FORMULA I: UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX

June 19, 2004

Rubens Barrichello

Takuma Sato

Michael Schumacher

MODERATOR: Rubens, tenth pole position of your career, first this year. You've had quicker weekends here. What is it about you and Indianapolis then?

RUBENS BARRICHELLO: I don't think it's anything specific about Indianapolis. I've always liked it. I have always come here with pleasure. But it's just a fact that I think it's on a high. I mean, I think I finished quite well, Canada, even though the results didn't go, I was expecting a little bit better, but it's definitely on a high.

RUBENS BARRICHELLO: Well, I felt it when I started my lap, I went to the bank and it was very gusty and the car was moving around a little bit more. And so, you know, in a way, you just want to be precise more than actually be out in front because you quite easily can make a mistake in those circumstances, even though the car was behaving quite well. And so it was nice to get it done.

RUBENS BARRICHELLO: Yeah, I've always thought if I was preparing the tires or anything like this, but my car didn't feel as good as it should on the first sector, but it did feel quite good from there onwards. So, because the mid-series is probably the longest one. It was good to set a good time there.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER: No, not really. I mean, it went away in the second sector, though the last sector I was even quicker. I just slided around too much. I just couldn't keep it on track properly on line and there was a couple of corners against and Rubens found a better way to deal with it.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER: We are in the front row. I'm fighting against Rubens who has done a fantastic weekend. He's been very strong all weekend long and that's the way it is. That's the way we push each other.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER: Yeah I did, but maybe Rubens didn't get it together as good as I did at that stage, and now he got it together just perfectly.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER: Obviously, I still aim for one up and then my lowest one, but that's going to be the interesting one between us tomorrow and as well, Takuma and Jensen and whoever is in the position of doing so.

TAKUMA SATO: I don't know, it was a little bit gusty, and I wonder if the wind was a factor a little bit. But nevertheless I'm very happy with the result today. I'm particularly -- two cars in the second, last time, as I said. And I think it was a great result for the team, and I'm really pleased about it.

TAKUMA SATO: Well, that's a bit of a gray area. We really don't know about what is going on with the liability issues. Just I was a bit under and also Jensen's engine was quite on edges and anything can happen at any time. I always had a problem this season so far, but obviously the Honda, everybody is working really hard to solve the problem and obviously even the short times from Canada to here, we did a little, not treatment, but a little step for the engine for the liability issue. We hope, we hope this one is okay for this Grand Prix.

TAKUMA SATO: To win the Grand Prix, I think you need everything, but to be honest, trying to beat Ferraris is very, very difficult, as everybody has seen this year so far. But that's our aim and objective. So we're trying and obviously having had this practice session yesterday and today, it seems we picked a little bit of consistency through the longer run which they are always strong. And that's why we are hoping we can catch up with him and getting better and better all the time and that's what we hope for tomorrow afternoon.

RUBENS BARRICHELLO: It basically means that each one has to go 100 percent, otherwise he's going to be beaten and as we are racers, we don't want to be beaten.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER: I mean, not on course. Just next to me. (Laughter).

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER: I mean, we all want to sort of aim for the win, and to do this you have to finish and most of us know that. All of us, I guess.

RUBENS BARRICHELLO: You know, to be honest, as we were talking back here on Thursday, I've been saying that I've been through so many changes in terms of driving and I started the season driving one way, and I was finding it quite good and the pace, but qualifying I couldn't get it doing going. Obviously I did a little bit of adapting and right now I feel that I'm driving the best so far this season. So, I don't think it's specifically the racing track. Obviously, I like it. I think Indy, they could call it Mickey Mouse but it's a quite difficult part of Mickey Mouse; for to you go faster, it is quite difficult. It makes a challenge which for me is something quite nice. But for me obviously I think I've got it right in terms of setup, I'm quite happy with the car with the engine and the tires are, but there's no specific reason why is that. I think Michael has been going quite well on the sector one and probably sector two is the one that, not just in qualifying, but sector two I've always been quite happy with the racing car and making up some good times. Sector three, we are pretty much even. So, probably sector two.

RUBENS BARRICHELLO: Just the fact that, you know, it's just because everyone is asking that. I've been driving a little bit on my left foot more since the beginning of the season. But I'm naturally a right-footer, so obviously I'm kicking with both feet right now and the driver who kicks with both can do it better. I'm doing it both. I have just got better as the season progressed on this thing. I think I'm driving a little bit back to last season right now.

TAKUMA SATO: I think in Japan, I think they are very excited about this season. Obviously, like 15 years ago, we had a massive following for Formula 1 and then kind of we lost a little bit in the late 90s. But then they came back quite significantly this year, and I've got lots of maturing from Japan and I'm really feeling very positive information from all of the guys. So, we are very happy about the progress weâ??ve made.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER: I think the answer is yes. We have a good racing tire. We are doing some analysis on everything. You know, since we have been testing since December, the tire likes the heat, as well. We have proved that in Malaysia, so we are quite optimistic. Of course, we know that the competitors are quite eager to beat us or to win the race, but I think we can be quite optimistic, yes.