16.05.2004 "I'm very happy for the team, they did an unbelievable job today, with three cars in the top three positions", post FIA GT race reaction from Hockenheim

GT Race Winner: Matteo Bobbi - nr 1 BMS Scuderia Italia Ferrari 550 Maranello: "We've been working very well during the whole weekend. It was a hard week for us because we arrived here after we lost our appeal, and our motivation had dropped rather low after that.

"We were lucky when Babini had a problem with his tyre and we could win the race. I'm very happy for the team, they did an unbelievable job today, with three cars in the top three positions."

GT Race Winner: Gabriele Gardel - nr 1 BMS Scuderia Italia Ferrari 550 Maranello: "For me, this is a dream come true! We've done a really good job here. During my stint, it was mostly my job to preserve fuel, because we couldn't push as I would have liked to just to have a splash and dash in the last five minutes of the race.

"And I managed to gain two laps in my stint, so I think I did a really, really good job, and I'm really happy. The best is, we finished first, second and third with the team, it's a dream day!"

2nd in GT: Luca Cappellari - nr 2 BMS Scuderia Italia Ferrari 550 Maranello: "We were also very lucky. I think we did a great race, and to come out on second is just unbelievable. This morning, we only thought about scoring some points for the championship.

"The result is great for Scuderia Italia! And you know, you always need some luck in motor sport. We've had a fantastic car today, even though the 100kg ballast made it very tough during braking. I enjoyed the race a lot."

2nd in GT: Fabrizio Gollin - nr 2 BMS Scuderia Ferrari 550 Maranello: "I'm very surprised with the second place! The weekend has not been so good for us. The engine broke on Friday and we had to start from the pitlane. And it's very hard to drive with 100 kg weight on board. But we managed to find a good set-up for the weight in qualifying, and in the end, we were very lucky, all four of us, actually!"

3rd in GT : Enzo Calderari - nr 3 Care Racing Ferrari 550 Maranello: "We made a little mistake yesterday, because we changed the set-up, and that was not a very good idea, apparently. We were too soft and it was very very difficult to drive the car with a full tank. Then the problem was that we knew we were short of fuel and I just tried to do as many laps as possible. In the end, I managed to do two more laps than we originally planned and we could finish the race without a final splash.

"It was very surprising for us when we finished third, because we couldn't believe we could finish on podium! But after all the problems we had in the last races, I think we deserved it!"

3rd in GT : Lilian Bryner - nr 3 Care Racing Ferrari 550 Maranello: "Like Enzo said, we've had some problems on a full tank. After half the stint, the car was much better, though. I did a 360° and lost about 16 seconds, so we could have been up to second in this case with the pace car. Nevertheless, I'm really happy with the result!"

3rd in GT : Stefano Livio - nr 3 Care Racing Ferrari 550 Maranello: "I'm not really happy, actually. The set-up is my responsibility. So while I'm very happy with the third position, I'm unhappy at making a mistake with the set-up. I'll try to do better next time."

3rd in N-GT : Fabrizio de Simone - nr 62 GPC Giesse Ferrari 360 Modena: "Well, the car was performing really well; the tyres were perfect, from the beginning to the end of my stint. So I was able to keep the lap times very consistent. I'm very happy because the first laps, we had a good time and a good fight with the Porsches.

"Everything was looking good, Christian made a great stint. But then during the second pit stop, we couldn't restart the engine for about 45 or 50 seconds, which cost us the lead. I don't know what happened, really. But that's racing. Things like that happen. The car was well-balanced, though, so we know we're on the right way."

3rd in N-GT : Christian Pescatori - nr 62 GPC Giesse Ferrari 360 Modena: "On the first stint, the car was very fast, and there weren't any problems. But after the second pit stop, the car didn't start. It was very strange, really. I just hope we won't have this problem in Brno."

5th in GT : Mike Hezemans - nr 13 GPC Giesse Squadra Corse Ferrari 575 GTC: "It was a strange race out there today. It was so difficult to drive the car, we had so much oversteer. Sometimes the car was very fast, sometimes not. There was a lot of pickup after the pace car, and then it went again on the last lap. It was just too difficult to drive. 

"At least we finished, which is something. Naspetti said the same thing. We had to gamble a bit as we weren't fast enough. I spun on oil in my stint, and lost a bit of time, but with the pace car that didn't matter. We have some speed now, but not consistently enough. But it is always a disaster when you have to start so far behind."

6th in GT : Philipp Peter - nr 11 GPC Giesse Squadra Corse Ferrari 575 GTC: "Honestly, I don't know what to say. It was an excellent race, I had an excellent second stint. It was fun out there, and fair. And then 39 seconds before the end. It still has not really sunk in yet. 

"There is no if or when or what, that's motor-racing. It's unbelievable. There are no words. We do not have the speed in qualifying yet, but in the race, we are on the pace. We will get there."

9th in GT : Bert Longin - nr 18 JMB Racing Ferrari 575 GTC: "Punctures! We had them on our car, and on the other car, maybe some part of the bodywork was rubbing the tyres, but we do not have an explanation yet . 

"Karl's stint and mine, at the start, were quite good, and the lap times were good. But then it was a bit disappointing. For my side, I could keep up the pace with Hezemans, overtake him and keep the nr 3 Ferrari behind me, with lap times in the 39's. If we could keep up that pace, we could go for the top five, for sure."

11th in GT : Karl Wendlinger - nr 17 JMB Racing Ferrari 575 GTC: "This weekend we showed the best performance so far this year. We had a problem with the fuel lamp, which was not working right, and so there was no warning. 

"Then we had two punctures; we don't know why, but maybe something touched from the wheel rim. And that was it. But the pace was OK, and I had not reached the limit during the first stint; the car has made some steps forward. I hope to do some testing before Brno, and then we will be even better."