We have got an extended event there [for 2008] because we go down to Monaco on the Saturday evening and then we do the classic stages in Turini after the re-start on Sunday morning. It is a logistical difference and the championship has worked very hard over the last 3-4 years to reduce costs - being either technical or logistical - and it just adds more costs to the teams budgets. But at the end of the day that is what has been decided will happen.
We have shown frustration with the rallies with not being consistent in keeping the service park in one place and having to move the whole team. But it is an opportunity as well. The best prepared will get the best result because using those stages down near Monaco are very tricky.
Of course we will be on the single make tyre in 2008. We will all revert back to Pirelli - every team and it is a control tyre. There is only one tyre for the wet and one for the dry surface - just one compound and that is it. And we just have one snow tyre and we are not allowed to cut the tyres. It is going to be quite tricky.
Crash.net:
That will make things interesting won't it?
PH:
Yeah it will make things more of a spectacle. On the last two rounds [in 2007 in Ireland and GB] most teams were flat-out - cutting tyres and finding the best compounds etc, etc. The days of having five compounds sat there or different tread patterns or different cuts - all the tricks you use to try and get the best performance are gone.
You just have your four tyres. You can use six tyres. You can put two spares in the car as well because there is no run-flat mousse in the tyres anymore. There is no ATS - so if you hit a rock and get a puncture you have to change the wheel. We will be carrying two spare wheels on lots of occasions or you might decide not to and not get any punctures by not making deep cuts on the roads.
