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PART ONE – Lando NORRIS (McLaren), Charles LECLERC (Ferrari), Gabriel BORTOLETO (Audi)
Q: Let’s start with the local hero and the man in the news as of yesterday. Charles, many congratulations on the new contract. Can you tell us why you wanted to extend with Ferrari and why now?
Charles LECLERC: I mean, why now? It’s not that I had a timeline in my head. But why? I mean, it was very clear. I mean, I love the team. I think that’s pretty obvious from the outside. It’s been eight years with the Formula 1 team, 10 years with Ferrari as a whole. They’ve been one of the first people to believe in me and to help me to get to where I am today, and I believe in the project most of all. I think with Fred we have a very good relationship, and I strongly believe that he is the person that will be able to bring Ferrari back to the top. It’s been a good start to the season, obviously not as good as what we would want, because we want to target the World Championship, but there’s been a lot of innovation on the car. I mean, we know where we are lacking and that’s probably more the engine side. We’ve got a plan coming up and hopefully it will help us to get back to where we want to be. But why? It’s because I love this team and because I believe in the project, and for these two reasons, yeah, that’s why we continue together.
Q: And Charles, what about this season? You talk about the plan. Do you think you can still challenge for the World Championship in 2026?
CL: I think it’s very difficult to predict because things can change and swing one way or the other very quickly, especially so early on with those regulations. So, it’s probably too early to say, but I see a lot of motivation and everybody’s pushing extremely hard back at the factory to try and make sure that we come back closer to Mercedes. So that’s a goal, then we’ll see whether we achieve it or not.
Q: Well, a win would help, and the man on your right thinks you’re favourite for the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend. Do you agree with him?
CL: No. I think we are in a better place. I mean, if there’s one track I would bet on us, it’s probably Monaco. However, I still believe that Mercedes have had a significant advantage since the beginning of the year, so I think they will be very strong. I think McLaren will be very strong as well. I think Red Bull will be very strong. But it’s true that on the other tracks so far, we’ve been struggling quite a bit on the straights, which should be less of a problem. We have a strong package chassis-wise and aero-wise, so I think it could help us. But Mercedes, I think, will still remain the team to beat.
Q: OK. Good luck this weekend. Congrats on the new contract. Thank you. Lando, let’s come to you now. Last year’s winner. Just how confident are you of repeating that feat this time?
Lando NORRIS: Well, I think our run into this weekend this time last year was probably a little bit better than we’ve had this year, so maybe not quite to the level it was last season. But I think we’re optimistic. We still want to come in with hopes of trying to achieve a pole and trying to achieve a win. That’s still the goals we want to set ourselves. But Ferrari and Mercedes have obviously been very strong, Mercedes even more so, so we’re getting ahead of ourselves. We don’t want to be too optimistic, but at the same time we want to come into our weekends at the minute, I think we’ve given ourselves the chance to come into weekends with the belief that it is possible. That’s the way we want to stay for now.
Q: And when you look at your car’s characteristics, do you think the nature of Monaco will suit it?
LN: It’s just so tough to say. I think, you know, we were closer to pole this year in Montreal than we were last time in Montreal, when we had a more dominant car. We went on to win in a similar characteristic of track – slow speeds, low grip track – that we have here. So, you know, when you just think of those things, it kind of gives us confidence. When you think of various other things, like just our general performance this year, less so. But we also know where we stand comparing to the other cars, where they’re fast, where they’re not. It’s true that the Ferraris are not the quickest on the straights, but that’s also because they have a lot of downforce and a lot of drag, so it’s kind of their own punishment they give themselves, which gives them some advantage. That advantage will definitely show this weekend.
Q: OK. And final one from me, Lando. It’s McLaren’s 1,000th race, only the second team to reach that milestone. You’ve done the most starts of any driver for McLaren. Just how proud are you of the part you’ve played in the team’s history?
