Thursday press conference - Canadian GP - Pt. 1.

Drivers: Giancarlo Fisichella (Renault), Franck Montagny (Super Aguri), Kimi Raikkonen (McLaren), Jacques Villeneuve (BMW Sauber).

Press conference.

Q:
Franck, a busy time for you last weekend, finishing second at Le Mans.
Franck Montagny:
Yes, quite a lot.

Q:
Completely different to this?

FM:
Completely different, but I think it's quite exciting to do this kind of race. For me, it's one of the most important races in the world and it gives you a really good feeling when you do this race.

Q:
And when you're having a tough time in Formula One, to be having a good time in another category.

FM:
It's just good, it's just good: back on the podium and to be able to set the fastest time in the car, fighting with a factory team like Audi and everything, it's a very good time for a driver.

Q:
And completely different type of cars?

FM:
Yeah, but I think it's the same philosophy. People are working on the car all year for one race. They work a lot on aerodynamic specification, on consumption specification and engine power and everything. It's the same way as we work (in Formula One), it's just a different race and a different philosophy during the race but all the work beforehand is exactly the same.

Q:
The team said you lost a lot of weight.

FM:
Well, they say what they want.

Q:
Was it very tough physically?

FM:
Not physically, more mentally. You do 24 hours, you run for two and a half hours, you stop and then you have to go again, and you're up for more than 30 hours, so it's quite difficult at the end when you go back at midday on the day after and you still have to focus and push without making any mistakes so for sure it's a little bit difficult but it's OK, everything went well.

Q:
In three weeks' time, your home Grand Prix at Magny-Cours, is it certain that you will be driving there for the Super Aguri team?

FM:
Well, I will be there for sure, 100 percent. I don't know exactly in which position I will be. I hope I will be part of the adventure there at my home Grand Prix but nobody knows yet.

Q:
Is it literally race-by-race?

FM:
Kind of, yes. It's a little bit difficult, but I'm quite happy anyway to be part of it for the moment. It was a little bit difficult at the beginning. Now it starts to be OK and now I just leave it, you know, and we see what happens next.

Q:
Kimi, winner from seventh here last year, and you've finished in the points every year that you've been here. In comparison to certain other teams and drivers, that's a pretty good record. Is it a place that you like?

Kimi Raikkonen:
Yeah, I like the circuit. OK, it's not the most challenging one, but it's good for racing. Last year was good, even if we had some problems with the car last year, we were still able to win and hopefully it also goes well this year.

Q:
With a record like that, is it something that you look at or...

KR:
I didn't even know but really, apart from last year, we always had some problems: once the tyre exploded and some other problems, but we've always been able to finish the race and get some points, so hopefully it's the same this year and I can try to repeat what happened last year.

Q:
What about testing last week; did that encourage you?

KR:
Yeah, it was not too bad, actually. We tried many different things and we had more time to work on the car than in many other tests that we've done. Not so much tyre work, so it was quite nice.

Q:
Everyone's going to talk about your future, but is it a worry for you or is it something that somebody else looks after or you know is settled?

KR:
No, it's no worry. I'm happy with what's happening now and I don't really need to worry about next year or any other years, so we will see what happens.

Q:
Giancarlo here says he knows his team mate next year is Finnish, is that correct?

Giancarlo Fisichella:
I was joking. Yes.

Q:
But obviously you have re-signed, is that a weight off your shoulders?

GF:
Yeah of course, it's great. It was my target to be with the team one more year and I'm just really confident about that, especially for the rest of the season. We have a fantastic humour (in the team) now, there is a great feeling in the team, the atmosphere is good. This is one of my favourite circuits. I've done quite well in the past here. I've never been on the highest step on the podium, but I think I had a chance to do that even last year when I was the leader of the race. Then I had a problem with the hydraulic pressure. But apart from that, as I told you, I have good confidence on this circuit and we've got a great package to do well this weekend again.

Q:
In a way, you've got a better record here than the team has.

GF:
Yeah, yeah. I think I've been on the podium four times and scored a lot of points here. Even in 2004 I finished fourth with Sauber, so I'm looking forward to Sunday.

Q:
What are the challenges of this circuit, when it comes to the car? Obviously you need low downforce for the straight but not necessarily for the slower corners.

GF:
Yeah, one of the biggest problems here is obviously the grip which is quite poor and especially tomorrow it's going to be very slippery and then on Saturday and especially Sunday it's going to be better but it's not easy with a low level of downforce and low grip to keep the car on the ground, try to brake as late as possible and to keep good speed into the chicane.

Q:
Can I just go back to something you said just now? You said 'one more year' with Renault. That sounds as though it's your last year, but I don't think you mean that, do you?

GF:
Another year, which is very important at the moment. I'm really happy to be the first driver who has signed the contract for next year with a top team, and it's one more year which is good for me at the moment.

Q:
So presumably your manager was able to find the team principal quite easily to settle that whereas Fernando's, last year, was unable to do that.

GF:
Yeah, yeah. We did a good job together.

Q:
Jacques, here we are back at your home circuit again. A lot of things have changed for you in the last few weeks: marriage, the record's release and a good result at Silverstone.

Jacques Villeneuve:
Yeah, 2006 seems to be a good and busy year. Yeah, everything is exciting. The year is going well and life outside of the car is going great, so there's nothing to complain about.

Q:
Do you think that record from Silverstone, with both of you finishing in the points, seventh and eighth, obviously it's useful to have those points but can you continue that in these two North American races?

JV:
Well hopefully. Silverstone was good because we got points... we deserved the points because nobody else had problems, which wasn't the case earlier in the season when we got points or two cars in the points when other teams failed to finish as well, so that was our best weekend as a team which is great before coming to Montreal.

Q:
When you come here, do you think about the past races, the less successful ones?

JV:
Well, there's been quite a few bad races here so I just try and think about '96 but that's quite a few years ago, so it's not that clear.

Q:
So let's talk about other records; what is the future of your musical career? Sounds a bit Bob Dylanish - the voice; is that a good thing to say?

JV:
Sure. Anything you can compare it to is a good thing to say. But no, the future is racing. My career, my job, everything has always been racing. I won't do anything that will take focus from the racing.

Q:
How many songs have you recorded so far?

JV:
Thirteen, there's an album ready.

Q:
Is that going to be published?

JV:
Definitely.

Q:
So it's a matter of when? Have they got to be re-recorded?

JV:
No, no. There are a lot of legal aspects that we're discovering, that's all. It's taking its time because I don't want it to take time away from the racing. One hundred percent of my focus is on the racing, that's all.

Q:
So it's for the off-season, then?

JV:
Off-season, holiday, weekend, whatever.