Formula One

Heikki Kovalainen: (on finishing 2nd in the 2007 Japanese GP) It has been a rollercoaster year for me, and it was like that again this weekend. We took a risk with the set-up yesterday, hoping for better conditions and when we got up this morning and saw the rain falling, we didn't expect to have a fantastic afternoon. But it just goes to show that no matter how bad you think the situation is, you never give up. The strategy worked perfectly today, and the team deserves at least one podium today! Everybody has asked me about the last few laps with Kimi, but my mirrors had steamed up completely and I couldn't see him. I was watching the pit-board though, and every lap the gap was coming down, so I knew he would try something. He got past me into turn 6 on the final lap, but I wanted P2 so much that I went back round the outside on the way down to turn 10. The car was aquaplaning all over the place, but I kept my foot in and got back ahead, hoping I wouldn't lose the car. It is a fantastic feeling to score my first podium. Now, we need to try and maintain the momentum in Shanghai.

Kimi Räikkönen: (on finishing 3rd in the 2007 Japanese GP) We raced with virtually zero visibility. The hardest thing to work out was where the other drivers were and what they were doing. My race was ruined by the enforced pit stop on lap three. We had chosen to start on standard rain tyres but we will never know now if this decision would have paid off. Once I was back at the pack we tried our best to move back up. All in all, third place is not a result to complain about. I did a lot of overtaking always in very difficult conditions. Our set up might have been more competitive in the dry, but all the same the car was very quick and I certainly didn't lose any time because of this choice. Clearly the situation in the championship is now much more difficult, but I will still give it my all right to the end of the season as usual.

Rubens Barrichello: (stating the Japanese GP should not have started in the treacherous conditions it did) I'm obviously disappointed that our strategy did not work out today but to be honest, in my view, the race should have been stopped very early on. The conditions were so difficult and it was impossible to see anything for the entire race.

Nick Heidfeld: (critical of the decision to start the race) In my opinion the race should not have been started under these weather conditions. My radio didn't work and I had a misfire. Because the decision whether the safety car comes in or not is made during a lap, the team couldn't even tell me on the pit board. So I always tried to see the safety car, which wasn't easy. Fortunately I saw when it switched off the lights to come in. Due to the misfire I was only in sixth gear on the straight which meant I was relatively slow. That was very dangerous because the drivers behind me could hardly see me.

Heikki Kovalainen: (on his duel with Kimi Raikkonen in the closing stages of the 2007 Japanese GP) Everybody has asked me about the last few laps with Kimi, but my mirrors had steamed up completely and I couldn't see him. I was watching the pit-board though, and every lap the gap was coming down, so I knew he would try something. He got past me into turn 6 on the final lap, but I wanted P2 so much that I went back round the outside on the way down to turn 10. The car was aquaplaning all over the place, but I kept my foot in and got back ahead, hoping I wouldn't lose the car. It is a fantastic feeling to score my first podium. Now, we need to try and maintain the momentum in Shanghai.

Heikki Kovalainen: (on his first podium of his career - 2nd in the 2007 Japanese GP) It has been a rollercoaster year for me, and it was like that again this weekend. We took a risk with the set-up yesterday, hoping for better conditions and when we got up this morning and saw the rain falling, we didn't expect to have a fantastic afternoon. But it just goes to show that no matter how bad you think the situation is, you never give up. The strategy worked perfectly today, and the team deserves at least one podium today!

Mark Webber: (on his crash with Sebastian Vettel) Vettel was a bit wild behind me during the first Safety Car period and then did a very good job of hitting me very hard under the second safety car. I think today he will have learnt a very valuable lesson. It's kids isn't it? They have not got enough experience – they do a good job and then they f*** it all up.

Tonio Liuzzi: (just before being handed a 25 seconds penalty for overtaking Adrian Sutil under yellow flags) I overtook Adrian out of corner one because the visibility was really bad, and I was thinking about overtaking on the straight because he was slower but then as crossed the start-finish line I saw the yellow flag and I backed off. I then passed him after the first corner when there were green flags. The stewards are looking into it, but I didn't overtook him under yellows so I am sure that nothing will happen.

