Rockingham test, 31st July 2001

The following three TV interviews were recorded at Rockingham Motor Speedway on 31st July 2001, immediately after Johnny had completed his historic first test in a Champ Car and on an oval, during which he smashed the UK lap record for a race car. These interviews were transcribed by David Cunliffe, as accurately as possible. There is some repetition because similar questions were asked by the three interviewers.

Interview 1

Q: So what did you think of your first run in a Champ Car on an oval, Johnny?

JH: It was a brilliant experience - I'm glad I've eventually done it. It gave me a very good insight into what oval racing's like. I have to say I enjoyed it thoroughly. It was very nice. I've always liked high speed corners and, of course, that's all we've got here. It was great!

Q: As far as an adrenaline rush goes, how did that compare with Formula 1?

JH: Well, Formula 1 is a different animal - it's a totally different style of driving on tracks with a lot of corners when it's down to braking, finesse through the corner and then back on the throttle, where this is really all about being smooth on the throttle when you go in and smooth back on the throttle when you come out of the corner - basically just trying to get a rhythm going to gain more and more speed. So they're very, very different - you haven't got any braking forces or acceleration forces here, you've just got the g-force of the corner with the banking. The cars are very different too. This is a very heavy car, compared to a Formula 1 car: the steering is very heavy and the car itself is much heavier and you feel that. I think these are, what, about 900hp? A Formula 1 car has got between 8-850hp but I think - and until I get [to drive one of these] on a road course, I won't really know - the F1 car feels a lot quicker because it's much lighter, which is what you would expect. But they [Champ Cars] are very nice. They've got big floors on 'em and they do create a lot of downforce at that speed.

Q: You seemed to adjust very quickly, breaking Alex's time pretty soon after you got into the car. Where you surprised how quickly you did adjust?

JH: In some respects, yes. Before I got in the car, I wasn't really sure what to expect - I think I was expecting the driver input to be much more critical but it seems that the way the car was set up with the stagger and the camber, you have to just finesse and let the car do the work. It's an interesting way of driving, a very different way, a completely different style to what I've ever been used to, and it's that side of it that gives me a big interest in trying to do something like this. A goal for me has always been to do the Indy 500 - I want to add that to the little tally that I have got; it would be great.

Q: It looks like being a tremendous event here in September. How important or exciting is it, do you think, for British Motorsport that we have this circuit here now and that this event is taking place in September?

JH: I'm very excited about it - I'm probably more excited now that I've actually driven one than I was before. I think the race will be very good. It's a very good track - it's an oval but a very different type of oval, I think, to those they have in the States. Turn 3 here is actually very like Blanchimont at Spa, which is a great corner. Turn 1 is one of those corners which is more oval orientated - I think there's a big variation in lines [through there] and I think because of that you're probably going to see two cars abreast, you know, side by side, through there and probably Turn 4. Probably you won't have that in Turn 2 - I think that's where you'll see the cars trying to pick up the speed to come out of Turn 3, to overtake into the fastest part of the circuit which is Turn 4. It's a good circuit because it's wide and, because of the banking, you'll be able to get two cars side by side and I think that will make the interest that much more. I think it's going to be quite a spectacle - it'll be the first time since Brooklands days that we'll have cars racing on an oval here. I think it's great - it's a different form of racing but it's an exciting one as well.

Q: Do you think British fans will take to it?

JH: I hope so. If they understand what the racing is really about, I think it will probably interest them more. It's a different side to what we have in Europe with regards to racing - from Formula Ford all the way up to Formula 1. The good thing about Champ Cars is that the rules only allow small things to be done [to the cars] and, with Reynard and Lola, it's much better, much closer, because you only have two manufacturers. Formula 1 is all about being in a Ferrari, or a McLaren or a Williams so, obviously, the best is at the top, the worst at the bottom. In this [CART], it's more down to the drivers because the cars are more the same. The oval racing is very, very different - some people adapt to it, some don't, but I think the racing is very different. We saw at the race before last [MIS] they were racing four abreast and it all happened as they crossed the line there - it's exciting because you never know what's going to happen. That's what happens on ovals and I think the fans should come and watch.

Interview 2

Q: First of all, Johnny, what did you make of your first drive in a Champ Car?

