Spanish GP: FIA Thursday Press Conference

PART ONE – Fernando ALONSO (Aston Martin), Esteban OCON (Haas), Franco COLAPINTO (Alpine)

Q: Fernando, can we start with you? A second race on home soil for you and a return to Madrid for F1 in 45 years. Just how excited are you about this first visit of the Spanish Grand Prix to the Madring?
Fernando ALONSO: Yeah, it’s going to be a very nice weekend. As you said, we have this privilege to race two times in Spain this year and, yeah, for the very first time in Madrid. I think last time was in Jarama, you know, many, many years ago. So, yeah, it is special. Also a new track, so it adds this challenge, you know, for everyone to learn the track as quick as possible in free practice. And, yeah, these cars as well, with the new regulations, always tricky to fine-tune energy here and there, and especially if it is a new track. So, yeah, a lot of challenges ahead and, for me, yeah, double special because being in Spain.

Q: Tell us a little bit more about the layout of the track, what you think of it. Have you driven it on the simulator yet?
FA: Yeah, I drove in the simulator, but maybe it’s a better question for the Ferrari drivers.

Q: They were here earlier in the year, of course, on a filming day. What about car performance then, Fernando? Do you expect to be more competitive here than you were at Monza last weekend?
FA: Expect to be more competitive than Monza, in any other circuit in the world, probably. But let’s wait and see. I think, as I said, there are a couple of challenges to discover. I think there is a lot of kerb riding, as we saw in the simulator and on the layout, and the confirmation from Formula 3 as well that it was, yeah, not an easy track. And then, yeah, the grip level on the asphalt is a question mark. You know, is it going to be grippy or not? Track evo, you know, from FP1 to qualifying and race. Normally, in a street circuit, you know, there is a huge improvement, so you need to keep up with the pace. Every time you jump in the car, normally the track will be faster than your previous run and, yeah, you need to anticipate that from your driver input, but also in the set-up directions. So, yes, there are interesting things that will happen during the weekend and, yeah, looking forward, especially accumulating laps. I think in every street circuit you need to do as many laps as possible to get that confidence close to the walls and extract the lap time. And at the same time, you have yellow flags, red flags, all these different things happening and sometimes you are lucky, unlucky, if you are in the box or you are out on track. So, we hope for a good weekend, no issues on the car and good reliability, and accumulating laps. That will be the key.

Q: Final one from me. When can we expect to hear news about your plans for the future, for 2027?
FA: Not soon.

Q: Not soon? Okay. Why the delay?
FA: Because I think it’s nice, no?

Q: Fernando, thanks very much. Esteban, let’s come to you now. Can we start with your thoughts on Madrid and racing here?
Esteban OCON: I think it’s awesome. Awesome to be here in Madrid and awesome to be learning a new track. I think it’s been a while since I came to F1 where I’m learning a new circuit, coming to a new place. Obviously, it’s a crazy circuit. There’s a lot of risk-reward on when to go fast, getting close to the walls. Yes, that’s going to reward the people that take the most risk. But, yes, as Fernando said, there’s a lot of unknowns and that’s very good because hopefully it will bring opportunities for the cars in the midfield. The unknowns in terms of strategy or red flag in the race or whatever is going to happen, hopefully we can take those.

Q: You’ve had a few days to reflect on the chassis upgrades that the team brought to Monza. Where was the car better?
EO: I think that it was positive. Yes, definitely, it did deliver for the whole team to have these updates. It was not the best track, of course, to test them in Monza, but it was very good that we got them there. We are still working with the inconsistency across cars. That’s what’s hurting us at the moment. Yes, I mean, this is what we need to try and solve this weekend. But the upgrade has been very positive and we are looking forward to seeing what kind of gain it gives us here.

Q: Okay, thank you for that. And Franco, let’s come to you now. You used to live in Madrid, so this is about as close to a home race as you’re going to get this season.
Franco COLAPINTO: Yes, this season hopefully only. No, really excited to be back here in Spain, in Madrid. The second race of the year in Spain, which is very exciting. Madrid does feel like the closest to home, I think, especially because of all my, you know, previous experiences and how I started in Europe and how I started in Formula racing. I started here in Madrid, so to be racing here in Formula 1, it’s a dream come true. I think it’s very good for the sport as well, you know, to have another big city like Madrid being back on the calendar and, you know, putting a very exciting track. It looks like a very good one to drive as well. It’s going to be cool. So, yeah, looking forward to tomorrow and to the weekend.

