TEAM REPRESENTATIVES
Laurent MEKIES (Crimson Bull Racing), Frédéric VASSEUR (Ferrari), Ayao KOMATSU (Haas)
Q: Fred, please, if we may begin with you. It feels prefer it’s been a little bit of a curler coaster of every week for Ferrari. On the proof of FP1, simply what’s the temper within the camp at this stage?
Fred VASSEUR: Nicely, the temper is optimistic, truthfully. Even when we had a tricky weekend final week in Zandvoort – at the least a tricky Friday – however the restoration was good. Even when the race was a double DNF on the finish, we left with not a optimistic variety of factors, however at the least a optimistic temper and optimistic method, with the sensation that we recovered through the weekend. The opposite benefit is that you simply don’t have to attend an excessive amount of for Monza. It meant that from Monday morning, we have been already in Monza. The temper generally is superb, and we had a optimistic push from the Tifosi all week, from Monday morning in entrance of the manufacturing facility. That is an additional vitality and a very good one.
Q: Inform us about FP1. It could not have began higher. Simply how assured are you of staying on the sharp finish for the remainder of the weekend?
FV: With the expertise of the season and of the couple of seasons I did, you do not have to attract any conclusions after FP1 – hopefully, as a result of final weekend, we have been final. It means there’s nonetheless a good distance till the tip of quali and much more till the tip of the race. We have now to remain centered on ourselves, to attempt to proceed to enhance the automobile and the driving, and to attempt to get the perfect from what we’ve. However I’ll by no means draw any conclusions after FP1.
Q: Fred, you stated in an interview this week that you really want the staff to win races within the second half of this season. The place do your finest alternatives lie? What sort of racetrack?
FV: I believe no one anticipated that we may do the pole place – me, the primary – in Budapest. We all know that the battle may be very tight, that we’ve 4 groups and maybe typically extra capable of battle for pole place. For certain, McLaren is one step forward, however it’s very troublesome for everyone to be constant. We will have days the place they’re a step again, and on these days we’ve to be there. I don’t need to say this one or that one – we’ve to carry out in all places and get the perfect from what we’ve.
Q: Fred, remaining one from me. I do not know when you’re a scholar of historical past, however the staff is celebrating Niki Lauda’s first world title in 1975. Can we get your ideas on Niki? Did you admire him? What did you admire about him when you did?
FV: Niki was a multifaceted man. I used to be a fan after I was younger, when he received the championship in ’75, ’77, and even ’84. I used to be a fan. Then I had the mega probability to work subsequent to him after I was doing DTM after which later in F1. I believe it’s a privilege as a result of it was somebody who was performant in all places– as a driver, staff principal, or no matter place – and likewise into the enterprise. I believe he’s an iconic man.
Q: Laurent, if we may come to you now. This wasn’t such a simple race for Crimson Bull final yr. How assured are you of getting a greater run this time round?
Laurent MEKIES: We’re not usually in extra of confidence after FP1. You are proper, final yr was most likely one of the vital troublesome races of the season for us. As a lot as no one likes this kind of race the place you find yourself underperforming or hitting points you’re not anticipating – as we did final yr right here in Monza –– it’s at all times one of the best ways to progress. It’s at all times one of the best ways to unlock extra in your understanding. So it’s an necessary weekend for us to see, 12 months later, how a lot we’ve gone across the particular points we had final yr right here. Too early to reply to that after solely FP1, however it’s one thing we’ve nicely current in our head – what occurred final yr right here.
Q: Simply what was Max saying after the session? Does he really feel that the automobile is born nicely for the sort of observe this yr?
LM: You realize, he would not really feel a elementary distinction from what the traits have been all yr. Even right here, with a decrease degree of downforce, he discovered once more the identical traits, the identical limitations that we’ve been just about coping with with this automobile this season. Nonetheless, are we visibly working into the identical kind of further points as final yr? It doesn’t appear to be the case, however once more, it’s tremendous early days, with solely FP1.
Q: You’ve got been within the new job for, what’s it, a few months? Inform us the place your focus has been in that point. What have you ever realized?
LM: The true focus has been – a) we don’t need to underestimate how lengthy it takes to really know a staff and an organization. It would not occur in a single or two months. So the main target, as we stated already in Spa, has been: let’s attempt to meet as many individuals as attainable. Let’s attempt to get an understanding. After all, now six weeks have handed, so it’s a bit higher than Spa. On daily basis, you perceive a bit higher how the staff is working. On daily basis, you meet extra folks, begin constructing an understanding concerning the flows and the construction. Now, what we’re making an attempt to do with the staff is to map collectively what we have to unlock subsequent to return to an much more aggressive state of affairs. That’s the place the main target is now. The primary section was commentary solely; now the second section is constructing with the staff a map of what we have to unlock, to unlock extra.
