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Wednesday, 30th May 2007

Luca Filippi reckoned that he could have been good value for another podium finish had he qualified better in the Principality, but admitted that he would settle for the fourth place he eventually achieved.

Luca Filippi reckoned that he could have been good value for another podium finish had he qualified better in the Principality, but admitted that he would settle for the fourth place he eventually achieved.

The Italian, who won the season-opener in Bahrain, posted the seventh fastest time in the single half-hour session, bouncing back from a blown engine in Friday morning's free practice. The result wasn't quite what the Super Nova driver had targeted, but he admitted that it had taken a Herculean effort to claim a place on row four given the confines of Monaco's street circuit.

"I wanted to be among the first six, but I was satisfied about how things went on, considering the fact that I did my best time overtaking two cars with old tyres," Filippi revealed after the session, "It will be very important to have a good start and overtake during the first laps. Then, if we adopt the right strategies, we will aim at the podium."

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Making a good start, he moved up to fifth place on lap one, but overtaking then proved to difficult and it was left to strategy to elevate him to his eventual fourth position. That did not prevent him from attempting to secure a podium finish, however, but his move into the sea-front chicane resulted only ion contact with points leader Timo Glock.

"There is not enough room to overtake in Monaco," he sighed, "My front left was bent for the rest of the race, and I had five or six very difficult laps where I was just trying to find the feeling. The front felt very strange but, when I got [the feel], we were quick again. Even if the front left was bent so much, the balance of the car was fantastic.

"I am very happy with my race. Thanks to a good start, I succeeded in getting an important fourth position. The car set-up was perfect and I felt very comfortable on Monaco's circuit. My only regret is the problem I got during yesterday's qualifying session, which
kept me from fighting for victory. With a better position on the grid, I could have won a place on the podium."

Fourth place was enough to take Filippi back into second place, behind Glock in the standings, with the Italian trailing by 16 points heading into the mid-season break.

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