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F1: Scott Speed Q&A: “They Have Their Own Agendas”
Written by: Adam Cooper   http://www.speedtv.com
07/22/2007
Eifel, Germany
 
Scott Speed (LAT photo) » More Photos

Scott Speed's future prospects with Scuderia Toro Rosso were not helped when the American became one of several drivers to end up in the Turn One gravel at the Nurburgring after being confronted by a wall of water.

Speed was the fifth of seven drivers to go off, and of the last group of eight cars to arrive at the scene, only Rubens Barrichello, Ralf Schumacher and Nick Heidfeld made it through. With Tonio Liuzzi also spinning off after a suspected seamless shift glitch caught him out, tensions ran high in the STR pit. As we reported yesterday, Speed was later involved in a physical altercation with his team boss Franz Tost.

It could perhaps be pointed out that Speed's chances of staying on the track might have been a little better if he had participated in the recent Spa test, when most of the F1 race drivers got in some valuable wet weather running. Instead, Sebastien Bourdais had two days in the car.

Even before Sunday's race, Scott had seemingly accepted that he would not be with the team for a third season next year. After qualifying on Saturday afternoon SPEEDtv.com heard what he had to say.

Q: How is the season going?

"We're having a hard time at the moment developing at the same pace as everyone else. We had a big development come after Indianapolis for France, and I think right away we were pretty competitive, but as the races are going on it's starting to become more and more difficult for us."
Toro Rosso was the only team to lose both cars in the Turn 1, lap 2 mayhem at the 'Ring. (LAT Photo) » More Photos




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Q: Can you put your finger on where that problem stems from? Are we talking an organizational thing here, facilities, budget?

"Budget for sure, the ability to produce parts definitely is another big one. It's the whole thing put together."

Q: What's the interface like, from your point of view, with Red Bull Racing?

"There's a parent company, Red Bull Technology, which is trying to produce the development for both teams. But because we're so much smaller, and because we can produce parts so much slower, we're normally about a month behind Red Bull. So we kinda see the trend of Red Bull, and we're normally a month behind. It's a bit frustrating for us, but at the same time at least we're in a position where we're developing through the year, unlike last year, where we were pretty stationary."

Q: How much of a factor is being in Italy in all of that. Is that a factor at all?

"To be honest I don't think so. Maybe the difference in language is sometimes a little bit more complicated within the team, but I don't think it matters so much."

Q: Gerhard Berger is making lots of comments about potential drivers for next year. What is the situation like from your point of view, in terms of the pressure or not that you put on yourself, or indeed that Gerhard is putting on you?

"For me since the last few races I have a lot less pressure on myself, because Gerhard and Franz have their own ideas about what they want to do with their future, and they say things accordingly.
That's nothing to do with my performance on the track, that's for sure."

Q: So what are you telling yourself – do you know what's going to happen?

"It's clear that from my bosses me and Tonio both have very little support. It's been that way for the last two years, and it's a lot more now. At some point I said I don't care, if I'm not in F1 next year, if I'm with a different team, it's OK for me. It's actually made me lot more relaxed and a lot more calm, and I think I'm producing better results now actually."

Q: It's an extraordinary state to reach, with the investment they've made in you, to get to this point now seems unbelievable really…

"Yeah, but this is two different things. This is Red Bull on one side, who've been a huge support for me, and the whole reason I've made it as far as I did. And Gerhard and Franz who are running the F1 team. And those two, I think, sometimes don't get along."

Q: Do you see a future with Red Bull and Scott Speed?

"I'm not sure. I sure hope so, because Red Bull like I said has been a huge support to me, and I owe a lot to them."

Q: I was at Spa last week and you weren't. Was that one of the last straws for you?

"I didn't go to Spa because they wanted to give Bourdais another day of testing. It doesn't matter to me…"

Q: But it doesn't make sense to not have the race driver in the car…

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to read the press and know that Franz and Gerhard are pushing like hell to get rid of me and Tonio. So they have their own agendas, and their own motivations, and good for them. Personally, as unhappy as they are with me, I'm easily as unhappy with them."

Q: So are you going to use the last seven races just to show the world what you can do?

"Yeah, I forget about it to be honest. I know the ability I have, and in F1 it's always very difficult to show what you can do, because the teams are so different. Obviously, when you're doing good against your teammate, that's a plus for you. And the last few races have been very strong. But everything other than that is outside my control, and I think I have a lot less pressure on myself right now, because I know everything is out of my hands. So, here it is."

Q: Are you thinking of talking to other teams?

"I'm trying all kinds of stuff. I'm talking to everyone. I have a couple of different options on the table, so we'll see."

Q: Only F1 options?

"I'll look everywhere. At the end I'm a professional racing driver. F1 was always the goal, and I'm very happy that I was able to make it this far, but staying where I am right now is not probably the best option for me next year. So if it is in F1, it will probably be in a different team."

Q: I guess it doesn't help you that there's no Indy race next year in terms of American interest…

"I don't know how much that helps or hurts anyway, because the involvement of America in F1 would not change and will not change until an American gets in there and starts producing good results, and starts being on TV."

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