PART TWO – Nico HÜLKENBERG (Kick Sauber), Carlos SAINZ (Williams), Lewis HAMILTON (Ferrari)
Q: Nico, can we begin with you, and might we begin with a clarification? When are the celebrations? The statisticians do not agree when your 250th race goes to be. Is it this weekend? Is it subsequent weekend?
Nico HÜLKENBERG: You inform me. Everytime you need! When would you like it to be?
Q: I’ve requested you the query. So, ought to we are saying it is this weekend? When are you celebrating?
NH: I feel celebrating on a race weekend is hard. Perhaps Sunday evening—hopefully Sunday evening subsequent weekend. However appears prefer it’s subsequent weekend.
Carlos SAINZ: Why is there a doubt?
NH: It is simply, , a number of races I did however didn’t begin the race. So, it is three or 4.
Q: Wind the clock again, Nico, to 2010. Once you began out on this journey, might you will have imagined 250 races?
NH: Sure and no. I feel it is one thing, , as a driver, you do not actually take into consideration a lot. You simply race, you reside within the current, you do your greatest, you retain grinding, you retain exhibiting up. And, , it was good enjoyable. I might do it once more. Clearly good days and dangerous days, however all in all, an excellent trade to be in. Labored with a variety of nice individuals, made mates, and nonetheless having fun with myself.
Q: Greatest season?
NH: This one, after all.
Q: Can we elaborate on that? Let’s speak about 2025 and the best way the workforce has ramped up because the season’s gone on. How satisfying has that been?
NH: Yeah, it has been additionally, , with ups and downs clearly, as is common for each form of midfield workforce—you will have these swings. We began on the again foot, not in one of the best place, then recovered from Barcelona onwards, turned issues round, received a grip on the season. Clearly put in a number of good highlights, few large outcomes for us. All in all, I feel good progress. You are feeling like one thing is rising and cooking within the background. As a workforce, I feel we have actually related and improved on many areas, many issues. Clearly at all times extra to enhance, extra to work on, nevertheless it’s been pleasing and I look ahead to the subsequent 12 months.
Q: How has that progress you speak about modified the vibe contained in the workforce?
NH: The vibe’s good. Clearly, when you will have outcomes, once you’re racing for factors, you are battling, it is a totally different feeling. Everyone seems to be joyful and engaged, and it brings a sure vibe and surroundings. I feel you should not neglect the place the workforce got here from final 12 months, which was clearly a really tough season for them. And we form of labored our approach out of that somewhat bit, dug ourselves out, it rewarded us with many sturdy races this 12 months and with a automobile that is aggressive within the midfield for many of the season. So, yeah, we have come a great distance and must preserve doing what we’re doing.
Q: Carlos, one other actually sturdy weekend for you in Vegas. Given the place you began that race, had been you hoping for somewhat bit extra come Saturday evening?
Carlos SAINZ: No, probably not. I feel ranging from P3 from a loopy qualifying, the second the race goes to be dry, the traditional factor is to go backwards—particularly if the highest automobiles are beginning subsequent to you, which was the case. I feel in Baku I used to be beginning P2, however the McLarens, the Mercedes and the Ferraris weren’t even in Q3, or they had been in direction of the again finish of Q3. Some crashed, some had their points, and in Baku I might maintain on to the rostrum. However in Vegas, they had been beginning too near me. They’d two to 4 tenths tempo benefit, and over 50 laps that’s a variety of seconds of race time that they’re going to catch in some unspecified time in the future. So, no, I used to be fairly proud of the race. I feel the second midfield automobile was fairly far behind, so I feel we did all the things we might to get the utmost factors for the workforce that race.
Q: You’ve spoken up to now about Qatar being probably a tough weekend. Why?
