JV: That’s a great feeling. But my father was never the World Champion - he died too soon. Now, I intend to win the Title.

BS: You have the best car in F1 with the Williams-Renault. Can anybody beat you?

JV: I think, that only I can beat myself, because it’s true, that the Williams car is fantastic. And if I don’t make a mistake, it looks very good for the World Championship...

BS: Michael Schumacher, one of the biggest rivals for the World Championship crown, went out in the first curve. But Michael’s younger brother finished third in the race. Can Ralf now become dangerous for you?

JV: I’m happy for Ralf, because he is the youngest F1 driver. His 3rd place will give him strength for the next races. And Michael just had bad luck. I’m sure that by the end of the season, he will be one of the first three drivers in the Driver’s Points table.

BS: You have lived in Monaco for the past two years now. Do you still feel bound to Montreal in some way?

JV: Yes, of course. When I’m there, I get together with my family, my girlfriend Sandrine and my old friends.

BS: Do you still have many friends home in Canada?

JV: Yes. I’ve known them for a very long time. But I also have friends all over the world. It’s not like a clique in one place. Since I’ve become famous, many people want to be my friends. I never know, if they really like me for who I am, or if they just want to be close to me, because they want to enjoy the publicity around me.

BS: One of your hobbies is also playing the piano. Do you still have time for that?

JV: Yes, because I like it very much and I try to become better at it. I’m even taking piano lessons now.

BS: Will we ever hear you at concert?

JV: No, I don’t think that would be my thing. I’m not someone who likes to be on a stage with people praising you.

BS: But people praise you all the time in F1!

JV: That’s just part of what I do.

BS: You also like to read science fiction...

JV: Yes, I devour it all the time. Somehow, it’s like I would travel in these stories myself. It’s a great way to clear your mind.

BS: Are you even more famous in Canada than the ice-hockey hero Wayne Gretzky, who plays in New York at the moment?

JV: I don’t know, and to be honest, I don’t care. What’s important for me is, that I can do my job and that I enjoy doing it. There’s a big difference, anyway: in ice-hockey, fans admire the whole team. I’m more of a lone fighter. Also, unlike most of the guys in Canada, I never wanted to make a career in NHL. I had skiing, auto racing and motocross racing in mind, all of which are individual sports.

BS: How do you keep fit for a GP race?

JV: I lift weights and I jog, in beautiful surroundings if I can, for example by the sea. And there must be a challenge - a contest with someone else or with my own best time.

BS: On 27th of April there’s the GP of San Marino in Imola. Will we see you on the top step of the podium again?

JV: I hope so! Last year, I went out of the race with a defect, just a few laps before the end of the race. This year, I’m hoping for a win!