Q: So you think there is a chance that you could actually beat McLaren and Ferrari in a straight fight this year?
JT: I think this year we've got a bigger chance than last year, especially because we've got an official engine deal with Honda, so we have a lot of support from them; and everybody in the factory is pushing very hard because they are very motivated from this Honda deal. So I think we can have this big chance, but it's important, you know, to work very hard to try to gain the gap we've lost last year. So I think everybody is motivated and everybody is really optimistic, but we just have to wait and see.

Q:Jarno, you haven't won a race yet. Is this the year that Jarno Trulli is going to be standing on the top shelf of the podium?
JT: Well, I hope so. It has been very frustrating for me because I won a little bit everywhere very quickly in Formula Three and karting, and even when I was in Formula1 already in 1997 I went very close in the Austrian Grand Prix to win a race. And now it's already in my fifth season and unfortunately I didn't get what I really wanted to get from Formula1, that means podiums and maybe a victory. So I'm really waiting for it and hope it's going to be the right season. For sure, we've got a good package this year, so I have to think that I may get the chance.

Q: Some people say that one of your problems is that you need a bit more patience. Do you think this is a fair assessment of you? Do you feel like you do get too frustrated when things don't go right with your car?
JT: I just think that I need a reliable car and a little bit more luck. I think last year I was (running) second in Monaco and I was really patient, but unfortunately the gearbox gave up. In 1997, also, I was just leading the race and then the engine blew up. So I don't think it is a question of being patient; it's just a question that you need the right chance.

Q:Have you had a chance, during testing, to make a realistic comparison between your car and the opposition?
JT: To be honest, this year winter tests have been weird, a bit strange, because it has been very difficult to figure out our opposition and the situation from the other teams, because with a tyres war, you can't really know what they are doing, which tyres they are using, how much fuel load they are testing with etc. So you have seen a lot of tests where (people were) very quick, they beat the track record. So it has been difficult being able to understand where we are. The only thing I can say is that, for sure, our car seems reliable. We still have some problems to fix, small problems, but we are confident on that. Unfortunately, we don't really know how competitive we are. We know that we have got a good package, as I say, because we've got our Honda engine deal. We hope that our car will be quick enough to compete at least with the best car, like BMW WilliamsF1 or BAR and try to get very close to McLaren and Ferrari, who will be the teams to be beat this season.

Q:You proved you were quick last year, especially in qualifying. How frustrating is it when the car gives up on you?
JT: Well, it was very frustrating. We didn't only have reliability problems, we also were very unlucky, especially on my side, because many times I collided with other drivers or they collided into me. But it sure wasn't easy at all, especially because many times we perform well in qualifying. I remember the team got three front rows - two with me and one with Heinz. So I don't think we were bad in terms of performance, but in the race maybe we didn't get what we wanted or what we expected, just because our car sometimes gave up and we were also very unlucky.

Q: When you joined up last year, did you think that you would go better than you did last year? Did you think that you would have a few podiums and maybe a win?
JT: When I first joined Jordan, I was convinced I would do very, very well in 2000 and, honestly, I had a very good season, because anyway it was my best season since I'm in Formula1 - because I had two front rows and performed very well. But, unfortunately, I didn't have the luck (necessary) to finish races. For sure, I expected more in terms of results, which we didn't get; but in terms of performance, I think the season was not such a bad season. So I think the choice I made in 1999, to change to the Jordan team, was a very good choice.

Q: You had your first Formula1 drive here in Melbourne. Does that mean that the Grand Prix coming up in a couple of weeks' time is special for you, because it was the place where you had your first drive?
JT: I must say that I really, really like to coming to Melbourne. I love this city, I love Australia, and I've always performed well in Australia, but unfortunately I was always a bit unlucky. But I hope this year will be much better for me.

Q: This season will see the of traction control (at the end of April). We've heard from a number of drivers what they think about it. What's your opinion about the return of this driver aid?
JT: Well, my opinion is very simple. Until now, we have had lots of, let's say, discussion about this, a lot of doubts about this. So, somehow, I think there are two stories. I think, one, it's better somehow because we don't have any doubts, we don't have any problems, no discussion about this, we know that everybody will have it. On the other hand, maybe the driver will have less influence on the car's performance, but that is the life. I mean, you have to deal with that and everybody will have to.

