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2002 Japanese Grand Prix 
What the teams and drivers said - Sunday 

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What the teams and drivers said - Sunday

Ferrari ( Michael Schumacher - 1st, Rubens Barrichello - 2nd ) 

Jean Todt: "A dream finale to a dream season. We could not ask for more. We have achieved a lot: fifteen wins, nine one-twos, Michael taking his third consecutive world title with Ferrari, after eleven races and Ferrari taking its fourth consecutive constructors’ championship after thirteen races. Rubens took second place in the Drivers’ classification with one race to go and we have scored 221 points, which is the same as all the other teams put together. It’s hard to imagine anything better. These figures are the result of the work done by a fantastic team, which, even in difficult times, has always enjoyed the support of President Montezemolo and the shareholders. This is the best way of thanking them. 
I also want to thank our partners: Bridgestone who were very keen to win here at Suzuka to celebrate their one hundredth grand prix in the best possible way: Shell, who provided essential technical support, Philip Morris who have always stuck by us and Vodafone, whose first year with us coincides with an historic season. 
A special word of thanks goes to all our other partners. None of this would be possible without such a unique and professional team. We have been through tough times which brought us closer together and we have always been united. My thanks go to the entire Scuderia, from the drivers to the security guards at our Maranello base. Now we will enjoy this result, but tomorrow morning we will continue to think about 2003. Rest assured that our motivation will be the same as this year’s. We know that, despite everything that is being said, it will be very difficult, because the opposition is very strong, especially those teams who have themselves experienced periods like the one we are going through now. 
Finally, I am looking forward to celebrating this dream season at the “Ferrari Days” event at Misano next weekend."

Michael Schumacher: "It’s hard to find the words to describe this season, but the results speak for themselves. Finishing all the races on the podium shows the quality of the work done by all the team. What they have achieved is unbelievable. I think today’s race was great for the Japanese fans as they saw two winners; me and Sato getting his first F1 points in his home event. As for the race, I got a good start, built a gap and that meant the pit stops could be planned at just the right time. All weekend we were quick so I was not surprised at the gap. I want to thank Bridgestone for a superb tyre, which worked very well even though we had never done a long run with it in these hot conditions. I am very happy for them that they have taken their 70th win in their 100th GP and in their home event. I also want to mention Ross (Brawn) who missed a race for the first time. Get well soon! 
Now, I plan to have a nice winter and come back stronger next year. But I expect next season to be tougher as the other teams get closer. That will be a challenge. I still think we will be in the fight for the titles and winning races but maybe we will not win races so consistently. But we don’t need to be as dominant as long as we still win. The Ferrari event in Misano next week will be a big celebration, but first we have tonight."

Rubens Barrichello: "I am very happy for me and for Ferrari. To be part of this family with such a great car is incredible. I must thank Bridgestone, with whom we worked even closer than usual over this weekend. We have had a wonderful season with them and all the hard work paid off and we will be even stronger next year. At the start, I lost a bit to Michael and then for the first few laps the car was bottoming out a bit too much, so I was being careful not to spin and damage the tyres. After the first stop, I was not completely happy with the balance of the car, but that was my only problem all afternoon and I could cope with it. Maybe we went a little bit the wrong way in our set-up for the race. But with the gap to those behind me, I just had to concentrate and maintain my pace. Anyway, with two wins in the last three races, I am very happy."

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McLaren ( Kimi Raikkonen - 3rd, David Coulthard - Retired )

Ron Dennis: "Despite the progress that we have made in the last two races, we are under no illusions that next year’s Ferrari will be only better. We have not lost the ability, knowledge and motivation required to win and coupled with the extensive restructuring and recruitment processes in both McLaren and Mercedes-Benz, the increased efforts from Michelin and ExxonMobil and the total commitment of David, Kimi and Alex, we believe that we can look forward to a much more competitive 2003 season. Both drivers did an excellent job this weekend. Our apologies to David and well done to Kimi."

Norbert Haug: "It’s nice for Kimi and the team to finish with a podium position in the final race of the 2002 Championship. It’s a pity for David that he had to retire early. We definitely know that we have to catch up the opposition. A very busy winter is lying ahead of the team."

