After the Australian Grandprix, the three podium finishers joined the press in the post race press conference.  First place finisher David Dominguez of GRIDline Racing UK, second place finisher Redspeed GrandPrix’s Muhammed Patel,and third place finisher, Rothmans Canon Racing’s 3 team driver Drazen Cokor.

Q: To start of with you David, congratulations on your first win. It looked like an easy drive from the viewers point.  How do you feel about the race yourself?

DD: Thank you. I am extremely happy with my first race here, even more when you know that I did my first laps only
last thursday. I had feeling with the car immediately, so no real wonder that I knew my pace would be good. It might have looked a bit easy, because in the first laps my rivals were battling very hard. I was only marginally faster as Patel and people like Kammann, Nicholls and Hesse had troubles during the race.

Q: As this was your first race, what are your thoughts about the championship so far?

DD: I think Jan ( Kammann resp. ) is the man to beat this season. He looks fast, probably the fastest driver on track at this stage of the season. But all depends if he can hold up this pace when new, fast drivers join the Championship.

Q: Do you expect yourself to be more often up the highest place on the podium this season? Even more, do you believe you  have what it takes to battle for the title this season?

DD: I don’t expect anything this year, I have to miss a couple of races, as I’m focussing on other series too. But if I am racing, I will race to win, nothing more, nothing less.

Q: Thank you David, now we have some questions for you Muhammed. Congratulations on your first podium finish of the season, did you think you were able to come back to second place after an eighth place in qualifying?

MP: Well…I knew it would be a hard job to make it to a podium position. However, knowing it was Melbourne and many accidents will take place,  and also with not much testing I knew I would grow in confidence with every lap. Also, it helped me achieve 3rd with a fantastic start.  But to be honest, I wan’t expecting 2nd. Maybe 3rd or 4th.

Q: As for the winner, this was your first race aswell, do you expect to be involved in the championship battle?

MP: That is the hope for all of us, but you can’t get your hopes up too much. Melbourne is a race where funny things happen.  It’s a long season and with the competition at GPO, it will be a hard task.

Q: Final question for you, what are your predictions for the upcoming race in Malaysia? Do you expect to be upfront again?

MP: I expect the usual runners will be upfront, David will be hard to beat, but Kammann will be pushing him all the way.  Jack and Sven should be there too. For me, I hope to be up front. However with limited track running and also Sepang  being one of my not so good races. I would be happy with a good haul of points.

Q: Thank you Muhammed, now on to Drazen. After a solid second place in Bahrain, you took your second podium finish already in Melbourne, how do you feel about it?

DC: Very, very happy. Because, before the race this was my target, be on the podium, after  some very good drivers joined in the GP-O league. I finished the race infront of winner of the first race and leader in championship and that made me happy even more!

Q: Do you expect to hold up this great form you are in for the next races?

DC: I think I can. Because now come some tracks which is suited for me even more than Sakhir and Melbourne and I think that I will be in top 5 finish for sure. Qualifying is my paintful point, not fast enough but somehow always compromise with stable race pace better position at the finish. This is my major problem.

Q: Final question of the day, who do you think are your main competitors and why?

DC: For now, definetly Kammann. He is fast and he is the winner of the first race, and with more my tests maybe I can beat him head on head on track. Dominguez and Patel is to fast and if he both stays in GP-O then I will be in second plan. There is a lot of very fast drivers but for now they just don’t come in on the races.  All in all I am very pleased with the results for now and that give me motivation more to keep on high level.

Q: Thank you all for your time, good luck in Malaysia!

One Response to “GPO Challenge – Post-Race Press Conference”