Renault F1 takes 1-2 in round 2 and rockets to championship favoritism

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Renault F1 takes 1-2 in round 2 and rockets to championship favoritism

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Ferrari F1 head Jean Todt: "Considering all the problems that we've had over the weekend, today our objective was to bring home some points and that's what we achieved. The team and the drivers worked well as did the Bridgestone tyres. Today it was very difficult for us because Michael, on a two-stop strategy was starting from 14th place on the grid and Felipe 21st, was on a one-stop strategy. The seven points that we've picked up - four with Felipe and three with Michael - are very important in as far as future prospects are concerned in that we're only at the start of the season. I'm very pleased for Felipe because he deservedly got his first championship points as a Ferrari driver. Now we have to work very hard in all areas so as to improve our competitiveness and reliability."

For Massa, it was his best result yet in the world’s premier Motorsport series: "I'm very pleased with this result and I would like to thank the team for an excellent job. To start from the last row and end up 5th is a good result. Our strategy worked well and I was able to make a good start. During the race I was able to push a bit more at the right moment knowing that during the other phases I would have needed to play more of a waiting game. I lost quite a bit of time behind some of the slower cars but when I had a free track I was able to improve my rhythm keep a good pace. It was a difficult race but finishing fifth gives me that extra bit of motivation for the next races where I hope to be able and compete with the front runners."

For Michael Schumacher was philosophical: "We can accept this result, considering everything that has happened over the weekend. I don't think that we could have achieved much more. On my second stint I wasn't as quick as I was on my first and third one, so now we need to understand the reasons why. All things said and done, the race went basically as I had expected even if one always hopes for something more. During my first pit stop I had to wait a fraction of a second before going out because another car was coming down the pit lane. This was a wise decision from the safety point of view. During the closing stages of the race I was not able to get past Felipe because I just wasn't fast enough and he didn't make any mistakes. This track has always been one of the most difficult for us. Melbourne is a completely different circuit and I hope that it will be better suited to our 248 F1. Now I'm going to take a few days off with my wife Corinna before travelling on to Australia."

Ross Brawn: "Obviously this result isn't too bad considering how we qualified. The tyre performance was consistent and this proves that we chose the right compound, especially in the first stint. Michael didn't quite have the pace in the second stint so we need to understand exactly why. That's why he lost the ground to Felipe and Heidfeld."

For Honda, the news was good. Jenson Button finished third, but within ten seconds of Fisichella and now sits alongside Michael Schumacher with 11 championship points, the closest of the drivers to Alonso’s already significant tally of 18 points.

From second on the grid he was embroiled in a race-long battle with Renault, holding P2 until Alonso squeezed out ahead of him after the second round of pitstops. Rubens Barrichello had a disappointing end to a difficult weekend, finishing 10th after incurring a stop-go penalty for speeding in the pit lane when he had been looking good for points.

Honda Sporting Director, Gil De Ferran was happy with the first podium of the year for the team. “We are happy with our first podium of the year. Jenson fought hard all afternoon but in the end we lacked a little pace and he lost some time in traffic during crucial periods of the race, especially around the second stop.

“Rubens was on course to be fighting for points, but unfortunately got a 10 second stop-go penalty for a pit lane speed violation. Another good note was the reliability of the engine, which in its second race showed no problems in dealing with the hot conditions we have encountered in Malaysia. We are certainly encouraged by our performance so far this season, but at the same time are determined to make further improvements and bring us closer to the fight. Let’s see what Australia brings."

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