Q & A with Pedro De La Rosa

Q. How are you feeling having had chance to reflect on the Bahrain race?

Pedro de la Rosa: I feel very good, and am even more motivated for testing. It was a good race, I haven't yet watched it on video but I am going to spend this weekend looking at it and analysing what we as a team could have done better. The people in Spain have also been really supportive to me since the race weekend.

Q. Did you set yourself a target for the race?

PdlR: My target was to finish on the podium, but I didn't manage to do that. Fifth place is not a fantastic result but if you look at that position in the context of the amount of overtaking I did and setting the fastest lap time, it was a good race. I was aiming for the podium as I knew that it might be my last ever Formula One race and I wanted to score a podium finish and get my best ever grand prix result.

Q. What was it like to be back competing in a Grand Prix?

PdlR: I didn't feel rusty at all. At the start I felt a little bit lost and during the race I made a couple of mistakes braking into turn one, but I feel that was due to a lack of racing experience over the past couple of years. At the end of the race I was feeling more confident. I was also happy about my qualifying position as it was the first time I have ever worked to the one lap qualifying format. It is a very easy circuit in which to lock your brakes, and I was happy that I did not make any mistakes during the qualifying sessions. It took a couple of laps to settle in during the Friday practice sessions, but it was quite an easy circuit to learn.

Q. What for you was your favourite moment of the race?

PdlR: My favourite moment was when I overtook Mark Webber two laps from the end of the Grand Prix. He (Webber) was making it extremely difficult - fair but difficult - to overtake, but I found a gap to get through and that for me was a good moment.

Q. How did you feel as you crossed the chequered flag?

PdlR: I felt empty, I felt like I had really given 100 percent. I was mentally tired but feeling physically strong. In fact the race was the first time in any of my grands prix I have competed in, that I was able to get some water from the bottle in the car.

Q. You were testing again on the Wednesday after the race. Were you still feeling tired after the weekend?

PdlR: No, not at all. I had spent 24 hours at home and had time to relax. I was feeling very motivated.