Q: Now, Monza was a great weekend for the team. Do you think it’ll be a slightly tougher assignment here in Madrid?
FC: Hopefully not, but I think it’s going to be a bit more difficult. Monza suited really well our car and the places where we were strong, especially straights, but also the low-speed corners, where we were quite good there. And then I think the upgrade did bring us a lot. That upgrade in Zandvoort was very positive for the car. It put the car in a much better window and, again, we could deliver a much better performance in Monza. So, I think still a lot of work to do, but hopefully we can translate it into a good weekend here in Madrid as well and have a quick car.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Craig Slater – Sky Sports UK) Fernando, you say you’re not in a rush to decide your future. Is there any impatience from the Aston Martin side? They’ve perhaps seen one or two big-name drivers who might have replaced you commit to their teams. I don’t know what options they think they have. Are they showing urgency in trying to get you re-signed for next year? The project does need to be carried on.
FA: Sure, sure. No, but those drivers, they were visiting Lawrence in summer. Yes, so no urgency.

Q: (Craig Slater – Sky Sports UK) What about from your own perspective, carrying the project on, Fernando, and the enthusiasm?
FA: As I said, I think it’s a matter of understanding what the rules from next year will have an impact or not on the racing and on the driving side of things. I think the current cars, as I said many times, are not the best cars to drive and to enjoy. But next year there is a step, I think, in the right direction, hopefully. But, yes, at the same time, I need to think what is the best programme for next year and sit with the team. Behind the wheel or in another role, where I will be helping the most, that will be the most important thing to decide together.

Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports F1) A question for yourself, Esteban. “Inconsistency across the cars, that’s what’s hurting us at the moment.” Can you expand on that a little bit? Where is the inconsistency and how is that affecting your season?
EO: Yes, I mean, this is something that we’ve faced so far this season. Myself and Ollie are very aware of that. When we’ve got the cars to a healthy state where they can perform, we perform as drivers, as a side of the garage. Ollie last week had a car that was delivering what we were expecting and, on my side, it wasn’t. But that was very different in Budapest, for example, where he faced these difficulties. So, we are aware of these things and this is our full focus at this stage, to try and not have these issues, to start the weekend just working normally with the car. It gets difficult once you are running after a deficit, let’s say, in terms of performance. And, yes, that’s the situation we are in. But that doesn’t take away all the good work that the team has done in the recent races. It’s been three Q2s in a row. Of course, it’s not Q3, but I feel like I’ve extracted the maximum out of the car that I could and, yes, I mean, there was nothing left on the table. So, it’s not the result that we want. We, of course, need more performance to be fighting in the points, but it’s still a satisfaction to say, “Okay, that was the car we had. We got the maximum out of what it could do. Now we need to work on this and that,” and that’s what we are doing. And I think we’ve been doing a pretty good job on our side recently, so we need to keep going.

Q: (Mara Sangiorgio – Sky Sports Italy) A question to Esteban. Esteban, knowing that your team is testing with other drivers and this week may be also important, what kind of discussion are you having with your team about your future, and are you speaking with other teams?
EO: Yes, we are having discussions, obviously, regarding the future in these recent weeks. I’ve been convinced to come for this project with Ayao since 2025 and, of course, the first discussion needs to happen with this team, and they are happening right now. But, yes, the team is allowed to test other drivers if they want. We have a TPC programme that’s very important to us. It’s also some kind of revenue for us. But it is clear that inside the team the drivers are not the problem. We are all pushing together in the same direction to try and get more out of the car. And myself and Ollie, when we have the car to perform, we do. And at the moment, that’s all I’m focused about, is to get the maximum of what we can do, fix the issues of the car, learn this new track and hopefully have good results.

Q: (Rui Chagas – DAZN Portugal) Fernando. Apart from all the races that you’ve won in all of the circuits in Spain since you started here, you’ve won in Barcelona and Valencia at the European, so it’s the only two tracks since you’ve been, and I think you are the only driver. Wouldn’t it be nice to be in a condition to win here in Madrid as well and make it the three perfect ones?
FA: That’s a question? I mean, the answer is very obvious. It will be nice, but it will not happen this year. But, yes, we are aware of that and we will work towards getting a more competitive package and have that possibility in the future. But, yes, I think Madrid, first of all, is one of the best cities in the world, so to have a Grand Prix and to welcome Formula 1 here, incredible. So, I think for any racing driver, you know, to win in Madrid will mean a lot. Even more for me, probably.

Q: (Jose Antonio Galindo – Mediaset España) You are very well known for adapting very quickly to new tracks. I suppose you have been training in the sim. What do you expect in terms of driving here? Is it more a quali track or a more racing track on Sunday, and what do you expect from this weekend?
FA: Well, I think, yeah, as we all said, I think the track seems difficult, first of all, to learn, very technical, a lot of kerb riding and a couple of high-speed sections where you need to get very close to the walls, which is very attractive and very high adrenaline for a driver. Close to Jeddah, I think, some sections. But then, as I said, I think one thing is the simulator and then reality always gives you a different feeling. So, I’m looking forward to FP1 and learning the track, you know, from the car and discovering all these details, you know, that always change a little bit the perception of what you came with, an idea, from the simulator. I think the grip level will be probably the biggest thing for me. If the track is dusty and too dirty at the beginning, that masks a little bit the learning process and, in a way, the fun of it, because you are just taking a lot of risk and unwanted risk because the car is not really responding to your inputs. And then you only get to quali and the race when the track is in a good place. But we have F3, we have F2, so maybe the track can be, you know, already good on Friday. If that’s the case, I think we have a very good weekend in front of us as a show, you know, for everyone else. And regarding the quali and the race, I think all the street circuits are rewarding more quali. I struggle to believe that the race on Sunday will be better than the quali on Saturday in terms of, you know, rewarding and driver feeling. This year Sundays sometimes are fun as well to watch because, you know, this battery championship, you just overtake. There are unwanted overtakes, you know. In Monza, even for us, I did two or three overtakes and I didn’t want to overtake in that place, but the car in front of me was just, you know, with an empty battery and I overtook. But it was not the plan.