LN: Very. Yeah, I mean, my dream was to be in F1, in the beginning was to be with McLaren. I don’t think at any point I ever thought I’d be the driver in McLaren with the most race starts for them. That’s a pretty awesome stat to think of. To be honest, normally I hate stats in general and I hate when people say them, but this is one that I’m just proud of, for sure. It’s not like a performance stat, it’s just more like a general one, and that’s something, you know, just to see my name alongside so many greats. One championship is pretty amazing, but a lot of others and a lot of the people that everyone knows and remembers achieved a lot more. I certainly want to get to the level that they did, but for my name to be amongst some incredible drivers in the past is an amazing thing. For me to play a small part in helping McLaren go from where they were a few years ago, which is where no one wants to see McLaren, to where we are now, it’s been an incredible journey that I’ve been very lucky to be part of. Yeah, I’m a lucky boy and I’ll be here for many more years at the same time, trying to keep McLaren in the position that they are now, which is winning Constructors’ Championships, winning championships for drivers. Yeah, how lucky I’ve been to be part of that journey and I hope that it continues for many more years.
Q: Lando, thank you for that. Best of luck this weekend. Gabriel, let’s come to you now. Your second Monaco Grand Prix. Just what opportunities do you think the streets of the Principality will present you and Audi?
Gabriel BORTOLETO: I think it can be a good weekend for us. Obviously, a lot of work to be done still, especially on driveability. That’s, I think, a point we have suffered a little bit this year. But I think, you know, we have shown that chassis-wise we are not in a bad place and that we are competitive. Most of qualis we have been fighting to go inside of Q3 or have been in Q3, and then in the races, you know, it’s about trying to make a good start and then staying there. So, let’s see. I think Monaco can bring us some good stuff.
Q: And from a driving point of view, it’s such a unique circuit. Does it require a different approach from inside the cockpit?
GB: I mean, you drive on the limit basically everywhere you go, but Monaco, obviously, it’s a very tough street circuit. You know, the walls are very close, the circuit is very small, so obviously you need to drive in a different way. If you drive on a track that has a lot of escape roads and areas in case you make a mistake, here a mistake can cost you a lap or even, you know, you crash the car. So, for sure you need to drive a bit differently.
Q: OK. And looking at the year so far, Gabriel, how would you sum up Audi’s progress?
GB: I mean, first of all, we need to say that they have done an amazing job on putting the car where we are now, in the sense like we are fighting for top 10s, and it’s not said that could happen in the first year of a team that brings a power unit and a completely new car, and then fighting for points, fighting for good positions in qualifying. It’s already an amazing thing. Obviously, we started in Australia with a very good and strong result, going to Q3, P9 in the race, and then I think all the expectations went quite high. But now we are building up and trying to, you know, put our baseline in a good place, and I think we have been able to do that. Last race both cars finished, we had everything under control, but unfortunately, we didn’t have the pace to score points. So hopefully this weekend we are able to do something like that.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports) Unsurprisingly, a question for you, Charles. Congrats on the new deal. We can see your loyalty to Ferrari and, sadly for you, the long-term association with the team has provided you with more winless seasons than winning seasons. So, what is it about Ferrari’s project that you believe in, that you think you can be more successful in the future? What assurances have the team given you?
CL: Mostly Fred. I mean, I’m very on board with his vision and, yeah, I really believe in Fred. Obviously, it’s the first car that he projected together with the team. Obviously, we are seeing lots of innovation on our car and we have a long-term vision. I mean, not too long, because obviously we all want to win as quickly as possible, but, yeah, as soon as possible to be back on top. I’m on board with this vision and I believe in this vision, so, yeah, that’s what makes me believe about this project more than ever.
Q: (Rosanna Tennant – BBC Radio 5 Live) Charles, congratulations on the extension, but have you been able to add any conditions to the contract in terms of the timeline for achieving your goal of winning the World Championship? Because you talk about the love for the team. Surely that love can’t sustain you forever and surely your desire to win is greater than your love for the team?
CL: My love for the team is very big, but, of course, as you said, winning is important for every driver and it’s what we race for. But winning in red for me has got a very unique feeling and something that I’ve dedicated all the years so far in Formula 1 to try and achieve. We didn’t manage to achieve that yet, at least on a full season. I cannot go too much into the detail of contract, so I cannot comment unfortunately on the main question, but surely it’s part of those discussions.