CS: Properly, it’s simply on the velocity vary the place each observe we go to, we’re the slowest on these types of corners. It’s 150 to 200 km/h, medium-speed, high-speed corners—fourth, fifth, sixth gear. Each observe we go to, we see the GPS knowledge, and we are typically one of many slowest automobiles or one of many slowest groups. And in Qatar, you solely have these corners. So, until we give you one thing magical by way of setup that switches the automobile on for this sort of corners—which we can’t swap on in different tracks—I’m afraid it’s going to be essentially the most or one of the tough weekends of the season. Having mentioned that, I feel it’s an excellent alternative for the workforce and for myself to be taught why we’re weak in this sort of corners, why our automobile doesn’t like this sort of corners, and nonetheless attempt to execute a very good weekend in a tough observe.
Q: Final one from me. Can we simply get your reflections on 12 months one at Williams? Have you ever exceeded your pre-season expectations?
CS: It’s a tough query. I feel expectations are at all times excessive however going into this 12 months I attempted to get them in examine, figuring out it was going to be a tough 12 months for me—coming clearly from a high workforce, getting again into the midfield and never figuring out precisely what sort of automobile Williams was going to ship for this 12 months. However truthfully talking, I feel for those who would have instructed me once I signed my Williams contract again in the summertime of 2024 that this 12 months there could be a podium, fifth within the Constructors’—which we’re attempting to seal quickly—solely a few tenths off the highest groups in a variety of tracks, one other podium in a Dash, loads of factors for each Alex and me… I feel I might have signed even faster. So, I feel it’s a very good first 12 months—not excellent as a result of we’ve gone by means of, like each midfield workforce, a variety of ups and downs. I’ve needed to readapt myself again to racing a bit extra within the midfield. And for certain, it hasn’t been an ideal 12 months, however we’ve had a variety of good highlights and good moments, higher moments than I might have in all probability even dreamed or wished for.
Q: Thanks, Carlos. And, Lewis, can we proceed this theme with you? How do you look again in your first season with Ferrari?
Lewis HAMILTON: I don’t. Simply look forwards.
Q: Simply speak about it somewhat bit…
LH: There’s probably not a lot to say. The outcomes have proven. There are some positives to take from it, and also you simply transfer forwards.
Q: What positives can you’re taking from this season?
LH: Gelled with the workforce and there’s superb ardour throughout the workforce. And simply going to give attention to subsequent 12 months.
Q: What’s the largest factor you’ve realized within the final 12 months or so?
LH: In all probability simply rebounding. Simply getting again up.
Q: Can we replicate in a short time on one thing you mentioned after the race on Saturday night in Vegas about not trying ahead to subsequent season. You’ve had a number of days to replicate, the adrenaline is not in your physique—do you continue to really feel the identical approach now?
LH: I feel in all probability I’d be shocked if the opposite drivers are enthusiastic about subsequent 12 months on the finish of a season, as a result of often you don’t have a variety of vitality on the finish of a season. You’re trying ahead to time with household and stuff. That’s actually it. However, I imply, look—that was simply within the warmth of frustration. Usually, there’s a variety of frustration on the finish of the races, notably once they haven’t gone effectively. So, no, I’m excited to see what the workforce construct subsequent 12 months and to proceed to construct on with them.
Q: If the automobile performs higher at these ultimate couple of race weekends, will that change your outlook?
LH: No.
Q: What’s attainable, do you assume, in Qatar this weekend?
LH: I don’t know. I feel the automobile must be fairly first rate within the areas that Carlos was mentioning, by way of velocity profile. I feel our automobile must be fairly good in these areas. Is perhaps laborious to maintain up with the Pink Bull, however I’m hoping for a greater weekend.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports activities F1) There’s a drivers’ assembly tonight discussing driving requirements pointers. As we have now three massively skilled drivers with us, certainly one of whom celebrates his 250th grand prix subsequent week, what would you prefer to see change in these driving requirements pointers that is not fairly proper for the time being?