JH: I thoroughly enjoyed it, I have to say! It was completely different to what I envisaged - I expected, probably, to put more driver input into it but, because of the way the camber is on the tyres, because of the banking, down the straight you're having to keep the car straight and around the corners you let the car more or less do the turn for you. Normally in a single seater, it's the other way round, so that was quite different. But the nice thing about it is that [these cars] do create a lot of downforce at the speed you can go and that is interesting because I've always liked high speed corners. So, it was actually very exhilarating.

Q: You mentioned high speed - you've just set the fastest ever lap of a race circuit in this country. How pleased are you with that?

JH: Well, I hope can keep it for more than a month, before the other guys come here! It's nice, of course. The average lap highest lap speed before was by Nigel [Mansell], wasn't it, when he came here before? So, it's nice to beat you, Nige! It was good but today was mainly about trying to understand what one of these cars was like on an oval - I've never been on an oval before - so it was important that I gained a good understanding of what's it's like. Hopefully, we can get something together for next year now.

Q: Why Champ Cars, Johnny?

JH: Well, basically, I've always - since I was 10 years old - wanted to do Formula 1, which I've done, Le Mans, which I've won, and the Indy 500. It was really those three that I wanted to do. I've got a lot of friends doing the Champ Car series and it would be great to join that. The Indy 500 is part of the IRL series and it would be great to do it. I've always wanted to do oval racing because it's something that I've never done before, it's completely different, and it's a big, big challenge. I think it's important that you have a challenge in life. It's definitely a different challenge and a big challenge so, hopefully, something will come together where I can do that. It's been nice for me - I've had my three [wins] in Formula 1 - and now, hopefully, I can have a nice career in America.

Q: The Champ Car series will make history when one of its rounds comes to Britain - right here at the Rockingham oval - in September. Are you hoping to be involved in that?

JH: Erm, fortunately I've got the American Le Mans Series that I drive with Audi in the Stares - I'm actually off doing that this weekend. I think it clashes - the same weekend? [DC: actually there's no clash - there are ALMS races on 9th September and 6th October but not 22nd September when Rockingham will be run.] We'll see what happens, whether anything comes out of it, maybe I'll be back next year if we can get some success going. It would be nice to have another success like my British GP win [in 1995].

Q: We won't be seeing you in September then - is that 100%? Was this possibly a dress rehearsal for September?

JH: At the present time, there's no way. I think, sensibly, it wouldn't be correct just because I wouldn't be able to do any testing. Yes, I've done half a day today - 100 laps, or whatever I've done - but that's not really enough, you know. If I'm going to do it, I want to do it properly, I want to be able to have [the track time] like the other guys, they've had most of the year driving the cars. It would be difficult for me, I want to exactly what I'm doing when I'm doing it - I don't need to hurt myself again.

Q: British racing fans - a lot of them, perhaps - won't be familiar with the Champ Car series. What do you think the fans will think of it all?

JH: Well, I think they follow it and it's been fairly popular over here. Obviously, Formula 1 is the most popular. I think when it's on TV it's a little bit different - I'm sure there's people that have actually been to see the Indy 500, and maybe various other IRL or Champ Car races - but I think it's always good when it's in your own country and the majority of the people who are actually going to come here this year to see it in real life, when they see all the cars together, overtaking like they do, I think it will be very interesting for them. The way the track is - it's a good track here because you can probably drive two abreast, I think around Turn 1 and Turn 4 - just adds to the excitement, seeing cars going at 200mph side by side. That will be the nice, exciting part of it. I think it will be interesting for people coming to watch it because [oval racing] is something never seen since Brooklands and that's quite a while ago. I think it will be interesting and a good race to come and watch.

Q: You mentioned Formula 1 - many people may see this as, perhaps, a step down for you. What's your reaction to that?

JH: Well, I did my 10 or 11 years in Formula 1, I won my 3 Grands Prix, and now I've got the change to do my childhood dream, which was to go to the Indy 500. It's not a step down - it's a challenge. Formula 1 was a challenge, Le Mans was a challenge, I think racing on an oval is a challenge. Doing the whole series and the Indy 500, that would be a big challenge - that's what keeps me interested in doing it. So, no, it's not a step down.

