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TEAM REPRESENTATIVES -
Adrian Newey (Aston Martin), Allan McNish (Audi), Marcin BUDKOWSKI
(Cadillac)
Q: Welcome Adrian, perhaps we
could start with you, please. Contrasting performances for the team at the
last couple of races: a great race at Sepang was followed by a more
frustrating weekend in Singapore. How do you reflect on those two weekends?
Adrian NEWEY: Yeah, Singapore was certainly not one of our finest. We never
really got the PU and the chassis working properly, so it’s just one of
those weekends which will be a great experience to learn from. Lots of
things to take away from that, but over the weekend itself, it never came
together.
Q: So, what about here? It looks like you’ve hit the ground
running here in Austin. Do you see this as more of a weekend akin to what
you achieved in Sepang?
AN: Tell you on Sunday afternoon.
Q: Now,
look, last time, Adrian, you were in the press conference in Hungary, you
said you wanted to get everybody in the team working together and you wanted
to change the team’s culture. How much progress have you made with those
since then?
AN: I think we’re making huge amounts of progress. It really
feels now like the team’s coming together. The team spirit within the
engineering offices, in particular, I think is very strong now. I see a lot
of ideas being generated, lots of people chatting with each other, working
late in the evening. So, very impressed with how the individuals are really
kind of… You can just feek… I’m putting it poorly: you can feel the buzz in
the factory now.
Q: And where are Honda on that curve?
AN: Honda
obviously are working hard. They’re a great company, as we all know, capable
of great things, as they’ve proved many times in the past. We are working
closely with them and so hopeful of the future.
Q: Talking of Honda,
does what you’re going through now with them remind you of the journey you
had with them at Red Bull, starting in 2019?
AN: I would say, at the
moment, in all truth, Honda are a little bit behind where Red Bull, as the
works team, RBR, picked up Honda in ’19. But that obviously was four seasons
after they first came back in ’15. So, this is the first year back in.
Repeating myself, they are a great company. I have every confidence that
they will accelerate quickly and understand the problems of these particular
PU regulations.
Q: Okay, Adrian, thank you very much for that. Alan,
why don’t we come to you now? A very strong weekend in Singapore for Nico at
Marina Bay is a very particular venue. Just how hopeful are you of
continuing that run of form here in Austin?
Allan McNISH: Yeah, you’re
right. It was a very good weekend for us, the first time we scored points in
a Sprint race, also backing that up with points again in the feature race.
So, it was a good haul. It was also a confidence boost, I think, after the
two races in Baku and Sepang, where we had tenth place taken away on the
last lap, which was frustrating, to say the least. However, it was a good
bounce back, and what we’ve seen from Gabby this morning, admittedly only
FP1, the momentum is definitely keeping going right now. So, yep, as we look
into this weekend, then we’re pretty hopeful to be able to have a good one.
Q: You talk about momentum. You’ve got a few new parts on the car this
weekend. How are they performing? How was it in FP1?
AMcN: Yeah, so we
had the two cars separated. Gabriel was on the new package, which admittedly
is a small package in comparison to what we brought to Baku, but he was on
the new one. Then Nico was on the previous spec that we had in the last few
races. I think it was quite clear on the data and also on the lap time that
there was a benefit there. So, we’re converting both cars to the new spec
for FP2.
Q: Is there more coming on this car or back at the factory?
Is it all 2027?
AMcN: No, I think everybody now is focused—I would say
all teams are focused more on what’s happening for ’27 than necessarily
anything else. There’ll be details, but nothing serious in reality.
Q: Okay, I asked Adrian about the culture at Aston Martin, and you’ve been
racing director of Audi now for six months. How would you describe the
culture of the team?