Kimi Raikkonen: "Ralf Schumacher got past me at the start and as a result I was initially running in fifth. I had a fairly straight forward race until a few laps from the end when I experienced a fault with the throttle control system, which fortunately was rectified by the default strategy. At the end, I was able to take the final podium position when Ralf Schumacher retired. I claimed third in the first race in Australia and finished the last race in my first season with West McLaren Mercedes in third. I have enjoyed this year and am already looking forward to the start of testing."

David Coulthard: "I would have liked to finish the season with a podium which I think would have been possible today, so obviously I’m disappointed. I had the pace and was able to open up a gap to the cars behind. However I lost throttle at turn nine which I was told was due to a failure on one bank of the control system. I was able to get the car back to the garage but there was nothing the team could do. I will now enjoy a bit of a break and then we will resume testing on 26th November in Valencia."

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Williams ( Juan Pablo Montoya - 4th, Ralf Schumacher - Retired - Classified 11th)

Sam Michael: "It is a shame to have one car fail in the last race. Ralf did a good job with a solid drive for 3rd place but then unfortunately retired due to an engine problem. Juan brought home his car in fourth place to secure his third place in the drivers’ championship. We had good pit stops today and our pit crew has shown a good step forward in the pit lane throughout the season. Today’s race highlighted again that we have a lot of work to do before the next season starts in Melbourne. Ferrari has dominated the whole year as they did here in Suzuka."

Mario Theissen: "Ralf drove a fantastic race, with no mistakes. He missed the podium position that he was hoping for at the very last moment due to an engine failure. We will clarify the reason for the failure in Munich by stripping the engine. It is cold comfort for us the fact that in the 2002 season we have completed the highest number of laps of all teams."

Juan Pablo Montoya: "The strategy for me today was really bringing the car home and this is what I did. The car was a bit oversteery in the first part of the race but it improved after we made some little changes during the pit stop. I started closing the gap to the cars in front of me but then towards the end I thought that it was really pointless to push anymore and jeopardise my position. After Ralf’s failure I was told to take it easy and this is what I did. I am obviously delighted that I have achieved third place in the Drivers’ Championship in my second season in F1. It’s been a good season and the only regret I have is that I could not get any race victories."

Ralf Schumacher: "I was having a good race today, my car was well balanced and third place was only four laps away. The fact that I had to retire is therefore even more painful. Now we are going to collectively concentrate on the next season in order to do a better job."

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Jordan ( Takuma Sato - 5th , Giancarlo Fisichella - Retired )

Eddie Jordan: "I have to admit I didn’t expect Takuma to come here and qualify seventh and finish fifth. He drove a perfect race and showed the talent I’ve been telling everyone about. He had a little problem with understeer in the middle of the race but the team called the right shots when James (Key) and Gary (Anderson) decided to give him more front wing at his pit stop. You could see it transformed the car to make it more competitive and then he was away. It has been a tough battle in the Championship midfield this season and finishing sixth is very important to us as it brings us respectability. I’m very pleased for Takuma as he did a great job. The crowd went wild for him and I’m sure there will be a party in town tonight."

Takuma Sato: "That was incredible! One point was what I was after, but I’ve scored two, which is excellent for the team. I really appreciate what the team and especially the mechanics have done. The car was really good and the strategy, tyres and engine all worked together well today. The crowds were unbelievable, waving at me on every single lap and I saw everything! It was great and I appreciate the fans. This is one of the best feelings in my life and I’m so happy to score two points for the team."

Giancarlo Fisichella: "The start was bad when my race car blew up on its installation lap. I jumped into the T-car, which was set up for Takuma, the engineers and mechanics did a good job to quickly change it for me. My race start wasn’t good and unfortunately there was a lot of understeer, which was completely different from this morning’s warm-up. Later the engine gave up. I’m really happy for Takuma for finishing fifth though as it’s fantastic both for him and the team."

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Renault ( Jenson Button - 6th, Jarno Trulli - Retired )

Flavio Briatore: "It was a good way to conclude this season. We are satisfied because we have fulfilled our objective for this year by securing fourth place in the Constructors Championship. However, we are still too far behind the top teams and we have to work very hard over the winter to try and close the gap. I would like to thank the whole Team for their dedication and commitment this season, our main partner Japan Tobacco and all our sponsors for their continued support. Special thanks to Jenson, who has done a great job and who will not be with us next season. We sincerely wish him the best of luck and success for his future."

