Present:
Bruno Magalhães
Norbert Herczig, MOL Racing Team
Hubert Ptaszek, TRT Krezus Rally Team

Q:
Starting with Bruno Magalhães, the place you wanted to be, leading, but how difficult has it been and did you believe you could lead at the end of today?

BM:
This is a real Acropolis Rally for sure! Very tough, more than last year. Very challenging but my day was perfect. In the first passage we pushed and didn’t make any mistakes and avoided all the stones and all the rocks. In the afternoon I had a good gap so I put the hardest compound that exist in Michelin to try to avoid the punctures and try to save tyres for tomorrow. I think it was a good strategy because I managed very well in the first stages and I didn’t lose too many time and, of course, in the last one my tyres were in better condition than the others and I could improve my lead.

Q:
You said it was a ‘real’ Acropolis but what was the plan before you heard about the problems affecting some of the other drivers?

BM:
I knew that in my road position I don’t have as many stones as the others in the first passage but, at the same time, the road was not so fast. I tried to push, I didn’t think about the others, I tried to make a good job and drive very well. In the final of the stage [SS4] I was surprised when you said they were off, I didn’t know that. I just wanted to make my job and don’t think about the others and for the moment that’s the correct strategy.

Q:
Turning to Norbert Herczig, second place overall, a great day, tell us about it?

NH:
Yes, unbelievable for us. Until this time this is the first good position in our rally career. Yes, I can say the same like Bruno. It’s a really difficult Acropolis Rally. It was a hard day but we got again the perfect car from the BRR team – thank you! Fortunately, we didn’t get a puncture, we didn’t have any technical problem so our pacenotes was very, very good and we could find a good rhythm.

Q:
First team here, how amazed are you how strong your car is to go over all those rough roads?

NH:
I didn’t know this stage would be very hard. I tried to prepare but I didn’t know. Fortunately, we could drive well and I hope we will be able to keep our rhythm in the next day.

Q:
Moving over to our third-placed driver, Hubert Ptaszek, it’s been a difficult day with all those rocks and stones. Tell us about it from your side?

HP:
The tyre tactic was completely disaster for this day because you plan something then you get the puncture and it’s completely destroyed. It wasn’t easy today but we survived. The most funny thing is we started one stage with new tyres in the front and it’s not survived. It was a bit tough for us, we lose completely the structure, but the tyre is still keeping the pressure inside and we can continue the driving. We lose some time but overall it’s not bad.

Q:
Second on the road today but after your recce did you think someone who was going to be smart would get a podium place?

HP:
From second on the road we did not expect too much. Our plan was just to keep the clean lines and not make any stupid mistake on a junction because there were a lot. We don’t want to lose time in a stupid way. Overall we ran quite clean and that was the plan for today, not losing too much time. And we survive.

Q:
Two stages run twice are left. Everyone said today was a difficult day but what are we looking at tomorrow?

HP:
It’s the Acropolis. When you look at the standings it looks the gaps are easy to keep but it’s not, it’s just the one puncture and everything can change. We’re just focused on tomorrow, we need to watch the on-boards again, just to make the perfect preparation and go.

Q:
What about you Norbi, what’s your plan for tomorrow?

NH:
Our plan, we will try to follow Bruno and try to keep this position. It’s amazing this position for us. Our start position will be okay because we will start eighth I think and this could be the best.

Q:
Finally, Bruno, with the championship in mind how do you approach tomorrow?

BM:
Of course I to try to keep my position and make the decisions correctly. We have a completely new stage and completely new pacenotes so I hope everything is going well. We try to be clever and to be fast enough to keep the position. I just to try to keep the lead and nothing more