AMcN:Definitely one that has evolved a lot. There’s
no question about it. I’ve known the team previously in a different guise,
and there was an element that the people were very good; however, they
didn’t necessarily have the resource or, I would say, the clarity of
direction. With that, in the last year, when it became Audi, one part of it,
but also I think since scoring points, since being able to compete, since
being able to consistently fight in and around the last part of qualifying,
getting into the top ten, that’s definitely lifted the spirits. And also, I
just said, felt taking the weight of the workload and things over the race
weekend, and that’s at the circuit. Back at the factory, it’s quite clear
that they’ve got a clear focus, not just necessarily short term but also
long term, ’27, ’28 and beyond. So, the culture, I would just say, is going
to be one of the key points for us. But right now, you need a positive
culture because there’s no question, I think all three teams sitting here,
you know, we have got our good parts and our strengths and our weaknesses as
well. But to make sure, you need to have that clarity.
Q: Now,
Freddie Slater, you’ve announced that he’s doing a couple of FP1 sessions.
Huge moment for him. Why now, and what do you want him to achieve in those
sessions?
AMcN:Well, first thing, I think Freddie deserves it. If I look
at his career, and we’ve been involved with him now for nearly three years,
it’s pretty clear he’s got talent. It’s pretty clear that he’s got the
attitude and the work ethic to do it. He’s integrated extremely well into
everything that we’re doing, and you talk about culture and things, he’s
really focused on that. So, without doubt, he’s in a position where he can
get the opportunity, and at the same time, he’s part of our Audi Driver
Development Programme, and that is giving opportunities. So, we’re very
pleased to be able to do it, coming to Mexico and then also following it up
in Brazil. Obviously, he needs to get his feeling for the car, he needs to
understand how these cars work, and at the same time, I expect him to be
doing a very sensible job because, at the end of the day, he’s just in the
first part of what I would say, and hopefully is for him, a long-term
Formula 1 career.
Q: Allan, thank you very much for that. Marcin,
let’s come to you now. A home race for Cadillac. You’re running a special
livery, you have activations going on across Austin. Just how special is
this race for the team?
Marcin BUDKOWSKI: I mean, special for the team is
a home race, as you said. It’s the second home race of the season for the
team. It’s the first home race with the team for me, especially. It’s very
busy as well. We have a lot of activations, a lot of media attention. We’re
also doing a few special things with the livery you mentioned. We have a big
event this evening. So yes, it makes it even more busy. But, you know, from
a race team point of view, we just treat it as another weekend and just
trying to do our best.
Q: Let’s talk about performance. Just how much
progress do you feel you’ve made with this car in recent weeks?
MB: It’s
a tough one because, as the others mentioned, we stopped developing this
year’s car. We brought some parts here that are actually more of an
experiment for next year’s car that we’re running on Colton’s car, and then
doing some set-up work on Valtteri again, exploratory, not directly intended
at this race, but just to scan the field of the set-up possibilities of the
car, gain some valuable knowledge. And this is the kind of thing we’re doing
for us as a new team. Every lap, every session, every race is a learning
opportunity, and we’re trying to maximise that. Obviously, with races, we
want to do the best possible result at every race, but we’re also conscious
that we’re not competing for much as of today, and the biggest leverage,
best usage of the time we have on the track, is to increase the team’s
collective knowledge and experience and bring that into next year.
Q:
Let’s expand on that, if we could. You’ve been in the job a couple of
months. You’ve got your feet under the table. Has that been enough time for
you to identify the areas where you need to improve to take the next step?
MB: Yes, definitely. I mean, there are two aspects to it. There’s we need to
improve everywhere. We are a new team where there’s a bunch of people that
either came from different F1 teams but have never built a car together.
They’ve never been able to iterate from a previous version of a car or take
something that existed and make it better. We also have, I’m pretty sure,
the highest proportion of people working in the team that do not have any
prior F1 experience. And as we all know, it’s a very specialised sport. You
need to bring these people up to speed. So, all that team is kind of
blending together still at this stage. But on top of that, yes, there are a
few things and to be honest, it didn’t take me two months; it took me two
weeks to see clearly that there are a few areas that deserve more focus. And
I’m not saying they’ve been neglected. We’re talking about a team that put a
car design and built a car on the track in a record amount of time while at
the same time building a team, recruiting people. But for me, one of the
first things is reprioritising what we’re doing and putting the right amount
of focus in the right areas. And not only focus, but when we talk about
focus, we talk also about resources, human and financial, and making sure we
spend our resources in the projects that matter and in the areas that
matter. I think that was the biggest thing I did since I arrived.