Q: (Mara Sangiorgio – Sky Sports Italy) A question to Charles. You were talking about the reasons behind your renewal: love and trust. Will you end your career at Ferrari?
CL: I’m still very young. I mean, I’m 28, so I have many years ahead of me. But as I’ve said, at the moment this is what feels right for me and this is where I want to put all my focus, in trying to win with the team I love, that believed in me, that gave me the chance to be where I am today. And that’s what felt right for me. And then for the future we’ll see. Obviously, I don’t know what will life look like in five or six or seven or 10 years’ time, but it’s not the moment either to think about it.
Q: (Mahlambi Nqobile – SuperSport) Charles, congratulations on your extension. I wanted to ask you, Monaco is often associated with opulence, glamour, but also there’s a rich culture and a sense of community here. I know some of the drivers obviously also live here, but as a person who calls it home, what do you love sharing the most about Monaco when it comes to your fans and the people who come here for Grand Prix weekend?
CL: For me, there are two different types of Monaco. There’s Monaco during the race weekends and Monaco outside of it. Being born here, having grown up here in Monaco, it’s very special. It feels a bit like a village. I’ve got all my childhood friends, all my family, who are Monegasque born. And, yeah, I just love it. But I think the fact that it’s a lot more intimate than what people think when they come for the Grand Prix is the Monaco I prefer.
Q: (Rosanna Tennant – BBC Radio 5 Live) Charles, were there any other options on the table when you put pen to paper this time around?
CL: There were, yes.
Q: (Rosanna Tennant – BBC Radio 5 Live) Can you tell us who, please?
CL: No, I’m not going to say who. But they can say it if they want, but for me Ferrari was always the choice.
Q: (Nicholas Frankl – Forza Magazine) Gabriel, I don’t know, are you a resident in Monaco yet?
GB: Yes, I am.
Q: (Nicholas Frankl – Forza Magazine) So, all three of you get to go home and put on the kettle once a year in the season. It’s a very different environment than normal. Can you just talk about that a little bit?
GB: I mean, it’s great to, you know, finish the day on track and then be able to go back home, have dinner at your place and, I don’t know, enjoy with family. In this case my brother and my mother are here, so it’s also good. Everyone is staying at my house. So, yeah, it’s a great thing for me. Also in Brazil, you know, when I stay there sometimes I stay at my place, at my parents’ place, and it’s always a good thing to be. I prefer that at least to staying in the hotels.
Q: (Vincent Sondermeijer – NRC Handelsblad) Another one for Charles. I was curious if you could give us some insights in your approach to arguably the most spectacular corner in the track, the first Swimming Pool chicane. What are your references? Where do you aim the car? Is it something you have to build up to during the weekend?
CL: I feel like I’m doing an interview for you guys. I don’t want to give too much away because they’ll be listening to all the tips. But actually, I mean, the first Swimming Pool, so far with the cars we’ve had, it’s flat out, so that’s kind of easy. I mean, the first lap maybe you don’t do flat out; the second lap you go flat out. But with these cars it will be interesting. There’s quite a lot less downforce. I think it will become probably a proper corner again, maybe in the first part of the weekend. I believe that later on in the weekend we will end up flat out. But it’s quite a tricky one if it starts to become on the limit, mostly because you are blinded until you get to the apex, basically. You don’t see anything after that, and that’s the exciting part of this corner. However, so far it’s true that it was easy flat, so that wasn’t too much of a challenge.
Q: (Harry Benjamin – BBC Radio 5 Live) Question for Charles. Coming into the last couple of races, Lewis has been talking about his preparations and how he’s not going to carry on using the simulator at Ferrari, even though he said it’s pretty good. What are your opinions of it and how does that affect your prep?
CL: It doesn’t affect my preparation at all. At the end, I think we all have our preferences. For me, the simulator has been working very well. This is what I’ve done arriving in Formula 1. I’m not going to change that because it’s been a very powerful tool for me in the past. Also, very often we do changes on the car based on what we try on the simulator back at home, so it’s part of the developing process of the car. Yeah, it worked for me, so I’ll keep going there.
