Jos: "Absolutely magnificent!"

Published on 04 July 2003 by Huub Rothengatter

We just spoke with an extremely happy Jos Verstappen, who just couldn't grasp what had happened. "Fastest time, first time during my career, magnificent. Of course it's only Friday and we had advantage of the track drying up, but we are having a little party. Everyone is ecstatic, just fantastic. I haven't seen so many press, it feels like we've won a Grand Prix, journalists from Germany, Italy, France and Japan. This is fantastic for all sponsors and mechanics who always work hard."

It was clear the prequalifying would bring a surprise. "Halfway the session the rain stopped and the track dried up, it got faster. Especially when the sun came through. I must say that I did feel the pressure mounting. The car felt fine, of course it is not a Ferrari and we have to do it with what we have. The curbstone and the lines were very slippery although the tarmac was dry."



The team is still down to earth. "For tomorrow we will have to have a good look at what happens. We won't change our strategy, the points are given on Sunday so we won't change what we have in mind." What about the weather? "I don't have a clue. The weather can change in a second. One moment it is raining, then the sun is shining. I hope it will be like today: starting in the rain and dry at the end of the session."