Zoom Penalties a topic for debate in Shanghai

Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Robert Kubica and Kimi Raikkonen take questions this afternoon at the Shanghai International Circuit.

Q: (Chinese media) Kimi, you said you would challenge for a win for your birthday present, so what will you do if you are first and Felipe was second?
KR: I always try to win but hopefully we are in a position this weekend to fight for that. I know what the team expects from me and I know what they want, they want both championships, so we will see how the race goes and where we are and then maybe there is some different approach we can take. That we will see during the race.

Q: (Chinese media) Fernando, you said earlier this week you would do your best to help Felipe win the World Championship. Could I ask in which aspects in detail, what you will do? By the way, my home city is the sister city of Oviedo.
FA: Very good. Obviously I was asked this question. When I said this in Fuji what I meant is that now we have a competitive car it seems that we are able to fight sometimes with Ferrari and McLaren and first of all we need to have a competitive, hard car here in Shanghai and Brazil to be fighting with Ferrari and McLaren. If we do that and Felipe wins the race and I can be second or third I will be happy to help Felipe to take as many points as possible and this is the only approach.

Q: (Livio Oricchio – O Estado de Sao Paulo) To all drivers. What do you think about the last punishment by the stewards? Do you agree or do you feel some hesitation next time you try to overtake your competitor?
LH: We both had penalties, Felipe and I, but that is motor racing. You move forward and try to avoid it in the future.

Q: ((Livio Oricchio – O Estado de Sao Paulo) Does it affect your driving?
LH: No.

RK: It is very easy. I haven’t seen them, so I cannot judge them. I don’t know what happened.

FA: It is the same as always. We probably believe that there are too many penalties because sometimes the races are decided by the stewards. Sometimes they are wrong, sometimes they are fair.

KR: I haven’t been hurt too badly by any of those but I mean sometimes it is difficult to say. Everybody has their own opinions whether it is right or wrong and that is always going to be the case. Some like it, some not and for me it is okay. Whatever we say is not going to change much, so there is no point to put too much input in.