Q: (Leonid Kliuev – GrandePremio.com.br) Question for all three. It’s going to be 20 cars on track, especially in Q1. How challenging is it going to be?
LN: Probably pretty [challenging]. I mean, well, I have three in a practice session with a lot more cars on track. It’ll be tough. It’s already been tough in previous years with people not getting out of the way in the right places and things. It’s tricky. The thing is when you do split it up into other sessions, you have two sessions, someone’s always going to be unhappy because you’re either going to be the first group and complain about the second group, or vice versa. So, I think you get more people complaining in some essence if you split it up into two different sessions. At the same time, if people just actually look in the mirrors and use the radio for the reasons it should be used for, which is to give the drivers information about people on quick laps, I think it should be fine. But people don’t seem to do that very often…. Remember a couple of years ago?
CL: Me? Oh yeah, I took a penalty, right? Ha!
LN: So, I don’t think it’s going to be terrible, but only if people get out of the way in the correct places and things like that. As soon as people try and take the mick with things, then it starts to become a big problem.
CL: I think it’s a problem. I mean, 22 cars on such a short track I think will be quite tricky, especially because with these cars, I mean, a bit less now, still whenever you are like three, four seconds on tracks like this, you lose a bit of time. So it’s going to be tricky, but it’s the same for everybody and we’ll have to adapt to it. But it’s not ideal for Q1, I think.
GB: Lando said it all for me. If people look at the mirrors and listen to the radio and good communication, you can get away with 22 cars on track. F3 it’s 30 cars. FRECA a few years ago it was 37 in FP, so it was much worse in other series. I think we can get away with it.
Q: (Jack Smith – Motorsport Monday) A question for Lando and for Gabriel. You were both at the Monaco E-Prix a couple of weeks ago. I just wanted to get your opinion on whether you guys all had a collective opinion on the Gen4 car and whether it was something that you’d be tempted to look at at some point, because it’s a very exciting step up.
LN: I just like driving other cars in general, to be honest. I like driving, I like cars, I like bikes at the same time, but sadly I’m not allowed to do that. So, I will try all cars, you know, I’ve enjoyed driving F2, F3, rally cars. I still drive a lot of cars now, drive race cars on Mondays, so as long as I don’t tell Zak and the team, then I get away with a lot of things. So that’s fine. I like to drive all cars. If that includes that, then we’ll see in the future.
GB: Yeah, I mean, I got to F1 now, so I just want to focus here and do my job. I still have so much to do better here and improve. I don’t think I should take my focus away of Formula 1, even if, you know, I also love driving other cars. But I think my focus should be only here. Lando already won the world title so he can do all these things, not for me.
CL: The last generation of Formula E cars, I’m not so aware about all the latest changes. Of course I’ve seen the cars. It seems to be producing more downforce, which is, I think, good for the series. But apart from that, yeah, I’m also a bit of the opinion of Gabriel and focusing on Formula 1 as of now for me is enough.
Q: (Fergal Walsh – RacingNews365.com) Just to come back on the qualifying and the traffic issue, would you be open to the possibility of splitting into groups like they do in F2 and F3? Is that something that you guys think would work in F1? Lando, you touched on that earlier. Charles, what do you think on that?
CL: I mean, not just for Q1. After that is fine, I think. But for Q1, why not? I don’t know. I have never been a big fan of splitting the groups. You know, I think when you are fighting in the front, maybe it doesn’t make a really big difference for you, but the way you split the groups, how you put each driver in a different group, it’s complicated. It can affect a lot your qualifying if you are fighting to get away with Q1 and going to Q2. Yeah, I still prefer when everyone is on track together, same track conditions, and see who is faster.
PART TWO – Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing), Alex ALBON (Williams), Esteban OCON (Haas)
Q: Welcome back everybody to Monaco for part two of our drivers’ press conference. From left to right, Max Verstappen, Alex Albon and Esteban Ocon. A very warm welcome to you all. Max, two-time winner here. Why don’t we start with you? Red Bull got its first F1 podium at Monaco 20 years ago. What chance of a repeat this weekend?
