Stephen Hendry Q&A

"I've always been a massive Schumacher fan. In any sport I support the best, the winner, but this year Coulthard has been fantastic. He's driven more the way Schumacher drives, and has been more aggressive."



"Oh yeah, it will be fantastic if he won the World Championship - a tremendous achievement. Especially as he's always been in Hakkinen's shadow, hasn't he?"



"I think the common thing in any sport, no matter what the physical attributes are, is how the best perform under pressure. And that's the same in any sport. If it's easy, we would all do it. Obviously, qualifying is the big thing in F1. It's real pressure, because they only get three or four chances to get it right. It's like snooker, if a match goes to a final frame - you know if you miss an easy ball, the other guy might clear up. So you've got to do it there and then, when the pressure's on. That's what really impresses me about other sportsmen."



"It's incredible. And it can all go on the first corner of a race. It's amazing pressure, and as I say that's when the best really come through. You watch practice sessions on Saturday morning, and see drivers going fast, and come qualifying, they're further down. That's what separates the really good from the best, who are just a bit above them."



"They're fantastic. I think everybody knows that F1 wouldn't be the same if Murray wasn't commentating. And I know Martin's been given an award, so he is probably one of the best sports pundits on the telly. He explains it so well to the people at home. It's brilliant."



"I have driven single-seaters, just on sponsor days, and when I had a Ferrari I went to Mugello, where they teach you how to drive properly. But my car control isn't good enough to be on the track with other people at the same time!"



"I sold it. Having a family, it wasn't practical, and it just sat in a garage all the time, rotting away. They don't go up in value any more so there was no point in keeping it. Now I drive a Mercedes jeep - it's boring but practical..."



"The snooker season starts in a couple of weeks, so I now won't be able to come to any more. I would love to, but I've got to go back to work!"



"It's a lot harder now. No one player dominates snooker any more. There are more people capable of winning, so ultimately it makes it a better achievement if you win a tournament, so the challenge is greater."