Q & A with David Richards

Q. This result today â€" was it what you expected?

David Richards:

I was targeting both cars in the top six.

Q. It's really difficult now to look at the times a car is setting and work out the actual pace of it …

DR:

You know I used to think that, people watch sport because it's unpredictable â€" they don't watch it if they know the result is going to be 10-0 or something.

Q. Do you think you're going to see anyone run four stops tomorrow?

DR:

Four stops â€" no â€" no I don't think that's possible.

Q. In that case do you think the time difference between yourselves and Ferrari is livable?

DR:

I think the Ferrari's are incredibly quick â€" I'm just stunned by their performance this weekend, and it's caught me entirely unawares to be honest.

Q. So you don't think it's fuel loads, you don't think there is any difference like that?

DR:

I just think that that car is superb.

Q. There was a year of complete dominance by Ferrari in 2002 which damaged the sport a lot, somewhat repaired last year â€" what would another year of dominance do to the sport?

DR:

Well let's not count our chickens â€" this event tends to through up strange results, and it tends to be cooler â€" when we go to Malaysia it will be hotter and I think we'll see a different result there. You can't prejudge anything â€" we haven't even had the first race of the season and you're already castigated the whole series! I think we should just wait a little bit.

Q. Your performance will be better in Malaysia then it will be here?

DR:

I think the Michelin tyre performance tends to be a bit better in hot conditions, so I'm relying on that a little bit.

Q. Do you think you've got the full potential from the tyres yet?

DR:

Whether we've got the full potential I don't know, but we certainly feel comfortable with what we've done.

Q. Traditionally Melbourne has had some odd results because of a lack of reliability â€" do you think that ironically this could be somewhat resolved because of the new engine rule?

DR:

No, no â€" any little glitch, and we've had a number of glitches ourselves, and it's unpredictable despite all that â€" anything could happen. I think people will be getting a little nervous towards the end of the race â€" engine people especially, for sure.

Q. What was the problem with Jenson yesterday?

DR:

Electrical master switch â€" it just jumped. Over a bump or something, we're not sure, or because of a tear off â€" he tore it off at just that second, and he thinks it might have landed in the loop that pulls the switch! An extraordinary fluke!

Q. But you think it's sorted either way?

DR:

It will be sorted.