Q: Laurent, how completely different is the job of staff principal at Crimson Bull Racing in comparison with what you have been doing earlier than at RB?
LM: I believe I had given you that kind of reply a couple of months in the past, when carrying the Visa Money App Racing Bulls colors. It’s very simple to underestimate how excessive it’s worthwhile to go along with the automobile – and subsequently with a staff, with an organization – while you search for final efficiency. You discover a staff making an attempt to extremise each facet of the automobile and each facet of the corporate to attempt to get that final little bit of lap time. After all, it’s not a excessive return on funding – it’s a variety of effort for that final bit. However that’s what prime groups are about. Each race weekend, you have got a quite simple reply to your weekend: did you win or not? We received this P2 in Zandvoort. We received fortunate—or moderately, Lando received unfortunate with what occurred there—however that’s the one query you ask your self on Monday morning: what have been we lacking? I suppose by way of mindset that’s the largest distinction between the midfield and what’s occurring on the entrance is that you simply’re concentrating on final efficiency. Till you attain it, the reply is that you simply didn’t do every part you would.
Q: Ayao, can we discuss Zandvoort initially—double factors end. Given the place you began that race, how a lot of a shock was the tip consequence?
Ayao KOMATSU: Yeah. Clearly, finish consequence—it’s very troublesome to manage your self. After we didn’t maximise our potential in qualifying, our mindset was: what can we do from P18, pit lane, to place ourselves in the perfect place? If the prospect comes alongside, we will rating factors. That was the apparent selection for us. The message after qualifying was that… Up till qualifying, we confirmed some velocity—excellent velocity in FP3 and Q1 Run 1. So we knew we had the automobile and the drivers to do it, however we needed to put every part collectively, and we didn’t try this as a staff from Friday to qualifying. We stated, “Sunday, we can not surrender.” We begin from the again, however each single lap we have to focus and making an attempt to assume find out how to get the consequence out of this race. After the race, I used to be actually comfortable. Communication within the race was good, everybody labored collectively, supported one another, focus was there. Each drivers – I can not fault them. We requested them to do sure issues to assist one another, and so they did it. Execution was nice. That’s what I used to be in search of, and that’s what we delivered on Sunday.
Q: This can be a sample we’ve seen from Haas earlier than this yr – battling from the again of the grid. I consider Ollie in Bahrain, for instance, going from twentieth to tenth. How a lot of that success is right down to the operational adjustments you made within the storage over the winter?
AK: I don’t need to be too detrimental, however sadly I’ve to take a look at it the opposite approach. Once we begin from the again however produce a consequence on Sunday, it very often means we didn’t maximise the potential on Saturday. In Bahrain, we didn’t carry out as a staff in qualifying. We knew we had good velocity there. We knew Ollie may do it – identical with Esteban. By way of operationally, sure, we modified the trackside staff quite a bit this yr. We knew it will take time to get efficiency out of everybody, and we’re nonetheless doing that. However we needed to do it this yr moderately than subsequent yr, when there’s an enormous regulation change. Once we carry out on Sunday, we’ve received to try this each session. We talk very nicely collectively, and I believe we’re all aligned contained in the staff. This weekend, everybody may be very centered from lap one, FP1, on find out how to get every part out of the automobile and driver.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Fred Ferret – L’Equipe) Query to Fred Vasseur. How necessary is it as a Workforce Principal to carry confidence to Lewis earlier than Monza, if he wants some?
FV: It is not only for Lewis. It is true, I believe, for everyone that confidence is vital in our enterprise. He is coming after two or three troublesome weekends, for various causes, however it’s at all times key to carry again confidence to somebody. I believe that was a part of the contribution from the Tifosi everywhere in the week in Milan.
Q: (Ian Parkes – RacingNews365.com) Query for Laurent. Talking with Isack yesterday in his media session, he’s clearly a driver excessive on confidence. He has, nevertheless, made it clear that ought to Crimson Bull be contemplating one other driver change this season, he doesn’t need that to be the case. If you’ll promote him, he desires it to be initially of subsequent season. Is that your pondering as nicely – that Yuki’s received the seat for the remainder of the season, and if there may be to be one other driver modified it’s going to solely be over the winter?