Q:
You used the word projects, and you announced recently that the PU
department is going to be opening just before Christmas. What’s the plan
thereafter? What’s the first project that’s going to take place there?
MB: The PU facility? I was actually there on my way here. I stopped for a
couple of days in Charlotte coming here. I was at GM Motorsports. I was at
the power unit facility, the existing one, which is a provisional one, and
the new one that’s coming off the ground. It’s there or thereabouts. It’s
going to be inaugurated just before Christmas. A very, very impressive
facility and, again, a statement of ambition from the Cadillac F1 Team and
from General Motors in terms of being a fully works team by the end of the
decade. That calendar is subject to a decision from the FIA and from us as
an F1 community of teams and power unit manufacturers. We know there’s
uncertainty on the calendar, and we are actually very proactively
collaborating with the FIA and F1 on the next regulation cycle because,
obviously, we are an interested party. We will be building an engine and
running a works team, but also, we are passionate about the fact that it
needs to be the right power unit for Formula 1.
QUESTIONS FROM THE
FLOOR
Q: (Ted Kravitz – Sky Sports UK) Adrian, we understand that
following the Singapore Grand Prix, Lawrence Stroll flew to Japan for
meetings with Honda. Did he get any assurances that the power unit will be
significantly improved for next year? And regarding the deficit that you
have, what percentage would you say is chassis-side, and what percentage of
your deficit currently to the top is power-unit-side?
AN: Well, first of
all, that was a scheduled meeting, so between Honda and Aston Martin there
are what’s called senior executive meetings, which are scheduled once every
two or three months, so that was one of them. The rest of us, such as
myself, joined online. I think, well, the current deficit is fairly clear.
It’s seen in the ADUO. The ADUO, of course, is only a power measurement, and
as we all know, there are lots of other factors that combine to make the
overall performance of the PU installed in the chassis. So, there’s no point
in dwelling on that. Your other question, so I think relative deficit
between chassis and engine, I think, again, it’s probably not for me to say.
I think if people look at the GPS, then you can start to get a much better
picture from that. And then moving forward for 2027, then that’s really, as
we discussed earlier. Honda – there’s a lot of energy and projects on the
way now that perhaps are in their early stages of development, but we see a
lot of promise from those. Too early to comment on exactly where the PU will
be at the start of the season and whether then, assuming it’s allowed under
the PUAC, there will be further development for what will be race eight at
the end of the first period.
Q: (Craig Slater – Sky Sports) Another
one for Adrian. Christian Horner has his memoir out. Adrian, I’m sure you
probably haven’t read it yet. He pays great tribute to your place within the
sport and all the achievements you accumulated together. There is criticism,
though. He talks about you wanting to abandon ship at the first sign of
adversity in 2014. He talks about being blindsided by your move to Aston
Martin. I just want to know: did he brief you that these kinds of remarks
would come out in the book? What kind of relationship do you have now, and
do you feel let down at all by criticisms like that?
AN: Well, you’re
quite right in saying that, no, I haven’t read any of it yet. I think 2014,
then, as a chassis designer, if the PU manufacturer has a bad year, that
happens, and you accept it. If the PU manufacturer has a bad year and
doesn’t appear to have any intention of trying to address the problem,
that’s altogether a different matter, and that’s quite bleak at that point.
And that’s the situation that unfortunately we faced in 2014. And as it
turned out, that situation didn’t really change with that supplier until we
changed to Honda in 2019. So, you can imagine my pain and frustration at
that. I don’t think Christian fully understood that, perhaps, but I was in
conversation. The rest of it I really can’t comment, but Christian and I
remain friends. As many of you know, I am his godfather to his daughter
Olivia, so yeah.
Q: (Aldona Marciniak – Eleven Sports) This one’s for
Marcin. I want to ask you about Checo as he’s approaching his 300th start in
F1. How difficult is it to evaluate a driver who’s fighting at the back of
the grid, at the same time as the impression is that he’s having a better
season than his teammate? And quickly on drivers, would you be interested in
having any conversation with Esteban regarding maybe a reserve role?
