of all. What are your aims?

GF: Yeah, in Melbourne obviously it is important to get to the end of the race. Reliability you never know, so that will be the main target. But to get on the podium - why not win the race? If Renault have hopefully built a competitive car with performance like in 2005 and 2006, then we are going to fight for the championship.

Q. The first races were great for Renault last year, weren't they?

GF: Yeah, in the first race we were much stronger than everyone else. It is possible. Next week we will run with other people and other teams. We will see where we are. I think we are in a good shape.

Q. Do you think you will have an advantage this year because you have stuck with a team, whereas Kimi and Fernando have to learn new environments?

GF: It could be a small advantage. As soon as you move to a new team, you need a time to get into the team, to be comfortable and to understand the work of the new team. To have a good feeling with the mechanics, and especially the engineers.

Q. How do you think Fernando will fit in at McLaren?

GF: He is a great driver. It is going to be alright for him. He is learning very quickly. Fernando is going to be a big opponent this year, as usual.