At the moment’s press convention with Lance Stroll, Kevin Magnussen, Carlos Sainz, Daniel Ricciardo and Valtteri Bottas.
It has been a busy information cycle since we had been final gathered in Hungary. And Valtteri, can we begin with you, please? And the information that Andreas Seidel has been changed by Mattia Binotto within the group. What’s your response, to begin with?Valtteri Bottas: Yeah, fairly sudden information. I imagine every thing occurred fairly rapidly, however clearly these high-level selections, we as drivers and most of the group members do not know actually what is going on on behind the scenes. However yeah, fairly surprising, however clearly welcoming Mattia to the group. And on the similar time, I wish to thank Mr Seidl and Mr Hoffman for his or her contribution to the group.
How do you anticipate this variation to have an effect on the day-to-day working of the group?VB: It’s kind of of a reset once more. It is not a secret that when there is a new management, it should at all times take a little bit of time, to begin with. Mattia must know what are the weaknesses, what are the strengths, what are the priorities for short- and long-term enhancements, and that is going to take a little bit of time. Once more, it is the third time now in three years, inside three years, that we have had change on the high, so not a brand new scenario, and the group should not be too affected at this level. I feel it is extra the stuff for the longer term, and clearly time will present what is going to occur.
In case Mattia is watching this, put slightly bit extra flesh on the bone. What do you suppose are the priorities, each short-term and long-term, for the group?VB: I do not wish to go an excessive amount of into particulars. Clearly, some issues are inside, however we all know that in comparison with, for instance, for the time being, to the large groups, we’re nonetheless missing a little bit of human energy. We may do with extra folks, however on the similar time, the group has been hiring and rising lately fairly a bit. There are particular areas that we undoubtedly have to concentrate on, on the manufacturing unit but in addition with the automobile efficiency. We’re for the time being not the place we have to be and that is mainly we would have liked some new upgrades and into the fitting course.
Only a fast phrase on the upgrades that you have been working lately and the way you suppose the automobile will carry out right here at Spa?VB: It may be, though it is a lengthy lap, I feel it’ll be nonetheless shut the place we’re. We did make a step in Budapest. Once more, it is a very completely different kind of observe. So I would not say too detailed predictions, however hopefully we will be within the combine and preventing near high 10 like we did on Saturday in Budapest.
Alright. Valtteri, thanks. I am positive there will be some extra questions for you in a minute. Daniel, let’s come to you subsequent. So administration modifications at Sauber. Are you anticipating any driver modifications at Pink Bull?Daniel Ricciardo: So predictable, Thomas, so predictable. I do not know. Yeah, truthfully, I do not know. However like at all times, simply concentrate on myself and what I can do. Each race or few races, the narrative modifications and that is the game we’re in. Issues are occurring rapidly and you’ve got simply received to try to, I feel in these conditions, concentrate on your self and get probably the most out of that after which see the place the wind takes me. No modifications from the method. Coming into Budapest, I knew it was going to be two essential weekends arising earlier than the break and clearly hit the break with a little bit of momentum. So yeah, that is the place my head’s at. So try to do properly.
Daniel, you wish to concentrate on your self. So let’s concentrate on you.DR: Sounds egocentric, does not it?
Properly, it is simply lots of people speak about your outcomes. I am undecided too many individuals ask you about how you feel concerning the scenario and the way you’re feeling you might be driving for the time being. Is that this one of the best we have seen from Daniel Ricciardo for a wee whereas?DR: I imply, I am undoubtedly happier the place I’m now than the primary few races this season. You understand, I feel I used to be… I felt good all season, nevertheless it wasn’t fairly clicking, for lack of a greater phrase, you realize, the primary few races. And I feel then I have been in a position to get extra out of myself, definitely the previous few races. And I feel it is trending in the fitting course. And I feel that is clearly essential. After all you wish to be superior each race, however I knew clearly after the primary few that I nonetheless needed to discover slightly bit, however I am undoubtedly happier. I am extra comfy with the place I am at and yeah, simply displaying these indicators of velocity that I do know I’ve. And that is clearly… All of us try to extract that out of ourselves each weekend and a few weekends come simpler than others. However I feel, yeah, I am definitely sitting right here now, a lot happier than in all probability, I do not know, two or three months in the past.
And in Hungary, it seemed just like the group had received its Barcelona upgrades working. Was that circuit particular or do you’re feeling you’d truly made a step ahead with setup and real automobile efficiency?DR: I imply, the circuit helped us, as a result of I feel we had been fairly robust already from Friday. And we hit the bottom working, and we did not actually must chase it. It simply got here, and that was that. So some circuits definitely assist. Nevertheless it’s nonetheless so unpredictable. Did we all know we’d be actually robust in Budapest? Not essentially, however yeah, I feel we have a bit extra time now, we have understood every thing and we, yeah, you simply, I assume it helps attending to the weekend with a greater understanding of the package deal after which figuring out, okay, we just about know the window of what this automobile likes, the set-up. Okay, it is a large downforce circuit, so let’s examine what that does, however… We had a bit extra confidence, I assume. I really feel like I simply repeated myself lots. However yeah, we’ll see. I do not know. It is the midfield, the midfield thriller. It is at all times fairly unpredictable the place we’re.