Pat Symonds: "Today was a difficult race dictated by our poor grid positions. In the first stint both drivers reported that the Jordan was holding them up, so we decided to stop early. This worked and got Jarno and Jenson in front of Sato. Unfortunately for us, it appears that he made a few adjustments to his car in the first pit-stop which improved his times. We were not able to keep track position after the second stop, this coupled with losing time with the blue flag, meant we weren't able to re-challenge him again later in the race. Nevertheless we finished the season in much better shape than last year and finished with three point-scoring races in a row. Now we must look forward to next season and to be able to regularly challenge for podium positions."

Jenson Button: "It's great to get a point for the team and myself. It has been an up and down season, but has been good for my experience. It has been fun working with the team and I wish them all the best for next year."

Jarno Trulli: "Unfortunately it has been an unlucky weekend for me here in Suzuka - especially after the car looked so promising after qualifying yesterday. Through the start of the race the car was performing well, with good lap times. Just before my second pit-stop I experienced a mechanical problem. We haven't yet been able to get to the bottom of it yet. Even though I didn't finish the race, I am happy for Jenson, as he drove a good race to get sixth. Jenson has been a good team mate and we have worked well together this season and I wish him well for next year."

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Sauber ( Nick Heidfeld - 7th, Felipe Massa - Retired  )

Peter Sauber: "I am relieved that we were able to retain our fifth place in the World Championship for Constructors. Looking at the season overall, SAUBER PETRONAS deserved this result. We were not competitive enough in the last part of the year to continue our fight for fourth place, but given the intensity of the competition we should not be disappointed. I want to thank the entire team for creating such a reliable car and for the marvellous job they have done throughout this season. We are already working hard on the C22 for 2003, and will incorporate all the valuable lessons we have learned this year."

Nick Heidfeld: "I made a very good start and went from 12th to 10th, so I was happy with that. The balance of the car was pretty good in the first two sectors of the race, but went off a little in the third. I really would have liked to score a point, but it was most important to finish and we achieved this. Congratulations to the team for its fifth place finish overall."

Felipe Massa: "I got my car over the kerb exiting the Degner Curve and then I lost a bit of downforce as I was right behind Villeneuve so I just couldn't get back on the road. I'm disappointed to finish my last race for the team this way, but I would like to say thank you to Peter Sauber for the opportunity to race in Formula One this year, and to all my engineers and mechanics for their help and support."

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Toyota ( Mika Salo - 8th, Allan McNish - Did Not Start )

Fujio Cho: "I am sorry that Allan did not race today, but I am pleased that Mika concluded Panasonic Toyota Racing's first season in F1 with an eighth-placed finish. I am very grateful to both Mika and Allan for their performance over the last two years. We have realised that F1 is much tougher than expected. We do want to make significant progress in 2003 and the experiences we have gained this season will be a real benefit to us."

Ove Andersson: "I am very happy we could end our first season in Formula 1 on a relatively high note with Mika finishing the race in 8th. However, I am sad for the Japanese fans that they couldn't see Allan racing today. To sum up, I think that for a debut year we have had a very successful season and I look forward to an even better one in 2003."

Mika Salo: "It wasn't the most exciting of races to be honest. There was a problem with the final set of tyres, which gave a lot of understeer. We had a sensor failure, which cost us a lot of time in the middle of the race, but again the guys used bi-directional telemetry to help that. All in all the race was nothing special, but it was good to see the chequered flag on my last race with the team."

Allan McNish: "I was very disappointed not to be racing in Suzuka with Panasonic Toyota Racing at the last race of the season. Following yesterday's accident I rested overnight and I did the warm-up this morning feeling fine. As a racing driver, I would have liked to race this afternoon, but I accept the FIA medical team's decision and I am very sorry for the team and all the Japanese fans."

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Jaguar ( Eddie Irvine - 9th, Pedro de la Rosa - Retired )

Niki Lauda: "It’s been an extremely tough season and one that we have managed to salvage something out of given the horrendous issues we began the season with on the Jaguar R3. To have finished the season in seventh place is just reward for the incredible hard work that has gone into correcting the problems we began the season with. We started the season as the last team on the grid and it very unusual to correct serious issues like we had, albeit over the course of a season. Finishing the year in sixth place would have been a dream but not really reflective of the reality. Since Melbourne, we have changed everything possible on the car apart from the drivers’ tub but there is a limit to how much can be achieved mid-season. Nonetheless, the car improved drastically from the one we started with and no doubt the highlight of the season was finishing on the podium in Monza – something that no other teams have achieved this season except Ferrari, BMW Williams and McLaren-Mercedes. A lot has been learned and passed onto the development of next year’s car, which is now well underway. In fact, we begin testing the brand new 90-degree engine next month and given the magnitude of changes that we have made this season at every level of our organisation, we are now all focused on the exciting new project that is the Jaguar R4."