CS: I’ll go…. GPDA! I feel first, we have to sit collectively, analyse fairly a number of of the incidents. I feel there’s been various division in opinion between drivers, FIA, Stewards—simply alternative ways to evaluate totally different incidents. This 12 months, there’s been fairly a little bit of confusion concerning a number of of them. We have to sit collectively and undergo them and analyse them calmly, out of the warmth of the second, like we at the moment are on a Thursday earlier than a race and attempt to hopefully give you a greater answer for the long run. My private opinion – and right here I’m not speaking from a GPDA perspective, simply as Carlos Sainz – is that there is potential to do higher and that the rules themselves have created extra issues than options in a variety of points which have occurred this 12 months in the best way we decide incidents. There’s been barely any room for racing incidents this 12 months. It’s at all times been both white or black as a result of we have been supported by the rules, and the rules have not allowed racing incidents to be judged as racing incidents as a result of there was at all times a tyre in entrance or behind a mirror or a entrance or rear tyre—regardless of the pointers say, I do not know them by coronary heart. It’s been, in that sense, not a profitable implementation of these pointers. However that’s what we have to focus on that’s why we have to sit collectively and see if there’s some other answer.
Q: Lewis? Nico?
LH: He answered it effectively.
NH: (no response)
Q: (Rui Chagas – DAZN Portugal) Query for Nico. We had three rookies right here simply earlier than you, and I feel it’s unanimous that they at all times say they be taught with their teammate and so forth. Have you ever realized something with Gabi, as he’s a rookie as effectively, or has he helped push you all through the season?
NH: Completely. I imply, being a rookie doesn’t imply you’ll be able to’t carry out otherwise you don’t know learn how to drive. I imply, all of us had been rookies at one level. You’ve received to start out at one level in F1. And for certain, Gabi’s been very spectacular on the driving facet—driving inputs, driving strategies as effectively—it’s one thing that he is actually sturdy at. So to be sincere, there have been many factors this 12 months the place I realized from him. We bounce off one another, one another’s knowledge. Simply, yeah, completely, sure.
Q: (Tom Slafer – DAZN Spain) Query for Carlos. This weekend we have now this restrict of tyre utilization which mainly makes it a two-stopper, which is one thing that System 1 is investigating to place sooner or later for all of the races. You can provide me your opinion or GPDA’s—no matter you favor. What do you make of this technique?
CS: I feel it’s a brief factor, this 25-lap restrict right here just for Qatar. I don’t assume it could work sooner or later to place a pressured two-stop restrict. I’ve seen some feedback saying that. I feel the races are one of the best when you will have quite a lot of technique and it’s between a one and a two, or between a two and a 3. Nevertheless it’s by no means good when it’s a pressured two-stop like we noticed in Monaco or right here a number of years in the past, when it was virtually like a three-stopper or a four-stopper mandated. As a result of if ultimately, everybody has the identical deg, similar tyres, it’s not like you are able to do a lot with flexibility. And I feel the long run answer of F1 is having extra of quite a lot of methods that may work, slightly than a mandated variety of stops. However I feel for right here it’s simply purely reliability, and we are going to see.
Q: (Mara Sangiorgio – Sky Sports activities Italy) A query for Lewis. I used to be trying on the standings and also you and Kimi are very shut. him, you’re employed with him. How do you see his progress as an opponent this 12 months?
LH: Kimi? I imply, I haven’t labored with Kimi, however I’m having fun with watching him develop as a person and as a driver. I feel he’s completed a tremendous job this 12 months. Notably within the second half of the season, he’s actually stepped it up. So, I’m actually joyful to see that, and we have now an excellent relationship.
Q: (Panagiotis Seitanidis – ANT1 TV) A query for all three. Now we have, in two turns forward, a brand new period for System One. I do know you don’t have crystal balls, however what’s your intestine feeling about the place your groups will probably be subsequent 12 months?
LH: I don’t have a intestine feeling. I don’t know. Nobody is aware of.
CS: Nobody is aware of. I’ve a very good feeling. However nobody is aware of.
NH: Intestine emotions are usually not price that a lot. Hopefully a bit stronger than what we at the moment are, however we’ll see.
Q: (Ian Parkes – Racing Information 365) Query for you, Lewis. Once you had pen in hand about to signal your Ferrari contract, for those who’d identified then what now and the 12 months that you just’ve gone by means of, would you will have nonetheless gone for it? And in that case, why?
LH: Properly, firstly, that’s a hypothetical query, so I wouldn’t actually go into that. However I might, completely. I don’t remorse the choice I made becoming a member of the workforce. I do know it takes time to construct and develop inside an organisation, and I anticipated that. So, sure.
