Q: (Leonid Kliuev – Grande Premio) Query to all three. Think about you’re Graham Lowden, Crew Principal of Cadillac, and you’ve got 4 candidates for subsequent yr: Checo, Valtteri, Felipe Drugovich, and Mick Schumacher. Who would you select and why?
TW: All of them have execs and cons. I feel what Cadillac went for is one thing you may perceive. They went for expertise. I don’t know what number of wins and podiums there are between Valtteri and Checo, and I feel for that stage of the venture, it’s comprehensible they did that.
JV: With all these items, we solely have a part of the knowledge. It’s essential perceive what else comes as a part of these packages. However I agree with Toto – their first yr goes to be difficult and tough, and I feel expertise might information the best way in the place they’re going.
FB: The identical as Toto. Nothing else.
Q: (Ivo Pakvis – Panorama) Query to Toto. Loyalty has been a vital consider your group underneath your management. In a world that calls for fixed flexibility and flexibility, how do you keep that flexibility within the context of that loyalty?
TW: Flexibility and loyalty – I feel what’s most necessary in our job is to be clear. I feel Flavio’s at all times proven it – he says what he means. With drivers, it’s the identical with us. When you determine to embark on the street, that is what you do. You’re open about it. For us as a group, integrity and loyalty are key elements. However that doesn’t imply you’re not versatile. Typically it is advisable to readjust, recalibrate. There’s a change of circumstances. However most necessary is throughout the group to have an open dialog about these items.
Q: (Jon Noble – The Race) To Flavio. Renault’s received a brand new CEO who’s simply are available lately. How have your conversations with him gone? What sort of targets have you ever laid down collectively? And do you continue to see this group on the roadmap to struggle for podiums subsequent yr and doubtlessly the championship in ‘27?
FB: The brand new CEO for Renault – I feel Renault within the final thirty years, it’s not new. He was quantity two to Luca DeMeo. The brand new CEO could be very enthusiastic in regards to the Formulation 1 programme. Renault desires to remain in Formulation 1. I imagine François [Provost] is in Monza for the primary race. I do know him very nicely. And actually, the programme is similar. The chairman, [Jean-Dominique] Senard, could be very supportive of Formulation 1. We’d like higher outcomes – that is what we’d like for subsequent yr. However this yr could be very sophisticated for us. We put lots of effort into the 2026 automotive, like Toto stated. Nevertheless it’s not straightforward to interpret the foundations. Perhaps we made a mistake by not having any steps from the start of the season to now, and we pay for that. As nicely, on this second, two or three tenths, it’s ten or 15 vehicles. We all know we’ve got an enormous handicap with energy – with the engine. We hope to neglect this yr and be completely happy in 2026. That’s what we hope on this second. I hope as nicely that the brand new chairman of Renault could be very supportive. And for the second, within the Renault Group, there’s no drama, no change. Everyone’s completely happy.
Q: Is the target for 2026 podiums?
FB: Sure. As a result of if it’s it is advisable to change the job. I modify the job – perhaps you give me a job! I’ve a job with Toto.
Q: Luke Smith (The Athletic) Toto, I’ve a query for you on Valtteri. Dan Towriss stated that you simply guys have spoken so much by way of negotiations, and also you have been nonetheless going to speak additional about what Valtteri’s availability can be by way of the rest of this yr. What are your ideas on that? I do know Valtteri might be on-site as reserve for the remainder of the season, however how a lot freedom will he should make a head begin with Cadillac forward of subsequent yr?
TW: As I stated earlier than, perhaps typically I’m being a bit naive, however I wish to do the perfect from a racing standpoint – the perfect for Valtteri while not compromising the Mercedes establishment. So, I feel it’s fairly straightforward. Valtteri continues to be our reserve and third driver till the tip of the season, and he’s giving all of it. I’ve zero doubt that he’s going to do it with the utmost integrity. On the identical time, I’ve no downside that he’s beginning his job in Cadillac. It makes it simpler that the rules are completely totally different for subsequent yr. I’m completely happy. It was no downside for us to launch Valtteri for the announcement and occasions that Cadillac did to be able to current the drivers, and it’ll proceed so in the course of the yr. I feel Graham and Dan, with help from GM, it is a very sturdy and bold venture – good for Formulation 1 – and that’s why we wish to do the utmost for them to showcase what they are going to be doing. And due to this fact, if we have to give Valtteri as a driver for occasions or for these functions, no downside.
