Q & A with Mike Gascoyne

Q. Is it fair to say that that was a bit worse than you were hoping for?

Mike Gascoyne:

Yeah I think in terms of race pace. I think we had a car that could qualify 11th or 12th; that's where we felt we should have been, just in front of the Saubers. For sure the conditions played into the hands of Bridgestone â€" it's a Bridgestone track, and it was cool and overcast â€" so that helped them and we couldn't have matched that over here. It'll be better at the next races; the performance today yeah it was disappointing and probably worse than we expected, but it doesn't change anything we're doing tomorrow because all the things we need to do are being done.

I've only been here for three months; we showed when I went to Benetton we were in exactly the same position, and by the end of the year we were on the podium; we'd been written off, and by the end of the year we were on the podium. So I know how to do it, we've got the backing of Toyota and all of those resources, so we'll do it.

Q. With winter testing it's always hard to tell what's what, but with this result in the first race does it mean that the job is a little bit bigger than you had thought?

MG:

No, it's exactly the same; it's what I was expecting. You know, Toyota finished eighth last year, that's where they were, I didn't arrive in time to have any involvement in the car. They've made reasonable improvements in the car, but I know from other teams I've been at that they've only made the same improvements they have, so relatively there's no reason to expect any improvement. But as I say, I've shown that I know how to turn that around, and that's what is happening at the moment.

Q. Is it fair to say that it's all the tyres for this race, or is there something more?

MG:

With us no; in terms of Ferrari dominating I'm sure that at tracks that are more suited to Michelin that Williams, Renault and McLaren will win races, so it's not all dead and buried. We've got to look at Williams and whoever's pace, and that's the gap that we've got to close, and I'm sure we can do it.

Q. But what about that gap, when are you going to close it?

MG:

We can't put a timescale on it â€" that's impossible. At the last two teams I've been to, by the end of the year they've been on the podium, so that's the target I'm setting myself.

Q. The next race is very hot, which you'd think would play into Michelin's hands a bit more.

MG:

I'm sure it will, and we've got new parts there already coming through from the wind tunnel, and I'm sure we'll put in a stronger performance.

Q. So Malaysia will be more of a fairer test for where Toyota are this year?

MG:

I think so yeah; well, we need to improve, and certainly in terms of the strong teams and Ferrari that gap will close and we'll be beating Sauber and our competitors. It just shows us the size of the job ahead, but it's no surprise.