At this time’s post-qualifying press convention with Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez.
Observe Interviews – Carried out by Billy Monger
Q: Checo Prez, a superb qualifying for you there. P3, however you’ll line up second on the grid for tomorrow’s race together with your team-mate’s penalty. How was it on the market for you?Sergio Perez: Yeah, it was very difficult at occasions. Clearly, as all the time, you already know, in these situations, it is really easy for it to go fallacious, as it has been getting into the previous couple of qualifyings in these situations. And, yeah, I imply, it was good to lastly put it collectively. Sadly, we did not have any new tyres for Q3. We have been a bit out of sync in Q2, so we have been additionally fairly fortunate to make it in P10. And I feel P2 might be one of the best place you may want for in Spa, you already know. It was the identical with Charles final 12 months, so I will be attempting tomorrow to be the identical. And, yeah, it is a lengthy race forward of us. It seems like it will be dry, so we’ll see.
Q: And going into the race tomorrow, clearly qualifying has been part of your season that has been underneath stress, particularly the previous couple of races, it hasn’t gone to plan. What was your mindset going into this weekend, understanding that Spa is a circuit that in earlier years has suited your automobile fairly nicely?SP: Yeah, you already know, I imply, like I’ve all the time stated, you already know, each weekend it is a new alternative to do higher, on daily basis, you already know. Tomorrow is a brand new alternative for us to do even higher than as we speak and go for that win.
Q: And that chance… You talked about the race tomorrow. You can be beginning on the entrance row. What are you able to do tomorrow, Sergio? Are you able to successful this race?SP: We’ll see, you already know, it is a very lengthy race forward of us. I feel tomorrow degradation will likely be fairly difficult, and graining with this new tarmac. I feel there are plenty of unknowns nonetheless, however I’ve bought a superb feeling for tomorrow, so we’ll see.
Q: Congratulations. Good luck tomorrow, Sergio. Charles Leclerc, second in qualifying as we speak, however you’ll line up on pole place tomorrow. Fairly just like final 12 months in that regard.Charles Leclerc: Yeah, I imply, precisely the identical. It is good. I imply, I undoubtedly didn’t count on that this weekend. Clearly, with the difficult situations, we may do one thing above our expectations. So, yeah, it is a good day for the crew. Now we have to deal with tomorrow and see what’s going to occur each time the rain is gone.
Q: So do you suppose the situations as we speak, the actual fact we had the blended situations on the market – and it seemed difficult from the motive force’s perspective – do you suppose that helped you make the distinction as we speak?CL: Yeah, I feel that with out this rain, in all probability P5 was the place we have been combating for, with the Mercedes particularly. However clearly with the rain, it helped us somewhat bit. However I am not going to complain. I am actually comfortable. I am very proud of the lap in Q3. And it is good to be again on the entrance a part of the grid. However now we have got to finalise that tomorrow.
Q: And tomorrow you may be ranging from pole. What’s your strategy going to be going up via Eau Rouge on that first lap in case you’re nonetheless within the lead? As a result of it might be a tough race to steer the primary lap round right here.CL: Yeah, it is not the best first place to maintain on the primary lap right here. However truthfully, I’ll see it. Each begin is totally different. After which as soon as I will be within the automobile tomorrow via Eau Rouge, I will determine what’s one of the best factor I can do. However clearly, I will attempt to maintain that first place.
Q: Good luck for tomorrow.CL: Thanks very a lot. Thanks.
Q: Max Verstappen, one other pole place for you this weekend. Sadly, you will not line up in pole place due to the grid penalty. However speak us via that lap as a result of that was distinctive on the market.Max Verstappen: Yeah, it was a pleasant qualifying. Fortunately, the climate was okay. It was simply raining somewhat bit, however at the very least we may do a good qualifying. Yeah, every little thing labored nicely. Each tyre set that we have been on, we may simply do good lap occasions. I used to be, in fact, additionally enthusiastic about Q3, not understanding if it was going to dry out, so I used to be attempting to maintain two new units for Q3, and fortuitously we escaped in Q1, Q2, so… Yeah, very comfortable. I imply, the automobile was working fairly nicely within the moist. Yeah, I may simply do my laps and attempt to do clear lap occasions within the moist, which is all the time fairly difficult. However tomorrow, in fact, I do know that it is fairly a unique day. It is going to be hotter, usually no rain. So it is all about tyre degradation. And, yeah, we simply want to verify we’re good on that. I do know that, in fact, I’ve to begin additionally ten locations again, so this was one of the best I may do as we speak. After which go from there. I do not understand how fast we’ll be. I hope that we could be within the combine, you already know, to attempt to transfer ahead.
