FIA F3

Valencia SC: Qualifying press conference

GP3 Series: Esteban congratulations on your first pole position, but I guess it's probably not the way you really wanted to get it. Esteban Gutierrez: Yes I mean it was a really competitive session and sometimes it happens you know. When you're on ...

Published: Jun 26, 2010, 7:22 PM

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GP3 Series: Esteban congratulations on your first pole position, but I guess it's probably not the way you really wanted to get it.

Esteban Gutierrez: Yes I mean it was a really competitive session and sometimes it happens you know. When you're on the limit you have to fail sometimes. So yes this is what happened but in the end we have time to fix the car and hopefully it will be fine for the race. We are very happy with the performance of the car and the performance of the team. I am very grateful and we are looking forward to the race.

GP3 Series: Certainly the accident not withstanding you certainly looked you had good pace today, you had a much better performance in quail than you've had in the last coupe of events. What do you think is the difference?

Esteban Gutierrez: Well it's just that we have been improving the car in qualifying because we have been struggling a bit -- not too much because we have still been quick, but we are still missing some time on the new tyres so this is what we are trying to do and I was pushing a bit and made the mistake.

GP3 Series: Was there much damage?

Esteban Gutierrez: Yes it's quite a lot so we have to now focus on fixing the car in the right way.

GP3 Series: Well you're with a good team and they know to repair cars. You've done pretty well in the races so far and now you're starting at the front what are your thoughts on the race?

Esteban Gutierrez: Well I think it will be a good opportunity for me. Starting on the first row is a big advantage, even on a street circuit. We will see but you can never predict anything but I will do my best with what I have and hopefully we can have a good result today.

GP3 Series: Roberto, P2 today in your first ever GP3 Series qualifying session. You must be very happy?

Roberto Merhi: Yes it's ok because to come here and be second and just half a tenth to the pole, it is quite okay and I didn't really have my perfect lap because I made a few mistakes but anyway the team did a really good job and I think the car today was very fast and we would've been able to do the pole. But unfortunately I have a three place penalty because of yellow flags yesterday but I hope that I can still win the race.

GP3 Series: You attended the test session last week at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, but that's the only time you've been in the car. We're you surprised by your performance today?

Roberto Merhi: Yes Valencia was my first time in the car and it's quite different to the F3 car and to today I was not expecting to be second I think it's really good for the team and for me.

GP3 Series: Even with the penalty P5 is still not too bad for your first race. What do you think will happen in the race?

Roberto Merhi: In the race I will try to make a good start. I don't have a lot of experience but normally I make good starts, and I hope I can win. My goal is to win because I come here for a race win.

GP3 Series: Robert P3 today in an eventful session for you. How was it inside the car?

Robert Wickens: Yes I mean we struggled yesterday an d I made a lot of mistakes driving wise so we needed to have a good look at everything after free practice and gain our composure and go on with the game plan that we did. We followed our strategy to a T and to be honest I think we are not necessarily dominant because that's not the word, but we had a very strong qualifying session. I was never outside of the top 3 from what I could see on the pit board. There's a lot positives to take away. I didn't even get a lap on my second set due a mistake by myself clipping the barrier, but in the end Gutierrez followed me about a sector later. It was a good result for the team especially after yesterday. Now we have to go into the race and bounce back with some points.

GP3 Series: It's a place where you have to drive within yourself because of the barriers, but do you think you had anymore left in you if you'd kept going?

Robert Wickens: Oh absolutely, I mean I did both my best sectors on my in lap before going in for a second set, so maybe we should've finished that lap and we might've been P1, but thought we'd definitely get a run on my second set. The lap times definitely there was a lot of potential. It's a bit frustrating we didn't get P1 because we deserved it in my opinion, but hats off to Gutierrez, he was quickest today and yesterday. We will just have to take him off that top spot.

GP3 Series: P3 is a positive result after the last event, so your thoughts on the race today?

Robert Wickens: Yeah I mean Istanbul was a struggle for us, we had some issues which finally got resolved for race 2 but the damage was already done. There is a lot of potential for the race, I think we have a very good race balance, we have all year. Going into the race I am very confident and I am just going to try and get some points on the board again.

-source: gp3

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