Bird, Nasr and Coletti post race quotes

GP2 Series: Sam, a great win today for you and new team RUSSIAN TIME. How does it feel?Sam Bird: It feels fantastic. Being back in GP2 is already feeling very good, being back in the feeder series to Formula One is a great place to be. To win for RUSSIAN TIME after only four races of existence is a very good feeling.GP2 Series: You seemed to make a bit of a slow satrt, but you managed to sneak your way past Quaife-Hobbs and Coletti. Take me through itSam: The getaway was still very good, but the reaction time was weak. However, I still managed to maintain P2 on the first lap and got into the lead on lap 2 and maintain the lead until the end of the race. The laps were coming down. I knew Coletti and Nasr would come back at me because their cars are typically very strong in terms of tyre management. Were still working on our setup. Like Ive explained, it is a new team, working on new theories. Were improving all the time. And were already improved a lot since yesterday where our tyres fell off earlier. We have managed to add quite a few more laps today and we won the race.GP2 Series: You saw Coletti braking hard and running wide. Then you saw Nasr dangerously coming back at you. How was it from the car?Sam: The Carlin car is very good typically looking out at their tyres. Felipe and Jolyon are really able to extend the run and I think further than probably most of the competitors and with their pace still being strong. We have to look at what we can do to improve and close the gap towards what theyre doing. Having said that, I was not worried. I was hanging on to that win. Im glad that chequered flag came out when it did because one more, Im not sure (Laughs) A gap is a gap and a win is a win.GP2 Series: True. Looking ahead to Barcelona, what can you tell us?Sam: Theres a lot of room for improvement and actually change the car for Barcelona. We already have a few ideas. The cars will go back now and get fully prepped to have a competitive car ready to rock and roll in Barcelona so Im really excited and I like Barcelona!GP2 Series: Felipe, P2 today. A strong race for you and an exciting finish. How was it?Felipe Nasr: It was a difficult race to start with because at the start I had quite a good getaway but I saw Bird and I had to avoid him on the right so I lost quite a lot of positions. Luckily I had a good turn 1 and I made back some places. From then, it was a matter of managing the car and keeping the gap with the guys in front. I saw Sam push early on. He build up a good gap. I was trying to keep up. Four or five laps to go, I saw them struggling. I was struggling too with the tyres. In the end it was pretty close, it was one of those races. Maybe had I had another corner, I could have had him. He was so close! But anyway, its still a good result. We came here to score big points and its quite good to go back to Europe knowing that we have a good car, a good team. It keeps getting better and better. Im feeling quite confident.GP2 Series: Word around the paddock is that Carlin have a really good setup in terms of preserving the tyres. How was it today exactly?Felipe: In the end, its about the car and the way you drive. Its little things that make the difference. I was waiting for the final laps Anyway, I needed an extra lap today. It was pretty close. It was a fair fight. As long as we keep it like this, its a good level of racing. I enjoyed it a lot. I want that win so much! I think its pretty close. As I said, were competitive, were looking good, so we move on to Barcelona. We can keep our pace there. The winits just a matter of time now.GP2 Series: You were quick in qualifying again this week, but the race yesterday must have been a bit disappointingFelipe: The race yesterday I messed up a bit at the start and had a bit of a problem at the pitstop which cost us a bit of time as well. I would say we could have been on the podium easily without those issues. Its one of those things that could happen to anyone. It could happen to someone else in the next race. As long as we keep scoring big points, at some point, we will make the difference. Im still pleased. Theres still a long way to go. Were thinking in the long term. I know that as soon as we go to Europe, everything changes again: its a different weather, different circuits. But Im confident because weve had really good tests in Barcelona. So, Im really looking forward to keep doing the jobGP2 Series: and get that win?Felipe: Oh yeah! The win is close!  GP2 Series: Stefano, a fourth podium on your fourth race this season. Thats quite an accomplishment!Stefano Coletti: Yeah it is! Today we had a great pace and a great car. Sam was very quick and pushing a lot. I knew at some points I would catch him. I was waiting and biding my time. I was controlling Felipe behind. With two laps to go, I got close to Sam, but I made a big mistake in turn 10. I had a big lock up and I destroyed my front left tyre. So in the end I could not do anything and I had to leave the door open for Felipe. I finished P3 but overall I think its quite a good weekend for me.GP2 Series: Before that lock up, how was the tyre degradation?Stefano: There was nothing bad. My car was pretty consistent the whole race. The tyres behave really well and I did not suffer any degradation at all. Its good for the rest of the season. Its still long. Were still a few points ahead ten I think. But like I said, we need to score big points in Race 1 and I think that in Barcelona well be in the front.GP2 Series: Going to Europe as Series leader. Is that extra pressure or extra motivation?Stefano: Extra motivation! I would not call that pressure. I really want to win that race 1. I have never won one. The car is competitive, the team are working well so now we just have to put everything in qualifying like we did in Malaysia. We made a little mistake on the race for the feature race and I could not take the win. Weve learned and now I think were going to be fine for Barcelona.

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