Q: (Jake Boxall-Legge – Autosport) Query for Carlos. You spoke concerning the driving requirements assembly. Barely existential query: do we actually want racing pointers, and has there been one thing that you could possibly pinpoint that necessitated the implementation of them?
CS: Once more, I’m going to talk as Carlos Sainz, not as GPDA right here. I’m going to offer you as sincere a solution as attainable. I feel lately after races I’ve seen some evaluation completed of various the incidents. A few of them by Karun Chandhok, a few of them by Jolyon Palmer, a few of them by Anthony Davidson. And each time I see this evaluation that they do and the decision that they offer—from racing drivers which were lately racing—I feel they do an excellent evaluation and so they put the blame appropriately more often than not on who truly has the blame or if it’s truly only a racing incident. My future preferrred is not any pointers and other people which are capable of decide these types of incidents in addition to these three individuals do after the races. Once more, that is simply my opinion, however I’m fairly impressed on the job among the broadcasters do after a race with this in-depth evaluation of every of the incidents and the way they apply blame or no blame into sure situations. I feel that’s a stage of study and a stage of ‘stewardness’, if you wish to name it that approach, that I feel could be very excessive stage. In all probability doesn’t imply we’ll agree 100% on the circumstances that these three ex-drivers give, however I feel a variety of occasions, they’re very shut—90%, let’s say, right. And if I needed to go and see System 1 sooner or later on the stewarding stage, this is kind of the extent that I might respect.
Q: Carlos, if there have been no pointers, wouldn’t it change your strategy—you being drivers, I imply?
CS: That is the place I get misplaced. Like, I don’t know if we’d like pointers or not. I simply say that once I see these individuals taking the time to analyse this form of incident as a driver—once I see how they do it, the language they communicate, how they clarify it, and clearly the background they must make this evaluation—I actually really feel like they understood what occurred in that incident, and the judgement they take. This doesn’t imply that the stewards don’t do a very good job. It simply implies that what I see after the race from these individuals is definitely a really excessive stage that I feel, with out pointers, they’d have the ability to decide every choice appropriately. And there wouldn’t be a bias or something like that.
Q: (Samarth Kanal – The Race) A query for all three of you. This floor impact period is attending to an finish. It’s received some inherent traits like understeer in low-speed corners and issues like that. So have you ever loved driving this period of automobiles? And are you able to say good riddance, or is it a tragic farewell?
LH: Yeah, I feel we’re all excited to see the again finish of those ones for certain.
CS: Similar. I had a wrestle with them in 2022 adapting to this technology, and I’ve had a bit extra success afterward adapting to it, nevertheless it’s not in my nature to drive these automobiles the best way I’ve to drive them. I truly needed to relearn a few totally different abilities that I didn’t know I would want to drive a System 1 automobile. And I’m glad it’s over, and hopefully subsequent 12 months I can return to a extra pure driving fashion.
NH: I feel a bit extra impartial for me. I don’t thoughts it. I feel simply the next, notably this 12 months, has actually turn into very, very dangerous. However in any other case—I imply, bit heavy, sure—however in quali, they’re fairly fast. So, I don’t thoughts it.
Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Lewis, choosing up in your point out of the eagerness you felt throughout the workforce this 12 months. Is that one of many brightest factors, do you assume, by means of your first season with Ferrari? And the reference to the Tifosi as effectively—have you ever discovered that have, even by means of fairly a troublesome 12 months on observe?
LH: Yeah. The eagerness is essentially the most particular factor concerning the model and the those who work for it. After which the Tifosi—as we journey world wide, the superb assist that we get. I feel that in all probability makes it even more durable when we have now the harder weekends as a result of you’ll be able to see how passionate, how devoted, and the way laborious each single particular person is working again on the manufacturing unit, and the outcomes are usually not reflecting or rewarding them. So, you’re feeling it extra. It’s an enormous emotional bubble that’s fairly valuable.