LM: I believe the quick reply is sure. We made it very clear, very public, that we’ve time with our driver determination. We have now sufficient drivers between the driving force programmes to cowl fairly a couple of situations for subsequent yr, and we don’t have actual causes to hurry into choices. To your level – no, we don’t plan to vary through the season. Yuki has been making a very good step within the final three races. All of us need extra, however he’s doing a very good job. He was, for the primary time, again within the factors after seven races in Zandvoort. He was shut sufficient to Max in Budapest, and had his finest qualifying with the staff in Spa. So he’s on a optimistic development. It’s clearly extraordinarily good to look at Isack’s progress within the Racing Bulls automobile. To see him performing on the degree he did within the final race was a improbable demonstration of how a lot progress he is made this season. However actually, we’re relaxed concerning the driver subject, as a result of essentially we’ve all our playing cards on the Crimson Bull facet, and we will take a couple of extra weeks – or months – to determine. After all, that doesn’t imply we’ve to attend till the final race to determine, as a result of we respect that it’d impression our drivers a method or one other. However for certain, we really feel we’ve time proper now.
Q: (Jon Noble – The Race) That is to Laurent and Fred, as a result of I requested Ayao this query yesterday. There’s an FIA assembly subsequent week with gas suppliers to debate the issue of rising prices into subsequent yr, and whether or not one thing may be executed for ’27. How large a headache is rising price for subsequent season? How necessary is it that one thing is finished for the next yr?
LM: Utterly completely different laws. It’s going to be a breakthrough by way of know-how. That’s what issues proper now. It’s a breakthrough as a result of it is the primary time the game will run on 100% sustainable gas. It’s going to be an unimaginable problem for all of the gas producers, all of the PU producers, to extract as a lot efficiency as attainable from that sustainable gas. There might be a value layer at this stage or one other, however in the intervening time it’s coming nicely after the issues about getting a gas that meets these very excessive necessities, and getting most efficiency out of it.
FV: I believe we don’t must underestimate the problem of going to 100% sustainable gas. It’s an enormous step ahead for F1 and a brand new course we’re taking. Truthfully, the gas is just not but frozen, which suggests it’s troublesome to know the precise price for subsequent yr. For certain, it is a bit greater than the present season. However this assembly is extra for the mid-term and long-term – to attempt to see how we will adapt the regulation sooner or later to maintain issues underneath management. However we should not underestimate the good thing about sustainable gas. Sure, it has a value – however it’s an enormous step ahead for F1.
Q: (Ronald Vording – Motorsport.com) That is one other one for Laurent. Final week in a particular Dutch media session, Toto Wolff stated that Crimson Bull has a ‘Mount Everest’ to climb with its personal energy unit challenge. What’s your impression since coming in of how the PU challenge is progressing? And secondly, how assured are you that you simply received’t have a big handicap on the PU facet subsequent yr, additionally given there is a security internet, at the least for the ICE, within the FIA laws?
LM: I believe Toto is correct by saying it’s an Everest to climb. That’s what it’s. It’s as loopy because it will get to take the choice to do your individual energy unit, as Crimson Bull has executed. It is an unbelievable problem to be related to. It’s the kind of loopy stuff Crimson Bull does – so it’s a very good feeling. However we don’t underestimate how loopy it’s. These guys have been doing it for 90 years or one thing like that. So it will be foolish from our facet to assume we will come right here and, proper from the beginning, be at Ferrari’s or Mercedes’ degree. That will be foolish. But it surely’s being arrange the Crimson Bull approach – on the most attainable degree. We take it step-by-step. We try to ramp up as shortly as attainable – each the PU and the construction that goes across the PU: the folks, the infrastructure. Then, as I stated, we count on a yr with a variety of exhausting work, a variety of sleepless nights subsequent yr to attempt to get to the correct degree. But it surely’s a problem that very a lot looks like a Crimson Bull problem, and we love that.
We’re not going to place a quantity on the place we expect we’ll be – as a result of I don’t assume anyone has a quantity – however we all know we’re beginning with a mountain to climb, as Toto stated.
Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) This query is for Laurent and Fred, carrying on the engine theme. We’re about to say farewell to this technology of energy items. How do you assume the engines that got here in in 2014 might be remembered in F1? Have they achieved the goals that have been set out? Do you assume it’ll be a optimistic legacy?