Max VERSTAPPEN: Let’s see. I mean, I don’t know. It will depend on a lot of things. I don’t know how the car is going to feel tomorrow, so… Monaco can always give you some surprises. But realistically from my side, we’ve been OK in the low speed, but at the same time here you need to be good on the bumps and the kerbs, which is where we’re not that great. So, yeah, we’ll have to see how it will evolve throughout the weekend.
Q: You just mentioned the ride. I was going to say, you know, the car has been a lot more competitive at the last couple of races. In what areas do you still need to improve? Is it the ride?
MV: I mean, you want to improve in every area. We want more grip, you want more power, you want better braking efficiency, you want the tyres to operate in a better window. So, in that sense, you want to be better everywhere. But yeah, I think looking at Montreal, we’re definitely lacking on the straight. But also, yeah, in the corners, I think, yeah, the ride or in general on the bumps, we were not, let’s say, the best. And, of course, high-speed corners in other places. Now, of course, here there are no high-speed corners, but normally has not been our biggest strength yet.
Q: No high-speed corners here in Monaco, so generally speaking are you excited to drive the ’26 cars here in the Principality? Do you think this is the best version we will have seen of them?
MV: Maybe. I just think you will see a little bit better now with the wheels. It’s probably a little bit more agile in the low speed, but at the same time that comes together with driveability, which with these cars I feel like took a step back compared to last year’s car. So, we’ll see.
Q: And are you excited by a Saturday afternoon qualifying lap in Monaco? Does that still hold the same appeal for you?
MV: I mean, it’s still the highlight, I would say, of the weekend in terms of where you need to of course perform. So, we’ll of course try to do the best we can there.
Q: All right, good luck with that, Max. Thank you very much. Alex, let’s come to you now. You’ve scored points at this race for the last couple of years. After a difficult start to 2026, does Monaco offer greater possibilities for you and Williams?
Alex ALBON: Yeah, I think that, well, there’s no groundhogs in Monaco, so it should be a bit smoother. But it’s normally a track that we’ve gone OK at. We know the weight penalty effect is quite low here as well, around Monaco, so it should come towards us. We’ve also seen, similar to what Max is saying, our car is mostly more performant in low-speed corners than it is in medium and high-speed. And then that’s about it really. I’m just excited. I think it will be a nice track that, you know, I think deployment-wise it’s quite user-friendly around here, so it will be hopefully an enjoyable weekend.
Q: Can we talk more about the car and how much performance have you added to it over the course of this season so far?
AA: Well, I think if you look at Melbourne, we were mostly closer towards the Cadillac and the Aston than we are now. I think now we’re right at the fringes. I think in race pace around Montréal, we were actually competitive, maybe only behind the Alpine. So, we are making steps forward. I think that we’ve brought a good upgrade package a couple of races ago, and as we know, you know, with the weight, we’ve just been chipping away at it every race pretty much. It is coming off, but there’s still some more to do.
Q: I mean, if you took FW48 back to Bahrain where the pre-season test was, how much faster would you be now?
AA: I’m not sure. I think we do know, but we’re clearly going forwards. I mean, I think the fact that we were able to overtake a few cars in the midfield on Sunday in Montréal, it clearly shows where we are. Not back to where we were last year, but we’re getting there.
Q: Alex, final one from me. Can we throw it further forward now, because James Vowles came out recently with a quote that he wants to see Williams fighting for World Titles by 2030. Are you aligned with him on that? Do you think that’s a realistic target?
AA: I think 2030 is, yes. I think that James is a realistic person. I think he doesn’t try to fluff anything up. Obviously, we would appreciate if that was a little bit earlier than what it is. I think we’ve noticed this year that we are a bit further back than where we want to, and maybe it has set us back a little bit more. But yeah, I do believe in him when he says that.
Q: OK, Alex, best of luck this weekend. Thank you for that. Esteban, let’s come to you now. The French border is only 500 metres from where we’re sat. Does that mean you can treat it a little bit like a home race?
