27.06.2004 "My car was great, with very good balance and good set-up with the Pirelli tyres": post FIA GT race reaction from Donington Park

2nd in GT : Fabio Babini - nr 11 GPC Giesse Squadra Corse Ferrari 575 GTC: "It's fantastic to be in Donington, my car was great, with very good balance and good set-up with the Pirelli tyres. The only problem was with the fuel, it is fantastic to be in third place."

2nd in GT : Philipp Peter - nr 11 GPC Giesse Squadra Corse Ferrari 575 GTC:" We were close to a win in Hockenheim, before a puncture, but since then we have been testing. We are not yet where the Saleen is, but we are getting closer. Also Pirelli has done a great job; we were able to double-stint our tyres. 

"Fabio did a great race. I was not so happy with my stint, I seemed to get traffic in all the wrong places. But I tried to keep the car on the track and then we were able to finish third. 

"We are happy with the result, and we have to check on the problems we are having with the fuel, the consumption is not right with what we calculated, and the reserve is not working, which is why Fabio lost 20 or 25 seconds in his stint."

3rd in GT : Gabriele Gardel  - nr 1 BMS Scuderia Italia Ferrari 550 Maranello: "It was a really tough race today; we don't have much to say.  Matteo did a good start, but he had to make a drive through. His first stint was really good. I was pushing like a devil in my stint; I did 1:29.2 and was one of the fastest on the track. 

"I was going like in qualifying, because I knew Peter was there, and Bartels would come through. And we knew from the start that we would have to do the splash."

5th in GT : Karl Wendlinger - nr 17 JMB Racing Ferrari 575 GTC: "It was an interesting and difficult race, you had to be on the limit throughout the stint, and on the other hand you had to keep an eye on the fuel gauge. The car worked very well. At the end, I had to save fuel so I lost some time, but I preferred to do this than run out."

5th in GT : Jaime Melo - nr 17 JMB Racing Ferrari 575 GTC: "It was a very difficult race. Karl did a very good start, and then when I took the car over it was a bit difficult to drive as we left the same tyres on. So I just tried to keep the same lap times and be very consistent. It worked well, so I'm very happy. I would like to thank the whole team."