Q: (Rodrigo França – Car Magazine Brazil) Fernando, when you started your career, Formula 1 was not so popular in Spain, but then came Alonsomania when you won races, two titles, and now we have two Grands Prix here in Spain. How does it feel to be part of this passion?
FA: Well, I think it feels… I feel honoured. Obviously, as you said, I think Formula 1, the first year, my debut in 2001, my family was watching my races on RTL, the German channel, because it was not broadcast in Spain. So that tells you, you know, how small Formula 1 was, you know, 20 years ago and how much things have changed, and the passion for, you know, many drivers in Spain to become part of F1. And not only behind the wheel. I think there are maybe five, seven, 10% of the mechanics, engineers in Formula 1 are now Spanish. So that’s probably, you know, another thing that we changed in Spain, you know, the wish to be part of Formula 1 in different roles. So, yes, that’s the biggest, one of the most proud things that I feel. Winning races or winning championships, you know, if you have the car and you are in the right place, right moment, the 20 drivers here, they can have that opportunity. I was very lucky to experience that. But I think the biggest legacy for me and my career is the change in Spain, you know, for Formula 1 and, you know, everything from karting, single-seaters, different Spanish teams racing in single-seaters, even to an extent in rally and other categories, my museum in Spain and all the visits that we have there. I don’t know, there are many things outside the car that maybe make me more proud of my career than the results itself.

Q: (Orlando Ríos – Campeones Magazine) Franco, in the last races your team was able to have more speed than the Racing Bulls and, of course, all this. I want to know, how do you see the next races? How do you feel about the next race in the battle against Racing Bulls?
FC: Good. I think our main focus, of course, is to be in front of them, and that’s why it’s a very good improvement that we’ve done in Monza, that we were clearly stronger. And it’s the direction we need to keep pushing for. I think the upgrade came at the right time because we were struggling slightly and we were lacking pace compared to them and to Audi, and that put us again, I think, slightly in front. So, again, we need to try and understand how the pace is here related to them, but in Monza we were definitely quite fast and, yeah, hopefully we can keep in front and keep scoring more points.

Q: (Carlos Miquel – Marca) Fernando, I want to ask you about your test in Barcelona. How was your feeling with the old McLaren? And about the overtaking in Madrid, do you think that Turn 13 could be an opportunity to make some overtakes after La Monumental?
FA: For Turn 13 I’m not sure. I’m not sure the energy management in Turn 12. I think for us we will not have the energy available to do La Monumental with the energy on. So, yes, probably someone can overtake us into 13. And for Barcelona, yeah, it was a great day, the best day of the year so far for me. You know, I drove cars with no batteries, no nothing. I just put fuel, tyres, lots of noise, lots of videos, earplugs, so amazing. Yeah.

Q: (Adrián Rodríguez-Huber – Agencia EFE) A question for Fernando. You’re the only Spanish driver to win the Spanish Grand Prix, three times in Spain, twice in Barcelona, once in Valencia, as we said. But probably this won’t be the case on Sunday. How would you go away from Madrid happy? Which result would make you happy next Sunday?
FA: That’s a good question. I think we don’t have a clear target for this weekend. We come from Budapest and Zandvoort, where the car performed really well and we eventually scored two points in Zandvoort. But then Monza was a very different story with the long straights, and I think Madrid is a combination of both scenarios. I think there are a lot of corners. Yes, there are a lot of opportunities to maximise the chassis potential, but there are also long straights and the engine is equally important here. So I think we could be in the middle of the two results, in a way. So that means from P12 to P17, but that’s something to be discovered. I think, for me, the most important thing is to unlock more performance from the car. I think on the chassis, after the Budapest package, we had two or three races to optimise the set-up and I think we are in a better place than what we have been in Budapest on the very first race. And on the engine, after Zandvoort, I think in Monza we did a lot of improvements on the drivability. So, I come to Madrid in a much better place than what we were in Monza on the engine side. If we make another step forward, it will be important for the remaining races. And, yes, let’s see. I think the race can be tricky for everyone and even with a lot of DNFs, as Esteban said, Safety Car possibilities, all these kinds of things. So, we need to be very, very focused, very sharp on the strategy on Sunday, and let’s see what we can do.

