WTCR - Race 1 Press Conference 

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06.04.19

WTCR - 2019 Race of Morocco - Race 1 Press Conference 

In attendance:
Esteban Guerrieri, ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport, first position
Thed Björk, Cyan Racing Lynk & Co, second position
Néstor Girolami, ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport, third position
Mehdi Bennani, Sébastien Loeb Racing

Q:
Mehdi, obviously not the result you wanted. Why hasn’t it quite gone to plan today?

MB:
For sure I’m not so happy, because I wanted to give the people here who were supporting me good result. I want to congratulate the three drivers, they had a good race. After half a lap I had contact with a yellow CUPRA, maybe [Tom] Coronel and had a bad choice. So I had to come into the pit, so this is not what I wanted for Marrakech. But this happens, we know racing is never easy which is why we are happy when we get a good result.

Q:
Can you take anything you have learnt today into tomorrow?

MB:
For sure, all the four VW drivers we are struggling, so we hoe we can find a way to build decent pace.

Q:
What happened in the collision with Tom Coronel?

MB:
I just tried to stay inside and take my corner, and he crashed into my rear tyres. But when we are in traffic towards the back of the grid this can happen.

Q:
Esteban, your first DHL pole position in WTCR / OSCARO and your fourth race victory, and another street victory having finished with a win in Macau last year. Just explain your emotions.

EG:
It is one of the deepest feelings I have had, and I had a big one in Macau. But this is special. With Néstor beside me, we visualised this moment a long time ago, years ago, and here we are standing as Honda drivers and being supported so much by a great team, and my second year with them. It’s very special, of course something that I really desired. In this last month it hasn’t been easy on the personal side, but I try always to focus and develop the car as best we could, and I was feeling that we were getting better and better with very good pre-season testing. So I was feeling quite positive, but I didn’t know what to expect until we arrived here in Marrakech. But our feelings were right and I’m really pleased with life, with the universe. It presents situations and you have to be patient and take things step by step. Congratulations Thed, he did a great job.

Q:
It was close with Thed at the first corner. Did your start not go to plan?

EG:
It was normal but I had some wheelspin, I knew straightaway and I short-shifted to second. I knew Thed was going to come – and he came! I arrived at the first corner, but I would say he was very fair in not fighting it too much. He tried to do something in the braking zone, but I went deep on the brakes and after that we went round the corner and he settled for second, so it was a very fair from him. It could have been a lot worse if he had forced it. It is very nice to race with Thed everytime we are on track [together]. Sometimes we touch like in Motegi in 2017, but it’s part of racing! It’s always fair play.

Q:
Almost immediately after the race you and Néstor were live on FOX Sports in the entire Latin America region and with Néstor in third, how special is it in terms of success for Argentina today?

EG:
Amazing. Not only the country, but a lot of people from South America supporting us. We did a nice press conference before starting here and we could feel the press was behind us for what is a nice project for us. We created a YouTube channel for our dream – and we are living the dream. When things go this way, people can feel that through the camera and it makes it worth it. Argentina is not in the best situation right now, so if they can be happy for a second that is good.

Q:
Thed, after qualifying you said you didn’t know what to expect. So how satisfying is it to score a debut podium for Cyan Performance Lynk & Co?

TB:
I have to say also it is fantastic to be here. Esteban is so happy to win, but I almost feel just as happy. We did it. We developed the car, we came here, we’re here fighting with it, qualifying really well. Esteban was flying. I wanted to take him at the start, as you saw, but I said no. I know how it goes if I push it too hard! Then it goes back to normal and I wanted to win. I was behind Esteban thinking ‘shit, I’ve been here before’. I was watching him trying to see if he would make a mistake, but this track is hard: hard on the brakes, hard when you try to push behind another car. And then I started to think second place and points in our first race ever… yeah, ok. This feels super. So I’m really happy for Estaban to win and for Néstor to be third, because I like these guys a lot. And to be here with a new team is fantastic.

Q:
These are just the early stages, so what does the result say about the potential of this car?

TB:
My car felt really good in the race. I could follow Esteban, some places he was fast, others I was really fast. So I think we have really good potential which we can build on for the season and that’s the biggest positive I can take from the first race.

Q:
Néstor, your debut in WTCR / OSCARO and a first podium after an entertaining race…

NG:
What can I say? It’s been amazing. We have been working with Esteban for many, many years and for me this is a dream come true. What can I add to what Esteban said before? It is something we have really enjoyed and dreamed about, so many years working. When I came last year to Suzuka I said there was a possibility and there were people working so hard behind us who support us, so I wanted to congratulate everyone from Honda Racing, ALL-INKL.COM and everyone who trusted me. Now this is our first step and we will push as hard as we can and try to get the championship.

Q:
You only drove the car for the first time a couple of weeks ago. What did you think of the performance of the car today?

NG:
Everything is new for me, the team, the car. My first drive was in March, in Zandvoort. I really enjoy the series, it is one of the best in the world because it is so difficult to get into the top five. And as you can see today from P4 to P13 it was so close it is crazy. It’s so competitive. One mistake costs a lot because this car has less power and downforce. I was learning today. In free practice 1 I was not on the page, but in free practice 2 I was a little bit closer, and then I took a risk in qualifying. Congratulations to Thed and all his team. They worked really hard for this result.

ENDS