Q: Toto, would that embody a check program for Cadillac within the second half of the yr if that materialises?
TW: I haven’t heard of any check programme up to now as a result of they haven’t received a automotive. Because it stands, we are going to at all times be supportive of Valtteri as a result of these vehicles are so totally different subsequent yr.
Q: (Stuart Codling – Autosport) A query for Toto. Flavio has simply shot the concept down, however the rumours don’t go away that maybe Flavio, Christian, and Bernie [Ecclestone] may unite to purchase the Alpine group. What would you make of developing in opposition to a group doubtlessly owned by Flavio, Christian, and Bernie? One in every of them a really previous adversary and presumably it will be logistically fairly tough so that you can stay in all of their heads hire free?
TW: That may be an thrilling story, I suppose, and would create a number of buzz round Formulation 1. I feel we’d like that. Formulation 1 has at all times been about the perfect racing, with thrilling drivers and nice personalities. And once you look again on the grand period of group house owners and group principals – Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Flavio, [Luca Di] Montezemolo, and some others – perhaps we have to work on that. And if there was such an thrilling venture, these three guys coming collectively – all the mafia reunited – that may give good content material, I suppose.
FB: The sharks. The shark mafia.
TW: Three sharks.
Q: (Dan Lloyd – Racecar Engineering) A query for James. How assured do you’re feeling that Williams can recapture a few of its early season kind primarily based on what the Belgium replace has been telling you and the group’s response to the cooling points you had mid-season?
JV: I don’t assume we’ll be again to the place we have been at the beginning of the season. Ferrari have developed at a extremely sturdy charge. Mercedes, you may see, developed at a robust charge. The midfield now could be extremely tight. Sauber – nicely achieved to them – and Aston as nicely. It’s actually tight in that vary. Whereas, firstly of the season, there was a bit of little bit of a niche that we managed to push ourselves into. I feel that’s unrealistic now. What’s lifelike is – Flavio described it nicely – two or three tenths separates fifteen vehicles close to sufficient. It’s ensuring we’re on the sharp finish of that, which lets you decide up factors.
Q: (Jack Smith (Motorsport Monday / MotorsportWeek.com) A query for Toto. Helmut Marko was quoted lately as saying that Kimi has been positioned underneath a bit an excessive amount of stress maybe by making his F1 debut with Mercedes. What’s your response to that? And likewise, will the selection of third driver/reserve driver to interchange Valtteri be primarily based on how nicely he may also help Kimi, given how a lot Kimi has stated that he is helped him?
TW: I feel we’ve got put Kimi underneath most stress, to be sincere. Taking a look at it now, I felt it was a terrific thought to have him in FP1 in Monza and current him there. That was perhaps a mistake – not as a result of he wasn’t able to driving the automotive, as a result of if he would have completed that lap with out crashing, it will have been sensational and it will have constructed the boldness. That’s why. He’s in a Mercedes, he’s very seen, his outcomes are very seen, his team-mate is nice and is maximising the automotive. Subsequently, he feels himself underneath the magnifying glass. The group – we simply proceed to imagine in him. He wants time. We’ve launched into this route, so you may say, “Was it proper to place him underneath a lot stress by placing him within the group?” We’ve taken that trajectory; we’ve taken that route. We’re totally on the mission, and single race weekends or a session like we had earlier than just isn’t going to alter our opinion. Yeah, quick time period, we’re going to say, “that’s not good,” however Kimi is a long-term funding.
Q: Third driver?
TW: We haven’t figured it out but. It’s tremendous tough to interchange Valtteri. I imply, he ticks all of the packing containers.
Q: (Jon Noble – The Race) Flavio, you made a driver change earlier on within the season bringing Franco in. Are you now set till the tip of the marketing campaign with Franco? Is there an opportunity Mick may come again? And what was the thought course of into 2026 in your second automotive?