Q: (David Crespo – 20minutos) You have commented many times that Valencia 2012 is probably your favourite race. You have competed in the Spanish Grand Prix 22 times, two wins, seven podiums. Which is your favourite memory from the Spanish Grand Prix?
FA: I think it has to be 2006, Barcelona. As you said, Valencia, very special race, but, yeah, I think when we had La Marea Azul, it was an incredible feeling, you know, from the hotel to the circuit, the parade lap, the formation lap, you know, all those images, you know, from the cockpit and outside the cockpit, they were incredible. But, you know, I think now when I came to Aston, I think 2023, 2024, it was again a revival of that feeling. And even this year, I remember Barcelona, you know, the fan forum was very, very special, you know, with everybody there supporting the team, even if they knew the result, they were supporting as always. So, every time I race in Spain, it’s a very unique feeling.

Q: (Ronald Vording – Motorsport.com) It’s a question for Franco and one for Fernando, please. Franco, after Monza you were quite emotional. How do you reflect on that now? Were you maybe too harsh on yourself, and what has been the key lesson? And for Fernando, you mentioned before that 2027, the rules will be crucial for your decision. How do you look at that now? Do you really believe that those changes in fuel flow can make a difference and that you want driver input more, or do you feel like Max that, for this cycle, basically the cars are numb to driver input?
FC: Yeah, I think, you know, personally, I still was upset for a few days. It doesn’t happen very often that you have the opportunity to fight with the top teams and the top guys, and to be around McLaren and Ferrari, Red Bull. It’s been nice and it’s a good feeling, different motivation to be fighting suddenly for the podium at the start, and it was very cool. It was, of course, my first experience doing it, but it was very cool and a very different feeling. I think what we are looking for with the team. So personally, it was a very good weekend and a very good step forward. Of course, the mistake killed my chances and opportunities, so I was upset and frustrated, of course. But then it was a good recovery in the race. So, yeah, hopefully we can do the same soon and be fighting with the top teams.
FA: I think it’s a step in the right direction. If it’s enough… You know, the cars will always reward to charge the batteries on the highest-speed corners and at the end of the straights because that’s the optimal lap time. So, you know, because these power units, at one point in the lap you need to charge the batteries, and you will charge the batteries in the most problematic places for fun because it will be high-speed corners and end of the straights. So, against any driver input or pushing the limits of the car. But, in a way, I still have some hope that next year’s rule will still have to be tweaked again, that this is not the final version.

Q: (Diletta Colombo – AutoMoto.it) A question for Fernando. Could a programme with Aston Martin in another series, like the World Endurance Championship instead of Formula 1, be an option for 2027?
FA: Yes.

Q: (Alejandro Alonso Lopez – DiarioMotor.com). A question to Fernando. Driver simulators have evolved massively since you joined Formula 1. How much of the accuracy they have now takes away from the emotions of discovering a new circuit?
FA: Not much, to be honest. I think that I only see positives from it. I think I like when a new track comes and you go to the simulator and you need to do, you know, a good five, six laps until you know exactly where you are on track. And then you need to do a good 50, 60 laps to start optimising, you know, racing lines, braking points and things like that. But then it doesn’t take away anything from tomorrow’s, you know, first couple of laps because there is, again, a new feeling in the real world. And, you know, in the simulator you reset, you start from the pit lane again and nothing happened. But tomorrow, if you crash, you know, it’s the end of the day. So, the feeling of danger, you know, and adrenaline that you have in the real car is impossible to replicate. So tomorrow we will all have that, you know, even if we know the track. So, you know, it doesn’t take away anything and new tracks are always, you know, welcome, I think, and more fun.



PART TWO – Gabriel BORTOLETO (Audi), Carlos SAINZ (Williams), Valtteri BOTTAS (Cadillac)

Q: Carlos, let’s come to you first because this must be a very special moment for you. Just talk us through what it’s like to have a Grand Prix here on your doorstep in Madrid?
Carlos SAINZ: Yeah, very special. Well, first of all, welcome all to Madrid. Happy to have you all here in my home city, the city where I grew up, the city where I did my first steps as a little 10-year-old karting driver wanting one day to be a Formula 1 driver. And, yeah, almost 20-something years later, here I am being a Formula 1 driver in this city, which is crazy to think, and something that I’m incredibly proud of and something that I’m for sure going to enjoy a lot. This is going to be busy but also emotional and, yeah, I’m going to try and enjoy it as much as possible.

Q: You’ve done a few laps in a road car. Just what kind of challenge does the track present?
CS: Yeah, the laps in the road car, to be honest, the track was not completed, so nowhere as representative as the laps that I did in the simulator the other day. I think those were proper laps, and then a few onboard laps that we’re watching from the F3 test and some data that we’ve been on to try and prepare as much as possible. But realistically speaking, it’s going to be now tomorrow in FP1 when we really know what this track is all about. And I’m going to say it looks different. It looks that the track has character, that is charismatic, with a lot of different kinds of corners. And at least we can take that away, that that is going to be a different track to what we’re used to.