Q: Coming into this weekend, you in all probability knew inside the crew that you just have been going to take this grid penalty and make the choice that you’ve. You have began out of place right here in Spa. What’s your strategy going to be down into Flip 1? As a result of it is a tight nook. It might probably actually get a bit chaotic at occasions there.MV: Yeah, the race could be misplaced, in fact, in Flip 1, so simply have to see what occurs, you already know, within the begin, naturally, and simply go from there. It is a very lengthy race, it’s extremely laborious on tyres, and simply have to attempt to handle that nearly as good as we are able to, and hopefully then we could be aggressive tomorrow.
Q: It has been a few races since you’ve got gained a Grand Prix. Beginning the place you might be tomorrow, do you suppose you may bounce again after final weekend and get a race victory? How fast is your automobile in race trim?MV: We do not make it simple on ourselves, and particularly, in fact, within the battle that we’re in. I do know that as we speak was an important day, nevertheless it’s within the moist. We must be fast within the drive tomorrow. However yeah, it will be a tricky battle. Yeah, we’ll attempt to do one of the best we are able to. Hopefully, we are able to battle the Ferraris and the Mercedes, in fact, forward. And if we’ve a little bit of luck, in fact, possibly we are able to problem the McLaren.
Press Convention
Q: A really heat welcome to the quickest three drivers in qualifying for the FIA Formulation 1 Belgian Grand Prix. In third place, Sergio Prez. In second place, Charles Leclerc. And quickest in Q3 as soon as once more right here at Spa, Max Verstappen. Properly, very nicely performed, Max. You have been extraordinarily fast in all situations. How attached have been you and the RB20 as we speak?MV: Yeah, it was a superb day. After all, yesterday we tried a couple of issues with the automobile. I feel we realized from that. And as we speak we tried to placed on the automobile what we thought was finest. And I feel, as you possibly can see, we ran possibly additionally somewhat bit extra downforce in comparison with some opponents. So naturally, in fact, within the moist, in all probability it is somewhat bit extra steady and that may assist, in fact, round right here. However general, I feel the laps have been good in qualifying all the way in which from Q1 to Q3. I handed Q1 and Q2 solely on one tyre set, so I feel that was necessary as a result of that gave me, in fact, a greater alternative for Q3. Yeah, every little thing was working nicely, however, in fact, as we speak isn’t as necessary as a result of tomorrow goes to be dry, it will be hotter, and we must be good on tyres and, in fact, beginning 10 locations again. It’ll be, in fact, somewhat bit extra difficult. I do not count on it, in fact, to be just like the final two years. Naturally, wanting on the vehicles round us being fairly fast. So, yeah, we’ll simply attempt to transfer ahead, attempt to battle Ferraris, Mercedes, and confidently, possibly the McLarens, nevertheless it all depends upon our tempo ourselves.
Q: Max, one query about Q3. You have been six tenths sooner than anyone else after the primary runs. Why did you exit once more? Was it simply to make certain?MV: I had one other tyre set, so I used to be like, let’s attempt to go sooner. I am unsure what occurred. I used to be very near my lap time in locations, like gaining, shedding. Possibly it simply rained somewhat bit extra and it simply did not give me the identical grip. However I imply, each laps are virtually similar. So when you’ve gotten the tyres, I imply, you may attempt to get a greater lap out of it.
Q: You have stated who you hope to be battling with within the race tomorrow. Simply strategically, what will be your strategy?MV: Survive lap one and simply go from there. I imply, we even have a little bit of a unique tyre technique to the opposite vehicles, so we’ve to attend and see how that may evolve within the race. However, yeah, we’ll see what we are able to do. I imply, I am not as assured as I used to be the final two years round right here in coming again to the entrance. I nonetheless see it extra as a injury limitation race. That is how it’s. However at the very least as we speak was the absolute best we may do when it comes to the beginning place for tomorrow.
Q: Are you extra assured within the automobile right here than you have been on the Hungaroring final weekend?MV: I feel general the steadiness is a bit higher, yeah. If it will be sufficient to be the quickest, I am unsure. However yeah, hopefully we are able to simply have all of it a bit extra underneath management.
Q: Alright, very nicely performed as we speak. Charles, let’s come to you now, tomorrow’s pole sitter. However let’s discuss Q3. You pulled collectively a good looking lap proper on the finish of the session. Simply how good was it?CL: It was a superb lap. As Max stated, the rain picked up somewhat bit on the finish of Q3, which possibly there was a bit extra to search out on the primary a part of Q3, however clearly anyway, P1 was out of attain for us as we speak. It is so much higher than what we anticipated coming into the weekend, and particularly after yesterday, that was a really tough day for the crew as soon as once more. So yeah, the difficult situations helped us as we speak.
