Vitaly - “Montreal Will Definitely Suit Us Well”

Vitaly, it was a tough race for you in Monaco so you must be eager to get back in the car this weekend?

VP: I'm really quite excited to be getting back at the wheel. For me, it's always a case of the earlier the better. I just can't wait to race again, and I'm looking forward to the challenge here in Montreal. Since Monaco, we have analysed some things and so we are fully prepared for what will hopefully be a successful race here in Canada.

Montreal loves its Formula 1, what do you make of the atmosphere here?

VP: The atmosphere is really great. I remember last year well, the fans get really into this sport when it comes to town. There are also a lot of Russians here, so it's really enjoyable for me to have the support from them. It really is good here because everyone gets so into it.

The challenge presented this weekend is somewhat different to the one in Monaco, how will you approach this race?

VP: In some ways, it's quite similar to Monaco because it is sort of a street circuit and the wall is very, very close so there are similarities. However, the speed of this track is much, much higher so there is a different approach in terms of how we set up the car and how we drive the race. The aerodynamic set-up will be very different, that's for sure.

The track is known for its long, fast straights and the R31 has a quick straight-line speed – do you think this circuit suits the team well?

VP: This track will definitely suit us well. Our car is very, very quick on the straights and we are also bringing some new parts this weekend so I think we should perform quite strongly. I'm looking forward to it.