Sebastian Vettel: (on his accident with Mark Webber, for which he received a 10-place penalty for the next GP) I made a good start and the race was going well. Then, with the final safety car, I was behind Lewis and Mark and exiting Turn 13, I looked to the right and saw Lewis going really slowly, I don't know why, but I thought he had a problem. Probably he was heating his brakes. Then, by the time I looked forward again, I was already in the back of Mark's car and I think he had also reacted to Lewis. I apologise now to Mark because I ruined both our races.

Sebastian Vetell: (on his qualifying performance marking the Toro Rosso team's first time to qualify inside the top ten) Definitely a good day and a great experience for the team to get to Q3 for the first time. Fantastic! It was difficult not having any free practice this morning and it was the first time for me driving this car in the rain this afternoon. It feels good and I looking forward to tomorrow now. I think if I had managed that final run, I could have improved by up to two places but we went for a last minute strategy change which meant I lost the last lap. When you start high up the grid you expect a better than usual finish position. Hopefully there will be some more rain which would help us and then we will see how far we can go.

Lewis Hamilton: (on starting the 2007 Japanese GP from pole position) A very good qualifying for me and also the team. I really like the Fuji circuit. We looked strong already yesterday during practice when it was dry. Obviously today's wet conditions made it a very challenging session particularly as this morning's free practice had been cancelled - this makes today's result even more satisfying. The car ran perfectly, and the team has done a great job in making sure we were as prepared as possible. My final lap was quite good. I managed to improve my style in a couple of corners which made a difference but lost a little bit of time in the exit of the last corner. Today's pole position is important, but tomorrow is when it counts.

Giancarlo Fisichella: (on F1's return to the Fuji circuit) There are several interesting places on this circuit: turns five and six for example look fairly tricky. The final section is a bit slow with first and second gear corners. I think there'll also be a few traps because of poor visibility. This is because there's a part of the track that falls away, and in one corner in particular it's impossible to see the apex. The circuit looks quite interesting but I still think that Suzuka is the yardstick in Japan.

Takuma Sato: (on F1's return to the Fuji circuit) This morning I just walked around the circuit and I'm quite impressed with the elevation changes, which I really didn't see on my preparations before coming here, I only had the circuit drawing and a little bit of footage from Formula Nippon racing. So it was good to see it and there seemed to be good opportunities to overtake, very exciting racing, so I'm quite looking forward to driving tomorrow.

Nick Heidfeld: (his thoughts on Fuji) I've never been to Fuji and am always pleased to see a new circuit appear on the calendar. I'm really looking forward to driving the circuit. A new circuit presents the drivers and engineers' with some interesting challenges and - even in our ever-changing sport - provides an extra dose of variety, as all of us first have to find our bearings in the new surroundings.

Ralf Schumacher: (on the 2007 spy drama that saw McLaren lose all constructor points) I think it's only fair that they are not punished. The drivers are not really involved in the development of the car. I don't know about the other drivers but for myself, and the people I've talked to, they should not be punished. It's honestly very difficult. It was clear they had some information at some point. But I don't think it was ever clear McLaren or the drivers benefited from what they got. It's always arguable but I think for the championship it's important that everything stays as it is. I had it four years ago at Williams. I finished third but there was some mistake in measuring the brake ducts and my third place got cancelled. The brake duct was slightly too big but by three millimetres or so. I mean, what's the driver's mistake in that?

Jarno Trulli: (on the 2007 spy drama that saw McLaren lose all constructor points) It's very difficult to judge the spy story. You never know the truth if you're not inside the team. But if you disqualify a team you should probably disqualify the drivers as well because they're all involved and work for the same team. It's difficult for me to judge so I don't want to say any more. It's just a shame F1 has suffered. The sport has been hit hard by this spy story all around the world.

David Coulthard: (on the 2007 spy drama that saw McLaren lose all constructor points) I still don't understand how you distinguish between penalising the team and the drivers. It's easy to say that the drivers had nothing to do with it and shouldn't get a penalty because it would spoil a nice championship. Well boohoo for them! If the coach is giving drugs to the cyclist, and the cyclist didn't know, it doesn't matter, they still get booted out.