MB:
Look, for a driver like Checo, who, as you said, has a huge amount of
experience and a number of races, I can tell you he doesn’t behave or drive
like a driver who is anywhere close to retirement. He’s pushing very hard
behind the wheel. He’s pushing us very hard also behind the scenes, in the
debrief rooms and outside, and regularly texting me and other members of the
team to push us to improve. He’s hungry, he’s motivated, and that’s actually
really good to see. He does it in his own style. We have two drivers: one is
more hot and one is probably more cold, if we could say, from there. And
they both push the team in their own particular ways, but Checo is, yes,
pushing us very hard. And just looking at the way his body language on the
grid, when he gets his helmet on and he gets in the car, he’s getting ready
for a fight. There’s a lot of fire, there’s a lot of motivation there, so
it’s really impressive for a driver of this experience. And at the same
time, we’re getting his feedback and his input in terms of, as an
experienced driver. So yes, he’s a very good combination. And sorry, the
second question was about Esteban Ocon? Well, look, as a team principal, and
I’m sure it’s the same with my colleagues, you’re getting calls and contacts
from every driver or driver manager that is on the market. So, there are a
number of drivers and managers who have contacted me. I’m not going to say
who it is or who it isn’t, but pretty much all of them that are on the
market have been in touch, as you’d expect. But yes, I think it’s the last
place here, as you can imagine, where I would communicate anything on driver
line-up. My marketing and communications department would kill me if I did
that.
Q: Marcin, just to be clear, both Valtteri and Checo have
contracts for 2027?
MB: Again, this is the last place I would comment on
driver contracts, and in general, I think it’s not something that is done in
the press. It’s something which will be done by official releases from the
team when the time is right.
Q: (Andrew Benson – BBC Sport) This is
for Adrian. Adrian, I’m over here. After your first season of working with
Fernando, what are your impressions of him in the context of other drivers
you’ve worked with and the level he’s still performing at?
AN: Fernando’s
without doubt one of the all-time greats. And I think, like all the greats
that I’ve been lucky enough to work with, probably one of the things that
singles them out is just the processing power that they have left over.
Sorry, I’m putting it poorly. Obviously, you need a degree of brainpower to
drive the car in the first place, and with the really great drivers, you get
the impression that’s all kind of in the subconscious brain, leaving the
conscious brain free to process everything, understand how the tyres are
behaving, how the race is unfolding, how they can modify their driving style
to suit the balance of the car at that particular point, etcetera, etcetera.
And Fernando, as the other greats, is absolutely in that category.
Q:
(Ronald Vording – Motorsport.com) Another one for Adrian. Christian also
recently said that, from the outside perspective, it feels a lot like
history repeating itself. He said that when you came into Red Bull the first
time, the team and the tools and the people around you, but they probably
were not ready for some of the most ambitious ideas. Did you feel the same
when you first went into Aston Martin, or was the experience very different
from what you experienced at the starting point with Red Bull?
AN: No, I
think there are actually a lot of parallels between when I started at Red
Bull and when I started at Aston Martin. Both teams, through their history,
had had quite a lot of turmoil with changes of owners, changes of senior
managers, etcetera. And it’s then really trying to, as we’ve spoken before,
get everybody working together, try to break down silos, improve the
culture. And that’s been exactly the same again. I’m sure it’s the same for
Allan, he’s nodding to my right, and the same for other teams.
Q:
(Luke Smith – The Athletic) A question for all three of you. James Vowles
has been quite vocal recently about Formula One’s cost cap and potential
changes for the future. He said it’s created a bit of a two-tier
championship. Is that a feeling that you would agree with, and what do you
think about a sliding-scale mechanism related to championship points or
position, as he’s suggesting? Alan, what do we say?