FB: We make not so many adjustments. We modified, bringing in Franco Colapinto. And perhaps Colapinto – the identical downside as what Toto stated – an excessive amount of stress to be in Formulation 1. Final yr, he had two or three races with James, the place he did very nicely. However perhaps to be within the group with a great driver like Pierre, and at all times in competitors with the team-mate, perhaps we put an excessive amount of stress on him. I feel we have to contemplate that. Typically we imagine… the driving force is a human being and we have to perceive what’s happening within the heads of those youngsters. These are younger youngsters – 19, 20, 22, 23 years previous – and I feel it’s out mistake to underestimate the human a part of the driving force. We’re at all times trying on the timing. Perhaps I missed one thing within the administration of the driving force, Colapinto. For the long run, actually, I don’t know.
TW: You may see the youthful drivers in smaller groups, they carry out, as a result of it’s a very totally different atmosphere. The expectation is so low that you may solely outperform. They’re all excessive potentials for the long run. However it is a massive distinction – being underneath the magnifying glass and the stress that’s been created, and the expectations which can be being set. It’s totally different.
Q: James, can we deliver you in on this and the performances that Franco put in within the second half of final yr?
JV: I feel Toto and Flavio summed it up nicely. You must bear in mind – if one thing goes flawed with the Williams in a session, regardless that we’re fifth within the championship, it’s not likely coated. However we’ve got groups round us – Mercedes is a type of – the place all the pieces is within the limelight and the highlight. In order that’s change primary: the stress goes up immensely. When the stress’s not there, you’re in a position to get much more out of the driving force as a result of they’re not involved about a right away efficiency having an impression. Subsequently, they will let go. instance is Franco – the primary time I put him in at Silverstone, he thought it was his solely probability ever to get there. My message to him beforehand was, it’s nothing to do with lap occasions. It’s about you stress-free and having fun with the second as a result of this will by no means come again to you once more. And he did a stellar efficiency. I don’t assume you are able to do that in Monza, in that circumstance, in a Williams. No probability you are able to do that. Second change is, once more, what Flavio described – three tenths now separates the grid. So once you make a small mistake – and a small mistake is a tenth – you’re final. That’s a special world to the place you have been earlier than, the place frankly, you could possibly be a tenth off your team-mate and nobody would find out about it. So I feel you’ve received two adjustments which can be making this tougher now.
Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Toto, George spoke yesterday and he’s nonetheless very relaxed about his future and getting the contract sorted. He stated you guys have been prepared to work by way of the summer season, however he stated, “I’d quite simply take that point off.” There’s no rush, I assume. The place are you at with all of that? And do you simply wish to get all the pieces proper and dot the I’s and cross the T’s?
TW: Precisely such as you say. George is a Mercedes driver since his junior years and Mercedes administration. We clearly know what we anticipate from one another, what we wish. It’s a formality. However on the identical time, it’s necessary to debate even the slightest particulars – how can we extract probably the most efficiency out of George? What’s it we have to optimise on advertising days, for instance? And it’s not the quantity of selling days, nevertheless it’s merely speaking a few construction that helps him to carry out at his finest. These are the issues. We haven’t mentioned them over the summer season as a result of we felt we wanted to only get out of one another’s face for some time, and we’re going to select these discussions up. We’ve got already picked up the discussions.
Q: (Jon Noble – The Race) Toto, there are some feedback you made lately which have carried a little bit of traction. Are you saying subsequent yr’s vehicles may high 400 kilometres per hour? Is that actually what your simulator’s saying or was it extra only a determine of speech – a pleasant spherical quantity?
TW: Sounds good, no? Everyone’s speaking these engines down, so I had to determine – is there something constructive? And that’s, if you happen to have been to deploy – clearly it sounds sarcastic – however if you happen to have been to deploy all of the vitality on a single straight, you could possibly make these vehicles go 400 kilometres an hour. I don’t know if someone received afraid by it, however you could possibly. However there wouldn’t be a lot electrical vitality left for the few different corners on a circuit.