Q: And from a performance point of view, from a Williams point of view, how do you see this weekend?
CS: I think it’s no secret that it’s still going to be a struggle for us. If you look at the layout, I couldn’t think about a layout that is probably more difficult for our car. But it’s okay. I’m just going to work extremely hard to make sure this is the last year that I come here to Madrid without a chance of fighting for something bigger. At the same time, it will give me a chance to have a bit of an aperitivo of what Madrid is like, so I can prepare for when I have a more competitive package next year and hopefully years after, to enjoy giving the crowd a better result than probably what we’re going to get this year.

Q: And Carlos, mentally, are you just holding out for the upgraded chassis that’s coming to Baku, the next race?
CS: Yes, I think that upgrade is going to definitely help us to get ourselves closer to potentially fighting for some points. But realistically speaking, that’s nowhere near where we wanted to be this year, nowhere near what we promised. So, it’s still not enough and it’s still not where we want to be. So, it’s an upgrade that will help a bit the motivation of the team and just to look into the weekend with something to look forward to, maybe to potentially get a point or two when we were like we were at the beginning of the year. But it’s nowhere near where we want to be and I think our biggest hope is putting all the eggs in next year’s basket.

Q: Okay, thank you for that. Valtteri, let’s come to you next. You’ve contested 13 Grands Prix in Spain. Just how excited are you about the new venue here in Madrid?
Valtteri BOTTAS: Thirteen! Well, I’m excited. It’s like Carlos said, I think the track really has character. It’s something different to any other track. For me, it’s a bit of a combination of Saudi and Baku, in a way. It seems a difficult track, technical, and a challenge for every team, every driver. So that’s why I’m excited. Looks cool.

Q: It’s a new track for all the teams, not only Cadillac. Does that level the playing field somewhat?
VB: Probably at the beginning of the weekend, yes. But, yeah, I would say the biggest opportunity for us is I’m expecting it to be a bit messier weekend for all, finding the set-up. Drivers will make some mistakes. So, yes, if we can have a clean run, that’s when we can have a bit better chance here. And, yeah, for me, when I think about Sunday already, I think it’s going to be quite an interesting race and that can be an opportunity.

Q: And Valtteri, in terms of performance, where are you at with this car? I mean, both you and Checo saw the chequered flag at Monza and, given the reliability issues you’ve had with this car, how important was that? Was it a milestone?
VB: Yeah, for me it was actually almost a couple of months that I finished a race, so it was good to finish with both cars. We didn’t suffer with really any issues in Monza, so that gives me more confidence here. But it is a different layout. The weather is again getting warmer for Sunday, so we are aware that we’re going to keep an eye on things.

Q: Okay, Valtteri, thanks for that. And Gabi, let’s come to you now. Before we talk about the Madring, can we throw it back to Monza last weekend? Audi is appealing the results of the race. Can you explain the rationale behind that?
Gabriel BORTOLETO: I think it’s quite straightforward in the rules. When a driver causes an extra formation lap, he must start from the pit lane and, in that case, Yuki didn’t. So, I think that’s the reason why Audi is appealing. We are appealing the results. You know, for us, it counts as a point if we get the position, so every point counts and, I mean, what’s right is right at the end of the day.

Q: And you’ve had a few too many P11s this year, right?
GB: A bit too many, yeah. More than what I would like to.

Q: What about the Madring then? We’ve heard from the other two. Just give us your thoughts on the track. What have you learned? What’s the feel you’ve got in the simulator?
GB: I mean, it’s very, as both of them said, I think it’s a very challenging track. It’s, you know, a lot of blind corners and banking, up and down. I think it’s going to be, you know, quite interesting also to see how we’re going to, as a driver, adapt to it, but at the same time set up our car. But I’m optimistic. I think it’s going to be a good weekend. I think the track, at least in the simulator, was very cool to drive, lots of combined braking. So, you know, that’s the type of track I like as well. So, yeah, looking forward to heading to the track tomorrow.

Q: And in terms of your car, are you now at a place with it where you think you can be competitive in every kind of racetrack?
GB: Well, when I was saying that we were not going to be competitive in tracks with a lot of straight lines, like Monza, it ended up that we almost went to Q3 and fighting again for points, being P11. I would say, you know, there are tracks that obviously put us in a better position, probably tracks that have less straights, here, Zandvoort, Budapest. But even tracks, you know, like Monza, Spa, Silverstone, that we expected, with the long straights, we were going to struggle, we were scoring points. So, I would say we have now a package that we can be basically fighting every weekend.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Mariana Becker – TV Globo) Gabi, I believe that, like all of you, you have been studying this track in the simulator before hitting it. Where do you think is the pleasure? Where is the part or the section that you can have more pleasure on driving here?
GB: I think basically all the corners are very challenging, but, you know, probably T5 and T6 are going to be very challenging with, you know, lots of kerb usage there, and then going a bit uphill and then downhill, and then having some high-speed corners just after. I think that’s the typical type of track that you finish a lap and you can really feel your breathing, you know, because it’s very mentally exhausting through the lap. And to nail a perfect lap is also difficult, but when you do it, it’s very, very promising.

Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports F1) Carlos, question for you. I know things aren’t great on the track at the moment, but you’ve signed a new contract with Williams. What guarantees have you been given by the team and what’s the timescale for things to get better? And what would you be happy with within that timescale?
CS: Yeah, obviously if I signed that contract, it’s because I still believe in the team. I still believe that this is just a bump on the road, on where we are and the capability that this team has to turn it around. I think, honestly, what we’ve learned this year is so many lessons and so many things that we got wrong, or that we believed we were at a certain standard and we are clearly not, that I think this bump that we just hit is going to help the team massively to change fundamental things that we were doing wrong, to become a better team in the future. Having said that, I think it’s extremely important that we bounce back next year already and that we show a promising sign of bounce-back next year because I think it’s very important to make sure this is just a small bump on the road rather than a prolonged time in the year. And also, I think we’ve taken a lot of conclusions, a lot of things that we have to change as a team, and this is going to help us to become a better team in the future. Having said that, it’s been a bigger bump than expected and, for sure, it’s not what we all wanted. But, yeah, I’m hoping that next year we will already look a lot better.

Q: (Mahlambi Nqobile – Supersport) Carlos, firstly, thank you for the very warm welcome to Madrid. It’s a very beautiful, infectious and vibrant city. With that being said, this is home for you, you know it best. Which part of the city’s personality do you think the circuit captures best?

CS: I don’t know because there’s not much of the nightlife at the track, and I can tell you the nightlife in Madrid is fun. But, yeah, apart from that, I don’t know, just the whole atmosphere. I think anyone that gets to experience Madrid for the first time this weekend, bear with me because it’s a Madrid with so many people. I don’t think Madrid has had so many people in the city as this week, so maybe the traffic will be a bit worse than what it normally is and everything. But, I mean, it’s such a great city. I’ve always recommended it to anyone that wants to visit a European capital that maybe is not as well known, to come and visit it. The city has been growing a lot in the last few years. Every time we have the chance to throw a big event, I feel like the city does a great job at running it. And, yes, don’t get me wrong, for sure we can do much better and this year we will learn a lot about how to do a Formula 1 race better. It happened to Miami, to Vegas, to Mexico. The first times are always difficult. I’ll make sure this room next year has better air con, you can be sure of that. But all those things, Madrid will be extremely open-minded and we’ll make sure that we deliver and make this Grand Prix a classic for Formula 1 and for all of you guys to want to come back to this city yearly.

Q: (Panagiotis Seitanidis – Ant1 TV) Hello, Carlos. I know that the competitiveness of the team is not where you wanted this year for the first race in your country, but you will still have thousands of Spanish people cheering for you, eager to see your race. What is the promise you can give to all the fans out there that are going to cheer you on?
CS: Well, I can only promise them that I will give it my best. Whatever that result brings me or brings us, I will be flat out and trying to do the best I can for them to have fun. And then, if not, I just hope the city and the event runs well, that people that come to a track have fun, enjoy the track, they enjoy the event around it and all the events that there is around the city, and thanks to that, that they just get to enjoy the weekend. Apart from that, you have my promise that I’ll be giving that extra time to all the fans, to all my family that’s coming, to all my friends that are coming, to have a bit of extra time for them, which will be relatively draining for me. But at the same time, for sure, it will give me a lot of good positive energy.

Q: Carlos, how big is the entourage this weekend? How many people have you got coming?
CS: Well, I can tell you, in my grandstand, the Team Fifty5 grandstand, I saved 100 passes or 100 tickets for me and my family and they were gone in two days, so next year I’m probably going to need to save a few more. And then everyone has been extremely kind with the paddock passes for my friends and my family. I have plenty of passes and also it’s difficult to get. I have just a full logistics team working out how all these passes are going to work and how everything is going to work. But it’s been fun also and I can see how excited everyone that is Madrid-based, all my friends, my family, how excited everyone is just to join, come support, get to see the paddock or the grandstand or the circuit up close. And we’ve all been seeing for the last two years the whole circuit grow and being put together, and now that everything is completed everyone wants to come and check it out.

