Petrov: “I’ll have to be on top”

How do you evaluate your performance after your early finish in Korea?
We entered Q3 without difficulty and we showed a much better pace than some of the other teams with whom we are battling. We were closer to Mercedes and I fought against Nico (Rosberg, editor's note) and Michael (Schumacher, editor’s note). It's a shame the race ended this way. Our battle was tough, but this time, it was me who took out Michael. Usually, it's him who takes me out! I apologized to him and we concluded that it was a racing incident.

What are your impressions before the Indian GP?
It will be difficult. It is a brand new circuit on which no one has yet raced. It was the same story in Korea last year. As it is a new circuit, everyone will be in the same boat.

How are you preparing for this race?
We will arrive a little earlier than on an already known circuit. What is regrettable is that I arrive with a penalty of five places on the grid, following the accident with Michael in Korea. I will have to be at the top of my abilities.

Discover in your AUTOhebdo magazine, on newsstands tomorrow, an exclusive 19-page report on India. A few days before the first Indian GP in history, we went there and interviewed the major players in Indian motorsport, including Vijay Mallya, Vicky and Karun Chandhok, Narain Karthikeyan, etc.