Jos: "we're getting there, step by step"

Published on 03 July 2002 by Thorsten Hendriks

Just before the British Grand Prix again our bi-weekly interview with Jos Verstappen. Surprisingly he is at home for a change.

Did you enjoy the Football World Championship?
"It was a good tournament. A lot of surprises. I am happy Brasil won and not Germany.”

Talking about World Championships, last weekend the second round of karts took place in Finland. How did that go?
“Not very well. We had a lot of bad luck. There are 3 qualifications and in all of them Giedo van der Garda was very unlucky. In the first one he was pushed off, in the second one he had to avoid colliding with someone who had a broken engine and in the last one he broke a piston spring. In both finales he had to start from the back row. In the first one he manages to go through to place 11 but then his engine breaks. More or less his own fault because the engine did not get enough fuel due to the high revs. In the second finale he manages to finish fourth. At least we received some points but we have dropped to fifth overall."

Minardi has invited you to drive a two seater race. Have you accepted it yet?
“I'm not sure. Paul Stoddart invited me through Huub Rothengatter. If possible I will go, I have more obligations for instance the karting World Championship.”

Ferrari received a penalty of 1 million US Dollars for their podium antics in Austria. That will give them some sleepness nights...
“It is not a real penalty. If they wanted to penalise Ferrari they should have docked their points. Well, you know what it is. These kind of penalties are just politics. There is a lot involved and Ferrari is an important part of Formula 1.”

What would you have done? You drive the whole race up front and in the last corner you are ordered to let your team mate pass you.
“Well, team orders are everywhere. As I said, there is a lot involved in Formula 1. I can understand it from a teams' point of view. The sooned they can safeguard their World Championship the better. For the drivers it is no fun. What I would do? If I am told to brake and let my team mate pass, my radio has gone dead."

The FIA wants to make the qualifications more appealing by maken the teams use one set of tyres every 15 minutes and then hand them in, used or not. What is your opinion on that?
“Some qualification sessions are fun, some aren't. I think they are exaggerating by saying that all qualification sessions are boring. Personally I find the races more boring lately. You know who is going to win, qualifications are not so predictable. Just watch Montoya, it depends which circuit, tyres and weather conditions. If there is a threat of rain teams do go out earlier. As far as I am concerned that new rule should not be introduced.”

This weekend it is the British Grand Prix. Do you like Silverstone?
“I like it, it's very good to drive there. Fast corners and combinations. I would like to do a lap on Silverstone in a good car. I haven't been very successfull there. Last year tenth, the year before that I qualified 8th but I didn't get far in the race.”

how do you get to the best setup for Silverstone?
“Most teams know the circuit very well, most of them do a lot of testing there. It depends on the circumstances; it can be very windy. Normally you would go for maximum downforce. Again it will be Ferrari and BMW who will be top notch.”

The forever returning question: any changes in your future prospects? How definite is your return to Formula 1?
“Same answer as always: we are talking to everyone. It does look very good for 2003, I am very confident. We are also making progress with sponsoring. We are getting closer, step by step.”