Quotes Roundup - Week Ending 9th Nov

The very best from the mouths of those in the know.

Reactions to the Brazilian Grand Prix

On the closest Formula 1 championship finish…

• “In all my years in Formula One, I haven’t seen such an incredibly exciting finish to a championship. I always said that we’d be fighting until the last corner of the last Grand Prix and that’s exactly what happened at the end of a brilliantly tense competition.” Luca di Montezemolo
• “He is great. Lewis went out there to win the title and he has won it. I believe the finale was amazing - but congratulations to Lewis. It was fantastic for the sport. It was fantastic for the television and an amazing finish.” Flavio Briatore
• “Both Felipe and Lewis are fantastic drivers to be honest. They have done the sport a credit, both of them, with their approach and their attitude. It is a shame that one of them had to lose as both did a great job.” Ross Brawn

Renault’s Driver Announcement

On the re-signing of Alonso and Piquet…

• “I have decided to stay with the ING Renault F1 team because, as I have often repeated this season, they have always been my first choice and I feel very happy and comfortable with them. It’s a very close-knit team with a competitive and winning mentality, and also a relaxed and warm attitude, which suits me perfectly.” Fernando Alonso
• “Although I have had a tough year, I have learned a lot from my rookie season and I will aim to put that experience to good use next season. I want to thank the team for their support this year and for the trust they have shown in me for the future.” Nelson Piquet Jr
• “This gives the ING Renault F1 Team one of the most exciting driver pairings with the perfect blend of youth and experience.” Flavio Briatore

Team Principals and Future Plans

On 2009 and beyond…

• “For me the reference point is BMW and the job they have done, it is pretty impressive. They have still to continue their climb but I think if we as a team achieve the competitiveness BMW manage to we will be quite pleased.” Ross Brawn
• “We have come a long way this season, but we need more and that requires some radical reorganisation of the management structure to ensure the maximum productivity. I would like to thank Colin Kolles for his tireless efforts in keeping such a small team alive and to Mike Gascoyne for bringing his wealth of technical expertise. Both have played an instrumental part in making the team what it is today.” Vijay Mallya
• “Formula One is set to experience the most significant rule changes in its history. Wide-reaching controls on aerodynamics systems will see the cars looking totally different in 2009, treadless tyres will be brought back and the totally new KERS technology introduced. “This may bring about shifts in the balance of power. This extremely challenging scenario does not alter our goal of fighting for the world championship title in 2009.” Mario Theissen