Q & A with Timo Glock

Q. Timo, I noticed a comment from John Howard recently, Lewis Hamilton came into F1 this time last year with a lot of hype after being GP2 Champion, and you were in the same sort of position and he has compared you favourably with Lewis. What do you think about that?

Timo Glock: I mean, I raced against Lewis in 2006 and I think we had a couple of good fights in the end, a couple of close races where he beat me and I beat him sometimes, so I think the level was quite good but at the end he did make a good season last year. I mean, it's quite difficult to repeat like he did.

Q. Timo, also have you had sufficient testing time in the car in the last few weeks?

TG: It wasn't too bad. I mean, we had a couple of good changes in the car but still not where we wanted to be and at the end we still have another couple of tests and we can develop it before we come to Australia.

Q. The car is quite radically different than previous seasons, almost as if they have thrown the development of the last two seasons out the window. Is it a case that this car will make an impact later this season rather than sooner as new packages are developed?

TG: Yeah, I think that's right. We have completely changed the concept, especially the aerodynamic around the car and I think Formula One is so complex it's difficult to understand it from one day to the other and at the moment that's where we try to work as hard as possible, to understand the car as quickly as possible and to be competitive in Australia but I think that ... The main difference maybe when can get out of the car over the year and that's what I'm hoping for.

Q. One thing I want to ask you is rarely will a young driver get a second chance at Formula One. Do you count yourself lucky that you are getting another shot?

TG: There are not so many guys who make their way back again in F1, which makes me quite happy. We worked pretty hard in the last couple of years to get the second chance again in F1 and at the end. I'm really happy about it and I try to take the chance and use it again and to do my best.

Q. Another thing, have you really put a time-frame on when you expect to at least get podiums, if not your first win?

TG: No, that's difficult in Formula One because next year the rules change, we have another rule change and the car will change completely again so it's quite difficult to make a plan when you are on the podium.

I mean, for me the main target is to work the hardest possible and at the end to try to be the top eight in the points and as soon as possible in the top five, but it's hard work and when you see other teams they struggle as well.

I mean, Renault were fighting for the championship, won it two times, and in the following year they couldn't be so competitive again and that shows the picture how complex Formula One is. That's the reason why it's difficult to make a plan when you want to be on the podium or not.

Q. Just one more thing. I know Bernie Ecclestone is definitely pushing for more night races in Formula One. What's your take on that, are you looking forward to it or would you like to see more night races?

TG: Yeah, I drove a night race in America and it was quite a lot of fun and I think that's good entertainment, good for the fans, a good show, but first of all we have to see how it is this year. I think when it's a good show and I will prefer to do some more, yeah. Why not.

Q. I'll start the ball rolling with the Toyota package this year. It was probably a bit of a disappointing year for Toyota in 2007. Do you think it's going to be a big improvement for 2008?

TG: Depends. All the other teams I would say make every year a step as well. For us, when we compare the 2007 car with the 2008 car, we definitely made a step in the right direction, but on the other side all the other teams made a step forward as well.

So at the moment maybe (it) looks like we didn't do a step because time wise we are the same like last year in terms of the gap to the top teams. But at the end I think we will see the clear picture... in terms of how much can we develop the car and how much closer we can come to the top teams and make the gap smaller."

Q. How comfortable are you with the '08 car, do you think you've gotten to grips with it so far or do you have a bit of work to do?

TG: I'm quite comfortable with it so that's one positive side of it, but still we have to understand the car, the aerodynamics around the car, we have to understand it even better and that's what I tried to do before. I mean, I have no problems - as soon as I jumped the first time in the car I had quite a good feeling for myself.

Q. Williams using the same engines as Toyota, they've done very well last year and they're obviously looking to make a step up, as are you. Are you guys going to directly compare yourselves to Williams or do you think it's irrelevant?

TG: You have to compare first all the teams but at the end Williams seems like they have a good car this year and they've quite a lot of experience from the past. The team won a lot of world championships and at the end you have to pull up against everybody in the paddock and not only against one team.

Q. I just wanted to touch back on your experience at this level. Do you think that will help you? You've only had the four races but will that be of benefit as you go into your first season?

TG: I would say it's not a disadvantage that I have some experience in 2004 but again it changed already again from 2004 to 2007 or 2008 and I think in the end it's not such a big advantage for myself but at the end I know how a Formula One weekend is going, how hard the job is over the year and maybe that's positive for myself that I have already set it up for the year and I know what I have to do.

Q. Have you been surprised - I suppose you know how hard it is but have you been surprised as to how much work you have to do before the season or you just know what it takes and you just got it done?

TG: I would say - I mean, it's really hard work before the season and I knew that before and that's the reason why I started with a fitness program already last year quite early and tried to be the fittest possible in terms of the fitness before I jumped the first time in the car.

And that was already quite positive for me, I think, because testing is quite hard over the year, especially for the first race; you have to do quite pretty much the most testing over the year in the beginning of the season and I think that's already quite hard but I have no problems with that.

Q. Locally, your first chance here in Melbourne. What can you tell us about the track, what are you expecting from the track?

TG: I did the Friday practice in 2004 so I know the track already so that's positive for me. I mean, I will arrive couple of days earlier in Melbourne and I'm looking forward to it because at the end I think it's one of the nicest places to race. And I like Melbourne Park, I like Melbourne and I'm looking forward. I'm coming over with a friend and hope we can have some time off and try to relax a little bit.

Q. There's been a little bit of talk about Melbourne perhaps trying to hang onto the race, whether it might be shifted elsewhere. Obviously you'd like to see it stay here in Melbourne, given your comments there?

TG: I mean, I can't make ... we drivers cannot make any decisions where we race or where we not race but at the end, as I said, I'm looking forward to the race this year and I hope it can stay but at end it's not the decision that the drivers made and it's up to the FIA.

Q. Timo, has Jarno Trulli offered any comments over the last few weeks in testing as to how the TF108 feels compared to the old car?

TG: I mean, he made the same comments as me. He said that the car made a step forward and it's the right direction but still we have to improve ourselves.

Q. So is it a case of it's got more stability mechanically because it's a longer wheel based car?

TG: Yes, there is more stability under braking especially and that could come down to the longer wheel(base) ... but at the end I think we improved everywhere.