01.05.2004 "This is our first pole position for this year, so I'm very happy for my mechanics & Pirelli", post FIA GT qualifying reaction from Magny-Cours

N-GT Pole Position: Christian Pescatori - nr 62 GPC Giesse Ferrari 360 Modena: "This is our first pole position for this year, so I'm very happy for my mechanics and Pirelli. The new tyre has been a really big step forward. It's incredibly fast and helped a lot to set pole time today.

"I hope we can do well in the race, but it's going to be difficult because of the 30 kilos penalty weight."

3rd in GT : Fabrizio Gollin - nr 2 BMS Scuderia Italia Ferrari 550 Maranello: "The 80 kg penalty weight is really a lot. We knew it would have been possible to get close to the Saleen cars without the weight, so I think it was a very good job from both Michelin and the Scuderia to qualify in third place.

"The ballast will be hard on the brakes during the race. It certainly will be very difficult to win tomorrow and make it three in a row, but we'll see."

4th in GT : Karl Wendlinger - nr 17 JMB Racing Ferrari 575 M Maranello: "To be fourth is quite a big step forward for us. In Valencia, we were only in 10th position on the grid. The car has been working well. But the tyres are only good for a really fast time on their first lap out, and I didn't really make use of that as well as I probably could have. Nevertheless, I'm rather happy with our position now."

5th in GT : Matteo Bobbi - nr 1 BMS Scuderia Italia Ferrari 550 Maranello:  "This afternoon we didn't use any new tyres as we'd used them all this morning. Gabriele did a long run to see what the tyre wear was like and I just did the last few laps. 

"We are making a few small changes to the car for tomorrow but we didn't had any big problems. This morning I had traffic problems and, without that, maybe I could have qualified one position further in front but in this Championship I don't think to qualify 4th or 5th is a problem for a long race."

Wolfgang Kaufmann - nr 22 Wieth Racing Ferrari 550 Maranello: "The qualifying hasn't been optimal, really. Things were working well in the race in Valencia and while we didn't test in the meantime, we tried to modify our car a bit between the races and make some improvements.

"But now there's obviously something wrong. We're always getting out too late, both in free practice and qualifying, wasting too much time working on the car. Basically, we just need one or two days of testing to sort out the major problems. The rear of the car is not really stable when we're breaking and shifting down the gears, which means we're losing both traction and time."

Fabio Babini - nr 11 GPC Giesse Ferrari 575 M Maranello: "This morning it was going well, but we could not find the right set-up with the right tyres.  When the car was right, the tyres were already past their best. We have a good car for the race, but we still need to find the right solution for qualifying.  But our position is quite good, and Philipp and I make a good team. I think it will be a difficult race tomorrow, but I hope we will get to the finish line."

Emanuele Naspetti - nr 13 GPC Giesse Ferrari 575 M Maranello: "It did not go as well as we expected this afternoon. We couldn't run the proper tyres in the best way. This morning the circuit was probably much faster, but we opted to keep the tyres for this afternoon, when it was slower. It is our fault. This morning we tested a very hard compound, which was very promising on this circuit last year, and we wanted to try it.  But it was too hard for the weather conditions. 

"This afternoon, the tyres were good but  the session was slower. But qualifying is not so important for the race, so now we have to work in the right way for tomorrow."

Stéphane Daoudi - nr 19 JMB Ferrari 575 M Maranello: "I did three or four laps in the morning; the car was not yet properly set up, but it will be a  lot better for the race. We're not doing too badly. I would like to thank Peter (Kutemann) and Antoine (Gosse) for asking me to drive with them. When I was out yesterday in the wettest conditions, I was one of the fastest drivers out there; things are really going well and I am getting on well with the team."