Esteban OCON: Yeah, more or less, I would say. I mean, it’s obviously awesome to be racing here. Got a lot of French supporters, you know, coming to cheer for us and, you know, all the other French drivers as well. And yeah, it’s always special. You know, it’s a track that I really enjoy driving in and that I had success in the past. And I think we probably scored the best result of Haas last year as well, you know, with the position we finished. So looking forward to driving around this weekend, see what the car has got for us and enjoy the weekend.
Q: Well, as you say, P7 last year was a great result. Just how confident are you of another points finish this time around?
EO: Yeah, I mean, that’s always the target. Of course, we bring, you know, an upgrade package in Canada. There were still things that, you know, we needed to sort out and understand. The team has done a lot of work, you know, since Canada during the week off. And yeah, we will come back here with, you know, a few different things to try and hopefully get a smooth weekend and, you know, come out with the best possible result.
Q: And Esteban, when you look at the overall performance, where do you think you sit in the pecking order now?
EO: I think it’s difficult to say really. I don’t think Canada was a great race for us. I think we’ve performed better in some other tracks. I think it’s a completely different philosophy and technicality here in Monaco. There’s a lot less on the engine side as well, more low-speed corners. It’s going to be very interesting to see, you know, how we perform and if the car can give, you know, more towards this track. And my gut feel is that it will be much better here than it was in the previous races. So I’m excited to see what it’s actually going to be in reality.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports) Question for you, Alex. Sorry to disturb the conversation. This weekend you moved level with Nigel Mansell for the most amount of starts for a Williams team in their history, so congrats on that one. And if you agree with your team principal that you could be winning titles by 2030, are Williams a team you’d be happy to stay with for another 95 races?
AA: Is that the calculation, 95? Or have you just doubled it?
Q: No, 95 races is what you’ve done for Williams this weekend.
AA: Yeah, I would. For me, it’s progress. I want to see progress from the team. I feel like we’ve shown that in the last four years that I’ve been with the team, that every year has just got better and better. This year we’ve taken maybe a step back in terms of performance, but do see changes in the team being made, and it all seems to be going towards the right direction. So I feel like I’ve been a part of this team since some of the very beginnings of it, even before James, and I put so much effort and work into it, I would love to see it through.
Q: (Panagiotis Seitanidis – ANT1 TV) A question for all three. When I was a kid I fell in love with Formula 1 basically because of Monaco, of this setting here. So I remember the first time I came, the first time I drove in the streets, now I did a Pirelli hot lap and it was mental. I cannot believe how you do what you do. So, does it have a special place in your hearts as well, and do you remember your first time racing here, the feelings, the excitement?
MV: I mean, Monaco is home for me, so for me that is probably like outweighs actually the race in general. I mean, I love living here. It’s really safe, people are very friendly, it’s good for kids. So that there is a Grand Prix as well, it’s just a bonus, to be honest. Yeah, it’s a crazy weekend always. So, I enjoy it. You know, it’s a little bit hectic, but at the same time, yeah, it’s great. Plus, first memory? I mean, probably my first memory, it’s like I headbutted the guardrail, so that’s probably not a great memory. But yeah, it’s still very cool to race here, and the first time that I raced here was in Formula 1. So that was immediately like a big jump.
Q: Do you remember coming here to watch your dad?
MV: If so, I don’t remember.
Q: Alex?
AA: Yeah, I would say my first memory in Formula 1 was 2019, and I remember the adrenaline that was running through my body at the time was high. I remember finishing FP1 and still feeling the shakes getting out the car kind of thing. Nowadays it feels like it’s, I don’t know if we just do more and more street tracks, but it just feels kind of normal nowadays. I remember last year was maybe the first time where I felt like I didn’t have that adrenaline rush as much as I did on previous years. But it is still very special, and I think obviously maybe the Sundays are what people don’t enjoy about this track, the Saturdays especially for us, I still don’t think there’s a track that beats getting the lap together and executing and going out of your comfort zone for that one or two laps in qualifying. That’s a feeling that I don’t get anywhere else.
Q: Esteban?
