source: cart.com
photos: flagworld.com
BRUNO JUNQUEIRA, #1 PacifiCare Ford-Cosworth/Lola/Bridgestone:
"I really think that if I had been ahead of Jourdain after the last stop, I
would have been able to pressure Paul (Tracy). Newman/Haas gave me a very
reliable car. Considering I haven't had the best of luck in Toronto in my past
two races here, it's good to get a podium. I made a mistake on the last stop and
locked up the tires coming in the pit box. The PacifiCare crew did a good job to
get the tires on but we lost second place to Jourdain. Considering the fact that
I got hit on the first stint by Alex (Tagliani), I'm glad to finish on the
podium. It could have been much worse. Alex looked like he was going to go into
the tires and miss the turn but at the last minute he made it but came right on
the racing line where I already was. He got a great start and made a bonsai move
on me to get by. I'm disappointed for him because he is a great driver and did a
great start and he's Canadian so I know how important this race was to him. At
the time I think my car was faster than him but I wasn't going to be able to get
around him so I was just saving fuel and my tires. I was going to catch up to
him before the first stop so they crew could try to get me out ahead of him. I
was a slower than Tracy at the beginning but if we had been in second place
after the last stop, the car had improved enough that I think we could have put
pressure on him. I was close to Jourdain to see if he would make a mistake but
then I got some pickup on my tires and it slowed me down a little. It's amazing
how consistent me, Paul and Michel are. In the past, if you finished second or
third in a race you would be happy but it's not the case anymore because you
have to win in order to get any advantage."
· NOTES: It was his third race here and highest start (2nd) and finish...
Started third and finished 14th after a mistake by rookie Townsend Bell caused
contact and his retirement from the event in 14th place. Started 20th in rookie
season here and finished 13th after contact with Fittipaldi. Both incidents were
in the same location - the hairpin...Is currently in second place in the point
standings with 124, only 15 behind leader Tracy who has 138.
SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS, #2 Lilly Ford-Cosworth/Lola/Bridgestone:
"On the first lap, I locked up at the inside of Turn 3 and had to back off
the throttle. When I went back on the throttle there was nothing (power) there.
The revs were so low. It was my fault, when I got back on the throttle in first
gear it was too late and they (Servia and Moreno) had already passed me. I was
able to close the gap to the cars in front of me on each stop and the Lilly crew
was able to get two guys in two stops and we got by Pat (Carpentier) when he
pitted one lap before us on the second stop. The car was pretty good but we were
at a disadvantage as a rookie because I had to use my tires up more in the
practice and only had one set of new ones for the race compared to the others
that probably had two or three. They started the race with bigger potential and
more rubber on their rear tires. The last 10 laps of each stint were very, very
hard for me. It was good to be able to finish in the top-four though. Apart from
the three wins, this is the most points I have scored in a race so far this
season. If we can keep this consistency and build on it for the rest of the
races, we should be able to move up in the rank."
· NOTES: Was his first race here... He earned four poles (3-road course;
1-oval) and three wins in nine events so far. (He started in second place in
England and fifth in Long Beach.) Has won a total of six bonus points this
season (Friday & Saturday in St. Pete; Saturday in Monterrey, Saturday and
Sunday in Germany; Friday in Cleveland)...He is currently ranked 5th in the
point standings with 86 points.
· TEAM NOTES: The team has won SIX races here (da Matta - 2002; Mi. Andretti
2000, 1995, 1992, 1991, 1989) and TWO POLES (da Matta 2002; Mi. Andretti 1991)
as well as 13 PODIUM FINISHES (2nd - Mi. Andretti 1998, 1991, 1990), (3rd -
Junqueira 2003, Fittipaldi 2002, 1999; Ma. Andretti 1986). LAST YEAR IN TORONTO:
da Matta matched a CART record with his fourth consecutive win after leading 112
laps here. Fittipaldi finished third.