Indian GP - Post-race press conference - Pt.1

Drivers: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing), Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), Romain Grosjean (Lotus)

Podium Interviews(Conducted by David Coulthard)

Q:
Sebastian, tell us your emotions from this victory.

Sebastian Vettel:
First of all I would love to say thank you to the crowd. Unbelievable reception today. It's a shame we are not racing here next year. I'm speechless David, I don't know. I crossed the line, I was empty. I took ages thinking about something to say. It's one of these moments you wish to say so many things but you can't. Phenomenal season. The spirit inside the team is so strong that... I said it on the radio, it gives me so much power that, it's a pleasure to jump in the car and go out for the guys and just try to give it all I have. The car was phenomenal today. It was phenomenal all season to be honest. I couldn't ask for more.

Q:
I think the crowd here probably enjoyed your little celebration before coming up to the podium. Had you thought about that or was that just purely instinctive reaction?

Sebastian Vettel:
No, I haven't really thought about it. Rocky, my engineer called for the usual procedure but I said "yeah, not this time," and there's so many people here on the main grandstand that I had to do it. Usually we are not allowed to - but it felt so right at that time. I want to say a big thank you to the team, to all the people that were behind us. For sure it was not an easy season, even if people from the outside get the idea that we had it in our hands for quite a while, the last couple of races. But I think it was a difficult one all in all. Very difficult one for me personally. To receive boos, even though you haven't done anything wrong, to overcome that and to give the right answer on the track and finally get the acceptance that I think we're all looking for as racing drivers... it makes me very proud to join people like Prost, Fangio and Michael is unbelievable.

Q:
Nico, that was a good day in the office.

Nico Rosberg:
Yeah, I'm pleased. The start was a bit difficult, dropping behind Massa. He was definitely a lot slower. I gave it a go on one lap but I couldn't make it happen and he passed me back on the exit. And then the team did a fantastic strategy. I managed to get by him like that and, yeah, second place, I'm pleased with that. The car was working well today. Important for us to have a normal weekend, so a lot of points and giving Ferrari a run for their money in the Constructors'. That's the aim for us now.

Q:
Just a quick word on your compatriot, your fellow German here.

Nico Rosberg:
Yeah, fantastic. He's done an amazing job this year and deserves to be World Champion. We're going to give it all over the winter to be a massive challenge next year.

Q:
Romain, fantastic drive from 17th place. Did you really believe you could be on the podium today?

Romain Grosjean:
Not at all. I would not have bet a penny on me being on the podium today. But the car came back how it was on Friday. The race pace was really there. We did a very brave strategy - as we did yesterday. I think it was not the time to go safe and it paid off. We're back on the podium it's quite amazing from where we started. The race was alright. I tried to go through the field. It was tough until the end. I didn't know when the tyres were going to go off but the team did fantastic and very proud to be here.

Q:
We saw some very close racing between yourself and Kimi Raikkonen. Tell us a little bit about that battle - we heard some of the radio transmission.

Romain Grosjean:
Yeah, well, Kimi was in a difficult situation. I went for the outside and he didn't see that point, so I wasn't... I knew I had to be careful to my engine, I knew Massa had much fresher tyres behind so I didn't want to lose time. I lost a little bit of time - but never mind. We are here on the podium and scored good points for the team and we still have a very strong car for the upcoming races.

Q:
Sebastian, I know you've said you're speechless and can't find the words to describe the emotions of this moment - but please try one more time. As you stand here away from your racing car, how do you feel?

Sebastian Vettel:
I miss it! How do I feel? I'm overwhelmed. I don't know what to say. I think it's one of the best days of my life so far. When I was small... I always try to think back and think back where you started. F1 was so far away. To race against these drivers, to race in F1 was so far away. There have been so many people that I have to thank along the way from go-karting, junior formula categories, up to now, that have been teaching me a lot. I've always tried to listen and learn and it's incredible to race some of the best drivers in the world, that F1 ever had. I think it's a very strong field and to come out on top of them... As I said, I think the spirit in the team is fantastic and to go for numbers and statistics that we have done in the last four years is unbelievable. I don't feel old - I'm getting older but I think I'm not that old yet and to achieve that in such a short amount of time is very difficult to grasp. Maybe in ten years' time. I'm trying very hard to come to the level I am now and maybe then I'm a little bit better in understanding what we have done so far.

Questions From The Floor(for Nico Rosberg and Romain Grosjean)

Q: (Srinivasan Kannan - Mail Today)
From where you qualified and where you finished eventually, how happy are you?

Romain Grosjean:
Well, I think very, very happy. I honestly thought in seventeenth I had not a very big hope of this. The best strategy, computer thing that we had was P4 but that was taking that we had a very good start and we were just behind the Force India on the first lap so that was P13 or something like that and everything was going as planned. We did not have a very good start. I lost quite a lot of time behind Gutierrez in the middle of the race which was quite... yeah, defensive, let's put it that way. And then I didn't know how the tyres were. So, being third today, I wouldn't have bet a peanut on it. And it's just great. I think the karma was good today.

Q: (Shridhar Potdar - Sakal Media)
We saw you hold up Vettel on the podium - how does his achievement motivate for you as opponent and a contemporary?

Nico Rosberg:
It doesn't. I look at myself. I congratulate him, they do a fantastic job - but it's not like it motivates me. I look at my own thing and try to do with my own team the best possible job. Of course trying to beat them because Sebastian has been the guy to beat in the last four years so our target is - well was this year to beat them but that didn't quite work out - and next year it will be to beat whoever is our fiercest competitor. Very likely they're going to be up the front again next year but I'm confident that we can be strong too and I really look forward to that.

Transcript Courtesy FIA