Present:
Yvan Muller, Citroën Total WTCC, first position race one, first position race two
José María López, Citroën Total WTCC, second position race one and two
Sébastien Loeb, Citroën Total WTCC, third position race one, first position race two
Hugo Valente, Campos Racing, Yokohama Drivers’ Trophy winner in race one and two
Néstor Girolami, Honda Racing team Sweden, WTCC rookie
Mato Homola, Campos Racing, leading Slovakian driver

Q:
Congratulations Yvan on win number four of 2015. Pole position to victory following an excellent performance. How satisfied are you with that achievement?

YM:
I’m always satisfied when I take 25 points. The start of course was important because if you miss your start here there is a chance for the others to pass especially with a wide track and the grid positions being very tight for all the cars. The start was very important and the first corner. I pushed hard to make a gap because between Turn 2 and 3 there was a lot of headwind and I was worried about the slipstream of them behind me. That’s why I wanted to make the gap immediately. Then I was driving to save the tyre and reach the end with the advantage I had.

Q:
Is it difficult to keep your focus when you are leading or did you just keep pushing to the end?

YM:
It’s not so difficult to be concentrated because Pechito and Seb were pushing in the back and tried to catch me. I had no choice but to stay focused and that’s why the gap stayed how it was. There was some distance but it was a good battle.

Q:
And more important championship points in the second race. How pleased were you with a podium?

YM:
I never thought to be on the podium for race two. I got a good start again, a fantastic start and we were all surprised about this. We gained a lot of space at the start. Ma stalled and some of the guys behind him were a bit disturbed and we could use that as an advantage. Then it was only Tarquini on the front, Seb did a good job to overtake him and we follow him.

Q:
First time since Argentina that you’ve celebrated victory in the WTCC – how pleased are you to be back on top following a difficult spell?

SL:
For sure I’m really pleased. Our last victory was in Argentina in the first race of the season, a long time ago. To win again is really, really nice. I was happy. I always struggle a bit in the qualifying to be at the rhythm of these two guys. And when I started third for sure it’s difficult to overtake. We had a little battle at the first and second corner but it’s difficult to overtake between us because we have the same car and with the slipstream it’s difficult to close the gap because you have the understeer when you are really close. But it was a good battle. I tried to push all the race behind Pechito. I couldn’t find any opportunity but I am still happy to be in the fight and be third on the grid and not 11th like I was in Moscow.

Q:
The first three laps of the second race were quite decisive, catching Gabriele and passing him. Can you explain those opening laps?

SL:
Like Yvan said the key was the start. We had some great starts with the car and it was important to take a good line in the traffic I can say on the first straight. I ended second in the first corner already fighting with Gabriele. I had 2-3 laps to try to find an opportunity to pass him. He was defending really well and on the straight he was completely on the right so I went to the outside and finally I could cross the line and pass him. I wanted to really pass early because I knew Yvan and Pechito would stay behind and then there would be more and more pressure. When I pass him I tried to really drive like in qualifying, flat out all the time to try not to get another Citroen closing the gap and have to defend. The car was fantastic and already in the first race I was really happy. The second race was just perfect and I could push hard from the start to the end. It was the perfect race for me.

Q:
Not quite a victory for you this weekend but some great points for the championship, which I guess was your objective before you came here?

JML:
First I want to congratulate Seb for the second race and Yvan for the first one. All the team did a fantastic job again. They gave us a fantastic car so this result is for them. For myself I was pleased with my weekend. Not a win but two second places, which is good points for the championship. I need to keep going the same. I know it’s going to be a very tight battle until the end. But we are very happy, we reached the half of the championship and the gap is 30 points. And if I lose five points in each race we’ll be okay although it will be tight in the end. I need to find a little bit the confidence I had in the beginning of the season and I cannot complain. Normally you get used to win and when you are second it maybe seems strange. But I am racing with two champions. They are great drivers and I am really enjoying the fight. I’m improving in each race, I am learning a lot of things and I hope to continue like this.

Q:
That’s pretty worrying for your rivals when you say you are still improving because you are pretty good anyway. What does it say for the rest of the season – another championship?

JML:
I think I’m still improving a bit. When you have such strong competition inside the team we push our limit all of us. We learn, everybody in the team learn and we get better in every race. It’s very nice like this.

Q:
Congratulations on a double Yokohama Drivers’ Trophy weekend and perhaps one of your best performances of the season given the consistency we’ve seen from you?