EO: Yeah, I think a little bit like Max, for me I arrived the first time here was in Formula 1, so it was a massive jump. And I remember doing a lot of laps in the simulator and trying to get a feel for everything. I did a lot of street circuits before but never this one. But driving here in Formula 1 was insane, going up the hill after Turn 1, just before Turn 3, you can’t see anything up there. Basically, you are pointing at the sky and it’s super bumpy up there. So I think that was the biggest shock for me when I first drove around this track. But also how close you need to get to the walls to go fast. I don’t think there was any other track, maybe Macau was one of them, where you need to be close to the wall like this. But you know, like Pau for example in Formula 3, all these tracks, they were never the same in terms of how much commitment you need to put in. Yeah, that was quite special.
Q: (Harry Benjamin – BBC Radio 5 Live) Question for Esteban. Esteban, the World Cup kicks off next week and France are one of the favourites. How are you feeling about their chances for the World Cup?
Esteban OCON: Yeah, I mean, you know, after the great final of Champions League, you know, the players from the PSG, of course, you know, we have a lot of them inside the [French] team. You know, it was the first great exploit for France, let’s say, because PSG is still, you know, for me is my main team, is the one that is closest from my home. So it was, you know, great celebrations all around France. But yeah, I’m looking forward to see what we can do. Of course, we are the favourites, but you know, you need to be on the pitch, you need to be playing. And I hope that, you know, we can be successful and go through the ranks like we did in the previous one. So I’m excited for it.
Q: (Mahlambi Nqobile – SuperSport) For Max, how does racing outside of F1 help your performance in F1 and has it contributed to you getting better in your season?
MV: Well, I don’t think it hurts the performance. But at the same time, I think as everyone knows, beginning of the year it’s been a bit tricky for us. But at the same time I also had this dream that I wanted to race outside of Formula 1, and this was basically the first year where I could do it. So yeah, I just enjoy also racing in other categories, different cars. And yeah, as long as you can combine it well with Formula 1, I think it’s a bonus. And yeah, it’s a thing that I really enjoyed. And then also I think when you come back to the paddock in Formula 1 with positive feelings, I think it can only help.
Q: (Mahlambi Nqobile – SuperSport) Is there any other series you’re considering maybe branching into in the future?
MV: Yes, a lot of endurance-related stuff for sure.
Q: (Leonid Kliuev – GrandePremio.com.br) A question for Max. You said that staying with the current regs next year isn’t mentally doable. With the 40/60 proposal not really getting traction recently, are you talking with the team about pushing harder for changes, or are you just waiting for a decision? And would it be fair to say it should be decided imminently?
MV: I mean, to be honest, I think these discussions are ongoing. So that’s then not up to me now. But, you know, I have full belief and trust also on the FIA side, you know, that they make the right call for motorsport and F1 in general for the future. So I leave that up to them. I think I’ve said everything that I wanted to say. And at the same time, I think what already has been very good this year is that we have been involved in the discussions, and they’ve been a lot more open. Actually having meetings with them was great. I think that’s exactly what we need to do also in the future. Then I think this could have been avoided a little bit. But yes, I think a lot of positive steps have been taken already this year for the future.
Q: (Zsolt Godina – F1Vilag.hu) Max, there were a lot of changes within the team last year. Can you please explain a little bit how the dynamics changed for this year? How is the environment? How is the communication? And how can Laurent motivate the team in order to be more competitive?
MV: Yeah, I mean, the feeling is good in the team. Everyone is working well together, and we all are heading in the same direction. So, everyone knows what they have to do and what we want to achieve.
Q: (Rodrigo França – Car Magazine Brazil) Question to the three of you. Do you think for kids that want to be in Formula 1, karting is still the best choice, or another category, or sim races are the best option as they are cheaper?