Alright. Properly, better of luck this weekend. Thanks for that. Carlos, let’s come to you now. The final time you and Kevin had been in a press convention collectively, Kevin mentioned you had been the cork within the bottle. of the driving force market. And I did wish to begin by asking on your ideas on the information that Mattia Binotto goes to Sauber Audi. You’ve got labored with him earlier than at Ferrari. Does that complicate your choice additional?Carlos Sainz: So predictable, Thomas. I feel, to begin with, I am not updated with every thing that is occurring at each group however after all I feel the arrival of Mattia to any group is constructive, primarily as a result of he has the expertise of what it takes to construct a group that may be a high group these days, like it’s at Ferrari. And he has that have from Ferrari that he can deliver into Audi. And I am positive it is a terrific asset for them. And that is why they employed him. And yeah, after all, I want him all one of the best there.
The supply from Audi has been on the desk for some time. You have not signed it. Does this open them up as an actual alternative for you once more?CS: Probably not. I feel my future remains to be being mentioned and clearly analysed very rigorously. And there is modifications to loads of groups that I am taking a look at for subsequent yr just about each week. So there’s modifications, evolution on the group market as a lot as there may be on the driving force market. And I am simply going to maintain giving myself time to take the choice to analyse all this stuff that maintain altering. with out providing you with too many clues right here.
Okay, only a fast one on automobile efficiency right here at Spa. It appeared that the automobile was performing higher in Hungary. Do you suppose that can translate to this circuit as properly?CS: Fully completely different circuit to Hungary. I feel Hungary is someplace nearer to, for instance, Barcelona when it comes to the downforce and the nook speeds. However yeah, I feel now Spa goes again a bit extra in the direction of Silverstone type of observe. And final time we had been in Silverstone, we struggled as a group. So yeah, inspired to see the progress in Hungary, or we had been slightly bit faster in Hungary, particularly within the race. However let’s examine how we’re in Spa and if we are able to maintain attempting to get nearer to the, I’d name them now high two groups, as a result of it is clear that McLaren and Pink Bull, once they change it on, they’ve three or 4 tenths benefit over us.
OK, better of luck this weekend. Thanks for that. Kevin, let’s transfer to you. You might have a fairly environment friendly automobile. So are you assured coming to Spa?Kevin Magnussen: I do not find out about assured, however I am trying ahead to this observe, given the character of the automobile and the strengths that we have had this yr. I feel this observe appears to be like, on paper, fairly good for us. However as Daniel mentioned, the midfield is so tight as of late that it is tremendous unpredictable the place you are going to be. We have had races the place we did not suppose we had been going to be good, after which we ended up being fairly good. Yeah, I feel you possibly can’t take something with no consideration proper now. So simply moving into with an open thoughts once more and attempt to do a very good weekend.
Kevin, once you look again on the opening half of this season, how do you sum it up? As a result of the automobile does appear to be good one weekend, not so good the following. Why do you’re feeling it has been so unpredictable from race to race?KM: Properly, I feel we’re nonetheless not constant sufficient, however from final yr, we improved consistency. Final yr, particularly in qualifying, we had been in a position to be good, however each time on Sunday, we might simply fall to items. And I feel we have modified that scenario in order that it is truly virtually the other now. we glance higher within the race than we do in qualifying typically. And definitely on Sunday, we’re much more constant. However once more, with the sector so tight collectively, it solely takes a small little mishap and also you’re qualifying far off your optimum place. And that is been an enormous driver to the inconsistency this yr, I feel.
Kevin, remaining one from me. 2025: you have made it very clear that you simply wish to keep in System 1. There are, after all, nonetheless a number of alternatives in System 1 subsequent yr. But when that does not occur for you, the place else are you trying? Are we trying on the FIA World Endurance Championship? Are you taking a look at IndyCar or all the above?KM: Yeah, all the above. I feel every thing is on the desk in that case. So, yeah, it is onerous to… I am going to see what’s accessible on the market and make my thoughts once I get there. Proper now, I am in System 1 and there is nonetheless a few seats open for subsequent yr that I might wish to see the place all that finally ends up after which have a look at issues afterwards.
Okay, better of luck with that. Thanks. Lance, coming to you now. We had been speaking about consistency with the Haas and you’ve got scored factors within the final two races. So does that time to you discovering some consistency with the Aston now?Lance Stroll: Yeah, I imply, I feel we improved the automobile slightly bit the previous few races for positive. Hungary wasn’t our best occasion. I feel we had been a bit higher in Silverstone. I feel we’re higher on the longer straights. So I am hoping we may be good this weekend.