HV:
RML and Campos have done a great job. We’ve brought some updates and they really worked out, especially with the balance. I’m happy with the two results of the day. As you say it’s very consistent and that’s what I’m aiming for because usually I can be fighting for the top position in race one or race two but the other race is a bit more messy. We’re happy with today. It’s good points as well as for the whole championship and the Yokohama. I’m really relieved with this weekend. Once we’ve figured out our problems with the starts, everything is easier and I hope it stays that way. We have some catch-up to do at the starts because the Citroën boys were flying in race two – I don’t know where they came from.

Q:
It’s your home race next – what about the prospects for you – can you do anything to catch the Citroën drivers?

HV:
I don’t know if the compensation weight will change for next week. I was quite fast year in Le Castellet. For sure it’s my home race but it’s also the home race for these two guys. For sure they will have support – there will be support for me too and it will be a nice weekend. In the south of France on the last weekend of June is a good place to be. For sure I’m hoping to catch them and score a podium in race one if possible and hopefully get a good result as well in race two.

Q:
Your first appearance in the WTCC and your first world championship point. How did your two races go, were you satisfied and can you comment on your start in race one – it looked quite exciting…

NG:
First of all I want to thank everyone and congratulate everyone for these races. In the second start I made a good start but I found Ma stopped on the grid. I was very, very close to crash but it was lucky I could pass but it was very, very close. It was a very good race. The car today was very, very fast than yesterday. It was very improved and lap-by-lap I am learning. I was very happy with the result. It’s my first race and to get one point is good. In the second race I was 11th and this is important to finish the races. It’s good for me, it’s good for the team, for all the people – Rafael Santiago – thank you for your support.

Q:
We saw quite a bit of overtaking from you in the first race. Is it fair to say you enjoyed yourself in those two races?

NG:
Of course, the first race more than the second. We had a good start in the first race but in the second race we had a problem at the start. I still need to learn, learn with my team, my car, my sponsors, Honda, François Ribeiro and Honda Racing for this opportunity. It’s my first time in the category. I would like to race next year and I am working very hard for this. The important thing is to learn, lap-by-lap to make a good performance.

Q:
You are coming back for one more WTCC race this season – is that correct?

NG:
Portugal of course, then maybe Thailand and Qatar but I don’t know because of the calendar in Súper TC2000 in Argentina. The races in Thailand and Qatar are new, one at night and some very nice circuits. I would like but I don’t know now.

Q:
The Slovakian home hero making your WTCC debut this weekend. Can you explain how it’s gone?

MH:
I didn’t test at all because we had a problem with the rear brakes but the Campos guys did a great job to prepare it for qualifying. But without any proper laps in testing I cam into qualifying without any expectations. I think I did a surprising result, not for me but for the others. I jumped to Q2 so it was really nice. I wanted to be P10 but without any testing and laps I didn’t know the limit of the car and I made some mistakes in some corners. I knew there was some space to improve. The set-up was great from the beginning. In the races I twice tried the practice starts and they went well but in race one I forgot to do one step, which was my fault, I know. Then we had some problems with the splitter. I didn’t know what it was so I came into the box and they prepared it and I finished the race. It was really nice and I had the pace of some of the other Chevrolet guys who are racing all season. In race two there was the same problem even though I did everything correctly. The engine switched off, I don’t know the reason now but I will look at the data. But I was closing the gap to Filippi and Demoustier. It was a nice pace, it was a little bit understeering but to be in this society of great drivers is really nice and I would like to thank all fans, sponsors, François Ribeiro, the Campos guys and RML. They helped me to be here as a home hero so that’s it.

Q:
You’ve had your first taste now of WTCC so what about some more races this season?

MH:
It’s all about the money. I would like to but I am focusing on a successful finish in ETCC. I scored some good points after the disaster in Hungary so my aim is to be at the front in ETCC to be the champion. I don’t know. We will see, maybe, I don’t know.

Q:
Not long now and the WTCC will be back in France. There’s talk of 35-degree temperatures being forecast. What will it be like as an event and the battle for the victory?

YM:
For sure it will be warm and for sure it will be a good event. It’s a good circuit with some overtaking possibility. It’s a short track, not very long and some quite exciting races even though it was the second race of the championship. Now it will be tighter and I think it will be more equal. We will try.

Q:
And what would winning your home event mean to you?

YM:
To win is always a very good thing and when it’s at home it’s even better. We will see and will do our best.