MV: Yeah, I think in general we all learned a lot from go-karting. I think it’s still, of course, a great category. The problem is the prices are just going through the roof. I mean, people are paying 10k-12k for a round in Minis. I mean, that’s just insane, these kinds of prices. So, for me it’s more about, yes, the prices are just going through the roof in go-karting, and that is limiting sometimes some real talent that do not have the financial backing to even reach it to formula racing at the moment. That’s why I think it’s important to also explore just outside of go-karting. Or at least I can see already a lot of kids that are still go-karting, they are also racing on the simulator, they are learning to drive in F4 cars or in general GT cars, they drive anything. And I think you get a very good basic understanding and preparation before you even head into a race car. Because for me, and I think for all of us, we did go-karting, there were some sim games out there but they were not super realistic at the time, and when we jumped in a race car for the first time there was a big learning curve. Where now, with how accurate simulators are, you can be already 10 steps ahead in terms of your preparation before you jump in a formula car. Because you can achieve already the correct braking curves, you know how to downshift, you know how to look at the data in general. Yeah, you get a good understanding of the speed of a car, what a formula car can do. And I think that’s great to see, that all these young kids already prep so much on the simulator while they’re still go-karting at the same time.
AA: I think Max said it very well. I think in a perfect world scenario you would do both, but it’s more just that karting is looking like it’s not that easy for people to do both anymore. I’m glad that simulator driving is a route that people can use now, kids can use to get better and hone their skills. I think there definitely needs some work to be done to enable people to do karting as well.
EO: Yeah, I think Max summed it up very well, and it’s fair to say that if I had to restart my career and being go-kart, it’s as simple as it is now, I would not be here with the price that, you know, a race in Mini costs now. You know, it’s quite crazy how expensive it is and, yeah, it’s a shame that it is that way. Unfortunately, that’s how the world is in motor sport. But yeah, in the ideal scenario, do both, as Alex said. You drive in reality but you also drive on the simulator. When I see the level online that there is, you know, within one tenth you have 100 drivers at times. You know, even in the best go-kart races, well, some of these drivers never have access to these races. And even when we were racing then, you know, between three tenths you had maybe five drivers, but you didn’t have such a level that you have online. So, I would say yeah, maybe 70% of simulator and 30% of real go-kart driving is probably the way to go. But yeah, it kills me to say that because, you know, you need to have the access to the young drivers to drive real things, you know, at a price which is affordable, and that’s extremely difficult nowadays. So, yes, it’s tough.
Q: (Jack Smith – Motorsport Monday) Monaco has faced quite a lot of criticism in the last few years for the lack of overtaking and entertainment. But do you think that the criticism is too high and too much, given for decades it’s always had a unique selling point and that it’s a very unique and challenging track for the drivers? That’s to all three, sorry.
EO: Sorry, I didn’t listen to the question. I thought it wasn’t going to be for me.
Q: Do you think Monaco has unfair criticism about the lack of overtaking?
EO: Yes. I think it’s, you know, it’s always been there. You know, I was looking at a video where Lewis was looking at the first Grand Prix in Monaco. Back then it was the same layout, you know, almost with the changes of the city, of course. We know how it is here. Been the same forever. You know, it’s never been easy to pass. When somebody makes a pass, he’s god. When he’s crashing, he’s a disaster. At least he tried. Yeah, there is a very different way of approaching the weekend. You need to give it 100% in quali. You always do, but this time it’s much more important. So I think, yes, I mean, we know how it is. That’s the beauty of Monaco, full stop. You know, that’s the beauty of F1. It’s different compromise to how it is usually.
AA: Yeah, I would agree with Esteban. I think as long as people can see it for what it is. I think every race does not always have to be about Sunday as well. I think there’s beauty in the qualifying and the way that the weekends are building into these Saturdays. I think there still can be some changes made hopefully in the future to increase the level of overtaking around the circuit. But like every sport, I think whether it’s tennis tournaments where they play on different conditions or whatever, there’s always something that makes an event special. I think, at least for the drivers, we see that on Saturday. I think that’s what makes Monaco special.
Q: Alex, with narrower and lighter cars, do you think there will be more overtaking on Sunday?
AA: Maybe.
MV: I think it’s always been the same, but up until, what, 15 years ago, you didn’t have social media. So now everyone with a random phone or laptop is complaining online, where before they could only vent it themselves at home or to a family member. So, yeah, it’s just that more people write about it, where before people were just screaming at home.