Q: (Rui Chagas – DAZN Portugal) I was about to give you a break and ask a question to Gabi, but eventually I have to go back to you. Obviously this is your real home Grand Prix, Madrid, but you already had Barcelona and next year you will also have Madrid and Portugal, you will have Portimão back. With all the complaints that people have that the Grands Prix are going away from Europe and so on, how special is it for you having two Grands Prix in Iberia for two years in a row?
CS: Well, I think it’s going to be super interesting and I think it shows that everyone also is valuing Europe and still keeping faith in Europe as an event, you know. And I think the Iberian Peninsula, like you call it, is more than, with the weather that we have here and the facilities that we get, it’s an ideal scenario for Formula 1. I think F1 tracks here in Europe also need to take a step into promoting the event and making the event as appealing and as competitive as the ones in the US and the ones in Latin America are doing. And this is something that Madrid has taken very personally. They want to bring that culture of Mexico, the vibes of Mexico, Miami, that we are all enjoying when the Grand Prix is happening. They want to bring this to a European track for the first time. And that’s why you will see so many jamón stands, so many tapas stands in the paddock. We want to make sure there’s plenty of concerts around the Grand Prix. So, we want to make sure the whole four days is a whole event and people get to enjoy the Grand Prix and the whole weekend, not just the racing.

Q: (Jack Oliver Smith – MotorSport Monday) A question for Valtteri, please. We are about a month into Cadillac’s new leadership. Is there any particularly noteworthy change in direction that you’ve been able to observe compared to the way it was being run under Graeme Lowdon, or is it too early to really observe anything like that yet?
VB: I would say it’s still a little bit too early. Martin, it’s not that long ago that he joined. He’s been busy trying to get to know hundreds of new people, how the team has operated in the past, what needs to be changed. Yes, he’s been flat out doing his job, but it’s too early to say that anything has really changed, which is kind of a good thing for me. Nothing has really changed on how we operate at the race weekends, how we prepare for the races. There’s not been any compromises because of the change so far. So, I think we just need more time to see what he can do. But so far looks promising. I like his style of leadership and he seems like a hard-working guy, and that will pay off eventually.

Q: (Leonid Kliuev – GrandePremio.com) Question for Carlos. As an ex-Ferrari driver, how do you see their current situation where the topic of team tactics and favouring one driver over the other comes up quite often? Is it different to when you were there and, possibly, what advice would you give to the parties on that? Maybe comments from Valtteri are also welcome. Thank you.
CS: Well, I don’t think it’s, like some people say, “It’s none of my business,” no. But I can tell you that when you have two competitive teammates, these kinds of situations are always going to happen. Me with Charles, always twice, two or three times a year, we always had a bit of a discussion or an argument. But after the race or the morning after, we would call each other and sort it out. So, yeah, I think it’s normal when you’re fighting for podiums or wins in a competitive team and there are situations into Turn 1 or situations fighting the race or with strategy, you always end up one day being not happy with the way it’s being handled, and the next day maybe you’ve been favoured. It’s always the same case. And I don’t know the way it’s being handled right now, but when I was there in Ferrari with Charles, we would always sort it out among each other and we would get on with it. And, yeah, we had a good time.

Q: Valtteri, what were the rules of engagement between you and Lewis when you were both at Mercedes?
VB: Confidential, contractual stuff. So, I mean, yes, every team obviously operates differently. You have different rules. But, yes, around that time it was very clear that you need to race fair, clean. There are certain rules in certain situations which I don’t want to go into detail. You can use your imagination. But it’s just how the sport works and sometimes you get it better, sometimes you get it worse. Yes, not more to say.

Q: (Christoffer Linden – Helsingin Sanomat) For Valtteri, there was this news this week that Robin Räikkönen has signed with Red Bull. What are your thoughts on this as a Finnish driver? And have you yourself thought about helping young drivers from Finland to reach F1 in the future?
VB: Yes, that’s great news and pretty cool for Kimi as well that his 11-year-old son signs for a programme. That’s great. I’ve thought about it, you know, because it’s been a little bit quiet when it comes to drivers coming from Finland recently. But I haven’t found the one yet, so maybe eventually I can help. But let’s see. But, yes, definitely interested.

Q: (Rodrigo França – Car Magazine Brazil) Question to all. As we have a new venue here in Madrid, which track do you remember driving for the first time and then jumping out of the car and saying to yourself, “Wow, what an amazing track?” Gabi, let’s start with you.
GB: I can say two: Suzuka and Imola, for me, both of the tracks. But I think more Suzuka, you know. First time I’ve driven there was with F1 last year, you know, when the cars had quite a lot of downforce. I think the first lap I did, it was quite an impressive feeling.
CS: Yeah, I think old-school tracks for us are still the best tracks in the world in terms of feeling a Formula 1 car, and Suzuka is my favourite by far. But I got to experience that for the first time 12 years ago, so that was a long time ago. Of the new ones, I think, maybe more the question, Jeddah. I remember FP1 in Jeddah, high grip, crazy barriers, crazy high speed. I think I jumped out of the car saying, “Okay, this takes some serious commitment to get around here.” And I’ve always found Baku very challenging for the driver. Maybe not so much adrenaline because it’s more stop and go, but when it comes to taking the decision to turn into the corner when everything is locking up and you don’t know if you’re going to hit the apex or not, I find that track very, very challenging as to the new tracks for me.
VB: For me, Suzuka as well. That was, you had that feeling exactly, “What an amazing track.” And since then it’s been my favourite. And, yes, I think tomorrow we’re going to have a good feeling after FP1. Hopefully we’ll get another wow effect here.

