Q & A with Olivier Panis

Q: Olivier, what were your initial thoughts when you finally got into the car?

Olivier Panis: "When I arrived at Toyota I think the engine side was very stable already. The side which I think has improved (since then) is the aerodynamic - the new car has already made a big, big step forward. When I first got in the car I was a little bit worried about the downforce and already they have improved that."

Q: Did you see anything that you felt could be improved within the team compared to the others you have driven for?

Panis: "During the winter tests I think we needed to improve priorities, and I pushed really hard for that, and we now have some good direction to improve the car during the season. "

Q: Did you get to drive the old car? If so, how does it compare to the new one?

Panis: "I used the old car for one tyre test in Barcelona; the new engine is definitely stronger than that. I think the jump we have made with the car is very big from last year - I have no idea about the other teams."

Q: Ove Andersson stated that the car is different in all respects from last year; do you foresee any reliability problems because of this wholesale change?

Panis: "With the new car the engine has been working 16 hours a day (in the factory); and it is much more efficient for that."

Q: How do you think your new teammate (Cristiano da Matta) is coming to grips with the car and the team?

Panis: "It is difficult to say now because it is still new to him, but it was for sure a big shock to him to compare to the CART series because it is so different. The electronics are much more difficult, but I think he is learning this and is improving. I think for now he is competitive, but we need to wait until Melbourne for a comparison."

Q: Do you think he will struggle with the new qualifying rules given his lack of experience here?

Panis: "The new rule does not help him a lot, but he has a lot of experience in motor racing, and he won the (CART) championship. He is quick, and he learns quickly. Sometimes when he doesn't know the circuit maybe he is a little bit on the limit, but I think he will be okay."

Q: What sort of results do you think you and the team can achieve this year?

Panis: "We want to qualify regularly in the top ten, and I think we have the car to do that. I'm sure Toyota will win one time in the future; I don't know when, but I think early on. It's an amazing team, real big, very efficient. I am really positive about the future of Toyota, for the short term and the long term."