Q & A with Nelson Piquet Jr

Nelson Piquet Jr: It feels great, a big relief to finally do what we've waited a long, long time to do. It's really what we've all dreamed about - to get a win this season. To tell the truth I didn't think we were going to get a win this year, because we were a step or two behind already, but it just worked out brilliantly and the team did a great job. We did what the leaders did early in the race, and then we pitted early, and it just worked.

Q: What do you put the win down to - your speed, the strategy, or something else?

Piquet: I think, first of all, I did a really good race - I many very few mistakes, and I had a good car. I don't know why we were so much faster than everyone on the circuit, but the car was a bit better than the others. Even in Eau Rouge - I don't know if I had a better car, but I could follow guys, get a tow and overtake them. It just worked out perfectly.

Q: The conditions looked very tricky today - how was it inside the car?

Piquet: I was quite nervous because all the time we had a pace car, and I didn't know if I had to come in, stay out, what was the best decision. So I just decided to follow the leader and see what he does, and there were so many cars in front us, and I was scared that the rain would come and we'd have to come in again and we would lose the race, but everything worked out. I pushed very hard, managed to overtake a lot of cars, and did it.

Q: You came out on dry tyres, Viso came out on wets - which was the better call?

Piquet: I think both were quite similar - the wets were right on the edge to continue racing the way it was, and maybe the rain was right on the edge of not destroying the tyres - it was fifty-fifty. I just wasn't quicker because I was in traffic, but once I got some space in front of me I was driving clearly and good.

Q: How important is this first win for the team?

Piquet: It's very important - I think the whole team was waiting for it. It's like every driver and every team wants to get that first win, because it's more clear for you and you think you can do it again.

Q: The incident with Alex Premat - what happened from your point of view?

Piquet: I braked a bit hard - everyone was braking, and we were coming from sixth gear to first gear - I locked up a little and unfortunately I touched him, and these things happen sometimes. It was wet, and I was on slicks.

Q: You start in eighteenth tomorrow as a result - can you do anything from there?

Piquet: If it's raining, and there's a lot of mess on the first lap, then my goal is to score points - we'll see.