Q:Did you have an opportunity during the winter break to relax and unwind, and can you tell us what you do for relaxation?
JT: Well, relaxation was a bit strange because I went for the New York Marathon in November. That was the only week off I had, and I really enjoyed it. It was a good experience - not easy because I didn't have a lot of time to train for it, but I finished the marathon in four hours. That was enough, let's say. I wasn't very happy about it, because I would have gone for three and a half hours, but unfortunately I had many problems with it. So that's what I did. Then I prepared for the winter tests and especially preparing for the new season, because I knew that the season was going to be very important for us and for everybody.

Q:We saw something a few weeks ago where you were quoted as saying that, if you had a Ferrari, you could beat Michael Schumacher. Can you confirm whether that is what you said, and do you really believe that if you were in a Ferrari you could beat Michael Schumacher?
JT: Unfortunately, I cannot confirm because what you read in the newspaper wasn't my words. So I confirm that it wasn't my words, when I was here for the car launch. I can only say that I think that, as Formula1 driver, as all drivers, we all think that if we've got the right chance, we can compete, we can all compete, to beat the best driver. For sure Michael is the No 1, he's the world's champion, so everybody wants to try to beat him and wants to be as good as him. So what I just say is that if I will have a Ferrari, I might have the chance to compete with him and be close. This is my opinion.

Q: Incidentally, who do you rate as the top drivers? You are obviously in a very good position to assess them, perhaps much better than someone sitting on the other side of the fence.
JT: I think that you can see from the results, even if results are given by the competitiveness of the car, for sure Michael is No. 1, together with Hakkinen, and then all the rest. Probably it's difficult to judge all the rest, because a lot is related to the car. You know, Ralf Schumacher, Jacques Villeneuve, Heinz-Harald Frentzen and David Coulthard, they are all there trying to show how good they are, but you know you need to have a good car and good chance.

Q:How can someone, particularly the ordinary person, the fan, assess how good the drivers at the back of the field are, in the sense that clearly their cars are not as good as Ferraris and McLarens? It has been interesting in the last few days to see Sir Frank Williams talking about how he loves watching the guys further back in the field, because he can appreciate how good they are, how hard they're trying. How can the ordinary person understand that?
JT: I think it's difficult, but if you can watch them, you can see that, on the back of the grid, we are fighting very, very hard - harder than what they are fighting in the front - because we are so many people on the back fighting maybe to get a point, as on the top there are only a few people able to fight for winning races. So there's a very tough competition on the back of the field. Plus to really judge a driver, which is not necessarily driving for the best team, you have to see how many chances does he get through the season to score points and how many times he really used the chance to score a point. So it is a question of also ... it's a matter of luck a little bit, together with ability to score points.

Q:You've named who you think are the best drivers. Is it possible for you to be friendly with these guys, very good friends? Or is it just a clinical relationship of you nodding, saying hello?
JT: Well, to be honest, it's very difficult to be very friendly or good friends with someone, because we don't spend any time together. We spend a lot of time together on the same racetrack, you know, and same place and city, sometimes same hotel. But everybody spends most of his time in his motel room or in his truck, together with computers and engineers, talking about the car. So honestly, it's very difficult. We are friendly, everybody, we know each other and we meet each other every Sunday, let's say, on the track going around the circle, just waving to the public, and we keep talking sometimes. You know, sometimes you talk with Michael (Schumacher), sometimes you talk with (Gaston) Mazzacane, sometimes you talk with everyone, and that's nice. But, unfortunately, it's not a very friendly relationship with anyone as a very good friend, because it is impossible. We don't spend time together, and anyway we are rivals - true rivals. But, anyway, we fight very hard when we are on the track.

Q: Irrespective of whoever is world champion, is it true that your toughest opponent is always your teammate?
JT: I think so. I think your teammate is your toughest rival, because you have got the same car, same materials, same opportunities, same chance. So, sure, when you try to be as competitive as your teammate, it's already a good thing, especially because I feel that honestly if you have a very good teammate, it's always the best thing for you and for the team. I've seen myself learning a lot from everybody, all my teammates, and now I'm learning from Heinz, and we are pushing each other, trying to reach our best. I think is really, really good, because you improve yourself, but also you improve the car performance.