Q: (Alejandro Alonso López – Diariomotor.com) A question to all three. This weekend we have quite a bit different paddock distribution to what we are used to, especially here in Europe. Can we have your thoughts on it, and also do you think it will present any special operational challenges to the team?
VB: I like it. We’re the first one when you enter the paddock, the garage, so pretty easy. I haven’t been much around. I’ve been looking for the jamón you said there somewhere.
CS: It’s coming.
VB: I need some. Apart from that, all good.
CS: Yeah, for sure, it’s long distances between box and hospitality. That’s why I think that the track gave us the buggies to move around, which was thoughtful. I thought drivers nowadays anyway, we all move by scooter just to avoid getting stopped so often and getting to point A to point B quicker. I think the good thing about this track has so much space, as you guys have seen, that I think the track is going to be flexible for feedback. So even if you guys love it or don’t, I think there’s so much space in here that, yeah, I wouldn’t discard that in the future they can change the set-up or the arranging around just to fit whatever you guys or whatever the teams prefer. So, independently of how it is, not worried about it.
GB: No, for me the only difference is that I need to change my arrival time 15 minutes earlier because it took quite a while to arrive in the hospitality today. But I prefer paddocks like this than actually when it’s too tight, you know, and then there is not enough space. Then you also, to host sponsors, people that come, it’s always tricky. So, I think so far, you know, it has been a good experience. Obviously, I haven’t gone around and, after all the promises this guy made about food, it’s quite exciting.

Q: (Juan Manuel Perez Noya – Radio Nacional España) Carlos, Fernando has just said that the growth of Formula 1 since he was a child to now here in Spain has been huge, and maybe that’s the thing that he’s most proud of. When you were a boy, did you dream not only to become an F1 driver but also to drive here at home in Madrid?
CS: Yeah, when I was, I think, 10 years old, I remember telling my dad, “I want to be like Fernando Alonso one day.” So, for sure, he’s been the main factor and the main driving factor to have a second Spanish driver in Formula 1 now, but also for the growth of motorsport in Spain and Formula 1 in Spain. For me, having a Grand Prix in Madrid, you know, I was telling Gabi before and Valtteri that this is the house where I grew up. So I would wake up here, go to my karting track, go and train and come back. It’s the house where, when I was 10 years old, I would wake up at 4am, knock on my dad’s door to say, “It’s Australian Grand Prix time, we need to watch.” So that kid that was 10 years old, already loving Formula 1, would have for sure never thought that he would be a Formula 1 driver one day and that a Grand Prix would come to Madrid and he would be driving in it. So that’s why it’s so special and so emotional.

Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Carlos, just picking up on what you were saying about the two Ferrari drivers. You know what it’s like to be a Ferrari driver at Monza and have a close battle with your teammate in 2023. How does that add to the pressure, particularly when you’re battling wheel-to-wheel, the sort of magnifying glass of the Monza weekend that goes on the entire team?
CS: Well, yeah, I remember ’23 being quite an intense battle with Charles. I don’t think we got to the point where we had any arguments that day. We both felt like we kept it as far as we could for what was at stake. We had worse ones than that, for sure. But, yeah, Monza, you feel an extra level of responsibility of making sure you don’t touch the other guy in the other red car because it’s Monza. So, yeah, I think in general that’s the number one rule of motorsport or Formula 1, but maybe Ferrari at Monza a bit more. Yes, you have that in the back of your head, for sure, going into every battle.

Q: (Leonid Kliuev – GrandePremio.com) A question for all three. Will you follow Max versus 100 karts? How fun would it be if you were in one of those karts?
VB: Can we have some context? I don’t know what you mean.

Q: (Leonid Kliuev – GrandePremio.com) So Max would participate in the race, in the karting race against 100 karts, if I’m not mistaken. He will start last and then they will see, and it will be broadcast live as well, and they will see if he can win in the end.
VB: How many laps? On which track?

Q: It’s at Silverstone next week. Max, can he overtake 100 karters? That’s the challenge?
VB: So what about it?

Q: (Leonid Kliuev – GrandePremio.com) Well, my question was, are you going to follow and would it be fun for you to jump in one of those karts?
VB: I don’t know. Yeah, if I can follow, for sure I’ll have a look. Sounds entertaining, but I’m busy next week and elsewhere, so I can’t join, sadly.
CS: I did a karting race yesterday with my team. Started 20th because we did reverse grid and I was P1 in five laps. So by my calculations, if there’s another 20 times five, in 20 laps Max will be for sure P1. Fifteen, 20 laps, or who knows, depends how much overtaking there is. But he will win it easy.
GB: Yeah, it depends on the level of the other drivers there, obviously. But I think there’s a big chance of him winning and, if I’m home doing nothing, will turn on to have fun and watch it, for sure.