Interview 3

Q: You've obviously been enjoying today, Johnny. Tell us a bit about driving about driving the Champ Car for the first time…

JH: It was very interesting - I enjoyed myself thoroughly, I have to say. It was really exhilarating. It wasn't what I expected - I think I expected there to be a lot more driver input to it but the driver input is only down the straight because of the banking on the track and the camber they have to put on the wheels. Because of that, you go down a straight line and the car pulls quite sharp left so you've gotta actually work to keep it straight. When you're in the corner, you sort of feed it and it almost does it itself. That was not what I expected but it was nice because it was a nice way of being able to control it - probably the safest way.

It was great coming here to Rockingham and being on an oval for the first time. It was good: it was good for me and I think the times were nice. I got the fastest average lap time in the country, so that was good as well. It's great - they've done a very, very good job here. They've put a lot of money into this, a lot of effort and it's a lovely track. There's a lot of nice turns - Turn 3 is like Blanchimont at Spa and that's one of the great corners on the GP circuits. It's great that we've got one [oval] here in England now. For me it's a big, big challenge and that's what I've always had to have if I'm doing something - I've definitely got that now.

Q: It certainly is a challenge. As a Le Mans winner, a winner of the British GP, to come to somewhere like Rockingham - what is the feeling when you go out into something completely new?

JH: Well, beforehand you're always thinking: is it going to be this, is it going to be that. Surprisingly, I always think it's going to be more difficult than it probably is, every time I get into [a racing car], but it's always easier [than I thought]. This was a little bit different because you've got to be very smooth on the throttle. Obviously, I don't want to hit one of these walls - they're very nice walls here and I want to keep them white! And, at the same time, I don't want to hurt myself. Really, it's just getting into the groove, it's learning the system, building up the speed, building up the confidence, learning where you need to be, learning what you need to do with the throttle, not being too aggressive with it, same with the steering, being very smooth with it - so there's a lot of things you've got to catch on to, to pull out the experience. It's very easy to lose time here because of the downforce these cars create with their 900hp. At the end of the day it's exciting and it's a very different form of racing to what I've ever done before. It's something I've always wanted to do as well.

Q: How does a Champ Car compare with a Formula 1 car?

JH: It's probably unfair of me to say because I've only driven a Champ Car on an oval and an oval is something that Formula 1 cars have never been on - except [for me] Turn 1 backwards at Indianapolis! That's not quite the same! A Formula 1 car is much lighter, it has between 800 and 850hp - these [Champ Cars] weigh a lot more and have 900hp. You can feel the car is much heavier and the steering is much heavier because F1 cars have power steering. And these things have a thing called a gearstick - which is quite rare, quite different! It's a bit like motorbikes - you keep pulling it backwards to go up and then forwards to go down again. But here, you just use 6th gear and power round all day long.

Q: So is it a case of sitting with your foot on the boards - what is the technique for driving around here? Talk us around a lap…

JH: Basically, as you go into Turn 1 and Turn 2 you use the banking and you use the compression that you get as well. Because of that, you create a lot more downforce and because, as I said before, the cambers are offset, that actually allows you - helps you - go round the corner much faster than if the car was actually set like a road course car. That's very nice but you have to be very careful because of the speed. In Formula 1, you go flat out down a straight like you are here, but then you come off and you brake. But here, if you do that, then you probably end up smacking the wall because, obviously the car twitches, but then when it does pitch, you normally lose all the downforce forward and then you lose all the back and that normally is when you spin. So, you've got to be very smooth, probably much smoother than in a Formula 1 car. It's very good as you go into Turn 2 - there's quite a big compression and you use the banking. Then you've got the Blanchimont type of corner (Turn 3), which is not a big problem and then on into the fastest part of the circuit where you're doing about 206, 208mph before Turn 4 which is quite a tricky one - I haven't quite sussed this one yet. You can actually go into it quite quick but you don't seem to get as much effect from the banking - there doesn't seem to be the compression like you get in Turn 1, so you don't get as much grip as you do in Turn 1 - and you got to be much, much smoother. It's an enjoyable circuit and it's been done very, very well, which is good because it should make the racing very interesting as well. You'll probably see cars - probably in Turn 1 and Turn 4 as well - two abreast, because it's a wide track and the groove is actually quite big.

Q: It certainly seems to suit your driving style - how about some races?

JH: Yeah, well, maybe. I want to work on it properly, get some time in the car, to be able to really go for this Championship. That's what I'm looking at - and the Indy 500. After doing it today, I'm more excited about it and definitely want to do it.