AMcN: I think that
the cost cap, first of all, is a very important part of the sustainability
of Formula 1. It is something that’s evolved, and I think will continue to
evolve as we go through. Obviously, the FIA is the entity that is
controlling that, and I think we need to have, if we look at it, something
that is sustainable for the long term for everybody, not necessarily for one
or the other. But we’ve got full trust in the FIA to be able to put these
things into place and to take it forward from there.
AN: Yeah, I
think I echo Allan’s comments in many ways. If you look at things like wind
tunnel testing, then that – and also the engines with the ADUO – then those
are both examples where teams that are behind are granted more wind tunnel
time or dyno time or whatever it might be than the teams that sit at the
front. So, it’s easy from that point of view to then extrapolate that to,
okay, if teams are behind, then also give them a small extra allowance on
the budget.
MB: Yeah, completely agree on that. It needs to be done in
the right way. We are absolutely not in favour of any balance-of-performance
mechanism. It’s really not what Formula 1 is about. But we did it
successfully with the aero regulations. ADUO, whether it’s successful or
not, time will tell, but it’s an attempt at implementing something similar.
I think there’s no reason not to do it on the cost cap. But to the people
who ask the question, how do we get there? The reality is there’s a reason
why the top teams accepted the cost cap in the first place: because it baked
in a certain advantage they had, and at the time, it was absolutely fine. As
Allan said, the cost cap is crucial to Formula 1 now, to its survival, to
the fact that teams are actually operations that make a profit and generate
value. Before that, it wasn’t the case, and we were talking about teams
disappearing from the grid every year. So it’s really important to preserve
the cost cap, but maybe it’s time to make it even a little bit better and
create a more competitive championship, which, at the end of the day, is one
where the best team and the best drivers still win, but we see maybe a
little bit more competition on the track and chances that are a little bit
fairer than they are today.
Q: (Christian Menath –
MotorsportMagazin.com) A question for Adrian. I think you touched on it a
bit earlier when you talked about the ADUO, that it’s not as easy as just
looking at the engine power at the crankshaft. Ferrari made it very clear
this year that their KPI is lap time and not only horsepower, and they made
sacrifices on the engine side for the whole package. Is there anything you
can do to help Honda for next season in terms of packaging and so on?
AN:
Yes, well, as you can imagine, completely in agreement with Ferrari’s
comment that, yes, it’s not just about crankshaft horsepower. It’s about the
whole package. It’s what makes the car fastest. So, with Honda, we are
always looking at that and always working on what will create the best
package, the fastest package on lap time.
Q: (Scott Mitchell-Malm –
The Race) A question for Adrian again. Based on what was mapped out at the
start of the year, has the progress that Honda has been able to make met
expectations? And is there a disconnect at all between what’s being seen on
dynos and simulations versus how it then performs, or the characteristics
you see when it runs on track in reality?
AN: That’s quite a complicated
question to answer, and one in which I can’t go so far because of protection
of IP of both Honda and ourselves. But I think it’s fair to say that Honda
have probably been a little bit disappointed with how much progress they
have managed to make this year. But as always, or as is so often the case in
that situation, it only strengthens resolve to go forward in the future. I
think the future is obviously the important bit for both companies. As I’ve
mentioned before, they are very determined. These things don’t change
overnight, but they have a lot of good people and a lot of good processes
now in place.
Q: (Stuart Codling – Autosport) A question to Adrian
again. You started the season with a noticeably high-rake chassis concept
and then have kind of backed out of that, particularly with the Hungary
upgrade. Could you just sort of explain your thought processes in terms of
setting out on that course in the first place, and then when the penny
dropped, and how difficult it is to kind of back out of a concept like that?
AN: It’s a good observation. So, when I arrived, it was early March, then
almost no aerodynamic research had been done at that point. When you then
look at release dates for all the prime parts coming up before the August
break, and then bodywork and so forth, wings, etcetera, coming up in, I
don’t know, somewhere around November time, then we had a very short,
condensed research period. I looked at the regulations and felt that it
could suit a high-rake solution, which is what we pursued. In truth, I think
it had some strengths, but it also had some weaknesses. We’ve now come back
to what I would call a middle ground, which we feel is quite a good
solution. |