Eddie Irvine: "There was simply no grip out there today and this made life very tough indeed. It was always an ambitious target to prevent the Hondas from scoring points today and in the end, they took away what they deserved. I love racing at Suzuka but today was a tough challenge, particularly when it came to passing anyone. We have suffered from a general lack of downforce all weekend but seventh place is an improvement on last year and that’s about as much as anyone could have asked for given the shocking problems we began the season with."

Pedro de la Rosa: "Yet another race I want to forget about. I don’t really have anything different to what Niki and Eddie have already said. The car has been a handful all weekend and given the huge aerodynamic demands the circuit places on cars, none of us are really surprised with today’s conclusion, although the transmission problem came as a surprise. We all expected a hard time here and that’s exactly what we got. It is, however, unfortunate to have lost sixth place in the Constructor’s Championship but that’s racing. We have learned a lot this season and we must now look forward and focus hard on 2003."

Minardi ( Mark Webber - 10th, Alex Yoong - Retired )

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BAR (  Jacques Villeneuve - Retired, Olivier Panis - Retired )

David Richards: "This isn’t the way we wanted to conclude the season but we have to put the disappointment behind us now and look to the future.
I never underestimated the challenge of transforming B.A.R into a future World Championship contender and the same is true of our partner Honda. We have endured some difficult times this season but we have worked together to overcome our problems and make steady but significant progress. I would like to thank the team for all their hard work and congratulate them on a job well done. It has been a very tough season but when I look at where we started and where we are now, I am convinced that this level of commitment from everyone at B.A.R Honda bodes well for some very rewarding times ahead.
Finally, I would like to wish Olivier the very best of luck for the future. He has been a great asset to the team over the last couple of years and has played a significant role in our development."

Geoffrey Willis: "2002 has been a difficult year and a much bigger challenge than I anticipated. However, thanks to a great deal of hard work by the team behind the scenes, we have begun to see improvements from our reorganisation earlier in the year.
The performance of the chassis is largely determined at the initial design so we have been restricted in our ability to improve it to any major extent. However, we have made a good step forward with our mechanical reliability and have introduced a number of performance improvements. Honda have certainly made progress, particularly towards the end of the season, and this gives us great encouragement for the potential of our partnership. Our strategy for next season is to build a solid, reliable car, capable of regular points finishes. The steady progress we have seen this year gives us the momentum we need to go on and achieve that."

Jacques Villeneuve: "I didn’t get a good start and lost 5 places on the first lap, but things started to pick up after the first pitstop. I was having a good battle with Fisichella but he’s a very tough guy to overtake because his car can be very wide! If we’d carried on like that we could have ended up going off and that’s not a very fair way to go about racing. In the end, the engine gave way and that was the end of my race.
At least we’ve made progress throughout this season and this is the first time that has happened at B.A.R so that’s a positive. Next year will definitely be a lot better so we have to look forward now. I wish Olivier all the best for the future. He has been a great team-mate and we’ve worked very well together over the past couple of years."

Olivier Panis: "I felt something tighten just a few laps into the race and I stopped in the pits for the team to check out the car. I did another lap before pulling into the garage and the team did a great job to identify the problem. I rejoined the track for another lap but the car was undriveable and there was no way I could continue. It’s disappointing because I really wanted to finish well for the team today but it wasn’t to be.
It’s always sad when you leave a team, especially when you have worked well together. This year has been tough for me but the team have made good progress and I’m glad I was able to contribute to that. I want to thank everyone – the race team, the test team and the people back at the factory – for all their hard work over the last two seasons. I have really enjoyed working with them. I would also like to thank Jacques for being a great team-mate. Our relationship has been very good and I wish him and the team every success for the future. Auf Wiedersehen."

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Arrows - Missed the GP due to financial problems

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