Q. Are you surprised by the Renault story?
NH: First of all I'm amazed that it took so long, that nearly a year later it becomes such a big issue, because immediately after the race already in the briefing everybody who was there in the paddock had the thought that it at least looked like it could have been on purpose, but just one year later and suddenly it becomes a big story.
Q. So you had suspicions?
NH: My english is not good enough, I don't know if suspicions is the right word. But I thought about it. But until now I don't know if it was on purpose or not. But when you looked at it, you thought that it might well be the case.
Q. Did the crash itself look unusual to you?
NH: No.
Q. If you or any other driver was asked to crash deliberately, do you think it would be a reasonable thing?
NH: I wouldn't be willing to do it. But again it's rumours all over. There were talks of Piquet maybe therefore keeping his drive for this season after not performing brilliantly compared to [Fernando] Alonso. Maybe that's what could have made him do it. I don't know.
Q. Is it a good idea for a driver to come out with these things just after he has been fired by a team?
NH: If you do it, it would be very strange if you do it before. If you do it, it's already a mistake. Whatever you do afterwards, it doesn't matter. If it really happened, I think it's extreme and unbelievable. After all we've seen in Formula 1 happening over the last couple of years, with some very unexpected things, this for me would be the most amazing one in a negative way.
Q. Given all the work the drivers do together on safety, it would seem strange for a driver to crash deliberately...
NH: Yeah, of course, it would be strange. It was not a slow corner, but it was not somewhere where you might think at least to the driver that crashes something stupid happened. But you never know, if a wheel flies away...
Q. That's the point, can you crash deliberately and be 100 per cent sure nothing bad will happen?
NH: No, you cannot. Like Michael [Schumacher] tried in Monaco, he didn't try hard enough... Maybe Nelson said 'I'll do a little bit more...'
Q. When the drivers were talking about the Singapore GP between themselves, did you think he might have done it deliberately?
NH: It's too long ago, I don't remember. But as I already said, we spoke about it internally after the race and I also spoke about it with many other people, probably also other drivers, yeah. But of course that doesn't mean that we know [it was deliberate]. We were just thinking. If it was the case at all, we have no idea, yes or no.
Q. Did the crash seem strange at that moment?
NH: It didn't seem strange to me that he crashed, but the fact that they had those two strategies and that he crashed at that time just made you think.
Q. It made no sense that Alonso was running light...
NH: Well, the team could obviously argue that on this track there was very likely to be a safety car, so put one stopping very early when probably nobody else was stopping, and the other one very heavy, so you could explain it.
Q. How much proof do you need for the world council to do something about it?
NH: I've no idea, but I'm very interested to see what the outcome will be, and what evidence is said.
Q. Is it easy as a driver to crash on purpose at that particular corner?
NH: No. For sure, it's not easy. You train all your life not to crash and to hold the car, and then to do something like this... Probably you can try not to hurt yourself but even then you cannot be 100 per cent that it will not hurt.