Q: (Diletta Colombo – AutoMoto) A query for Lewis. 2026 is stuffed with unknowns, as you mentioned earlier than. However do you assume that Ferrari might flip a brand new leaf so far as the execution and cohesion throughout the workforce are involved?
LH: I positively assume there’s… Now we have a variety of work to do, for certain, over winter. We’ll analyse the season. There are many enhancements we have to make collectively, however I feel nobody’s below any phantasm within the workforce that all of us must play our half. And I imagine that we are able to. So, yeah, I’m hoping we implement and make these modifications, together with hopefully a greater package deal subsequent 12 months.
Q: (Leonid Kliuev – Grande Prêmio) Yet one more for Lewis. Are you involved concerning the distinction in outcomes with Charles? We could say the automobile is way stronger subsequent 12 months. How assured are you you could outperform Charles in that rather more rewarding situation?
LH: I’m not involved about it. No. After all, I’ve simply been specializing in my facet throughout this era. Clearly, Charles has completed an excellent job. He’s been there for seven years. He’s received a workforce round him that he’s labored with for a few years. So, it’s a well-oiled machine. On my facet, it’s a brand new group of individuals. For me, it’s a brand new surroundings that I’m nonetheless getting used to working with. Then I had one other new member midway by means of the 12 months. So, we’re all working as laborious as we are able to, however getting that to work in addition to somebody that’s had it for a number of years shouldn’t be—you don’t simply do it like that. It takes a little bit of time.
Q: (Dzhastina Golopolosova – F1Maximaal.nl) Yet one more for Nico. Helmut Marko as soon as mentioned that you could possibly have been Max Verstappen’s teammate, however Perez’s victory in Bahrain modified all the things. Have you ever ever imagined what System 1 would appear to be with Verstappen and Hülkenberg at Pink Bull?
NH: Probably not, as a result of, , I’m probably not the dreamer sort. It will be totally different, however, , it didn’t occur. I had a number of shut misses, however on the finish of the day, they don’t matter. They don’t depend. I’m the place I’m and what occurred, occurred.
Q: You are not a dreamer, however how shut did it get, that Pink Bull deal?
NH: Properly, not shut sufficient, clearly.
Q: Whereas I’ve received you, Nico, can we simply speak Constructors’ Championship? Sauber at present P9, however you’re solely—what’s it—5 factors behind Haas in P7. It’s a transitional 12 months for the workforce, however how vital is that P7?
NH: Properly, it’s vital for all of them—with Aston and with Haas. We’re in that battle. Two to go, clearly dash right here. Everybody desires to do in addition to they will. Similar guidelines apply. Clearly, we’ll all do our greatest and see who comes out the place.
Q: (Ian Parkes – Racing Information 365) Carlos, you talked about how a lot you take pleasure in listening to the analysts on the varied broadcast channels. Do you’re feeling it could take a driver with a newer racing mindset, let’s say, to be a consultant on the stewards’ panel going ahead in comparison with among the older technology which are representatives on there now?
CS: Properly, I feel I must be very cautious with this. I do assume there’s older technology those who do an excellent job with the stewarding. I don’t need to identify any names. I don’t need to be private with anybody. However I do assume there’s individuals on the market doing a really first rate job. The one factor I say—and I insist that I don’t need to get into an excessive amount of evaluation right here—is that once I hear these individuals, these younger ex-racing drivers doing evaluation, they communicate a variety of sense. After I learn and I say, “If we might have two or three of those judging our racing incidents or our penalties,” I feel more often than not these individuals wouldn’t want pointers. They might be very sincere and really correct in taking among the conclusions that we would want them to take. So, I put it on the market as an thought. Clearly, these days, to return to 24 races, in all probability you additionally want a hard and fast wage. You want the job to be comparatively vital as a result of it takes a variety of trip of your life. So, we have to have a look at learn how to manage that. However once more, I don’t need to get into an excessive amount of evaluation right here. I simply need to say that once I take time to see these again—possibly two days after I’m going house and it comes up in social media, these individuals making the evaluation—I’m like, I see it precisely the identical approach. And I feel many of the drivers see it in a really related approach. So, it’s an thought.