LM: Please inform me if I misunderstood the query, however I believe you are asking concerning the legacy of this engine technology. I believe this technology of engines –those we at present have… It’s and can stay the highest-efficiency engines on the planet. As a lot as these energy items have had their fair proportion of criticism, that’s what they’re. As engineers, it nonetheless amazes us – to get above 50% effectivity on an ICE plus hybrid is unimaginable. Technologically, these engines are wonderful. They gave us nice racing. After all, we most likely all underestimated the extent of complexity they might ultimately attain, however that’s additionally what Components 1 is about. We now have one other big problem with the 2026 regs, that’s thrilling once more plenty of hypothesis – the sustainable gas, the vitality steadiness. However that’s what F1 is right here for.
FV: Not a lot so as to add. It’s true the notion might be fully completely different between 2014 and at the moment. At this time, we’ve big convergence of efficiency—it’s not anymore an enormous efficiency hole anymore. We have now everyone into the ballpark. That was not the case in 2014. It’s a very good factor in F1 that we’ve this sort of continuity in improvement and convergence of efficiency. By way of know-how, we’ve reached a really excessive level at the moment with this engine. However we’ve to maintain the associated fee underneath management and keep away from vanity. As F1 generally, you might be there for a few years now, and also you noticed seen the ups and downs within the F1. It’s not as a result of we’re profitable at the moment that we don’t must watch out about protecting issues underneath management.
Q: (Diletta Colombo – AutoMoto.it) Query for Fred. You talked about earlier than the additional love and help from the followers for the reason that starting of your house race weekend. However how a lot further stress does it placed on the staff, and the way do you handle it internally?
FV: Truthfully, I’m simply taking the optimistic. I’m not masochistic, however we’ve to take it like this. Even once we’ve had powerful journeys through the season or final season, the followers have been at all times supportive, at all times optimistic with us. And it is a mega good feeling. We have been talking earlier than about confidence and find out how to give confidence to the drivers. Belief me, when they’re in entrance of the group in Milano and you’ve got hundreds and hundreds of individuals pushing for the staff, it is a mega-huge push by way of self-confidence. We have now to take it like this. I’ve been racing for 35 years, and it doesn’t matter if it’s F1 or Components Renault, I used to be already placing a variety of stress on myself in Components Renault, you realize? So we’ve to be centered on ourselves and attempt to do our job. The stress, as you are calling it, I believe for me, it is extra a optimistic one. And yeah, I’m pondering positively at the least.
Q: (Leonid Kliuev – GrandePremio.com.br) Query for all three. McLaren changed engines in each automobiles this weekend, supposedly putting in older ones as we perceive. Do you assume we’re approaching the primary penalties for exceeding the restrict, and what’s your state of affairs relating to that?
AK: Energy unit penalties – we took one with Ollie in Zandvoort. We knew we needed to take a fifth PU at some stage, so we determined to do it there, since we certified very poorly. Then we managed to return by to P6, in order that was good. Esteban’s facet – in the intervening time we’re not anticipating to must introduce an additional engine in the intervening time.
FV: No, we’re very simple on the engine. It’s not as a result of we aren’t declaring an engine that typically you’ll be able to’t declare two engines in the identical weekend earlier than and use one among them later within the season. However we’re on the protected facet with the engine.
LM: I may say that I don’t know but—however no. Significantly, I believe we’re fairly okay. Clearly, we put a brand new one in with Max this weekend, and like Ayao, we had executed a strategic change with Yuki a few races in the past. So I belief, and I hope that we’ll be okay.
Q: (Jake Boxall-Legge – Autosport) A query for all three, please. We’ve sort of stated goodbye to those engines, however what about these automobiles particularly? That they had a little bit of a flawed course of originally with porpoising and so forth. What have been the primary low-hanging fruits in improvement during the last 4 years? And do you assume they’ve fulfilled the temporary that F1 set out—with better overtaking?
LM: I believe when you ask Stefano, he’ll most likely remind you that we have been all criticising these automobiles earlier than they got here out. And in the long run, we received unimaginable racing. I used to be within the ‘dangerous guys’ group—we have been all pondering that the automobiles would all be the identical, that there can be an excessive amount of standardisation, and that efficiency ranges can be too shut. It turned out to not be precisely true. We received 4 years of unimaginable competitors. So far, you continue to have one staff dominating, and one other staff has been dominating previously. So I believe, while you mix that with the truth that these automobiles are the quickest ever, or almost so, I believe they’ve given us fairly an excellent present. We’ve seen a variety of overtaking this yr. So personally, I be ok with these automobiles. They introduced one thing nice to Components 1 – technologically very superior. It was a problem for everybody. The bottom impact automobiles caught almost all of the groups out in 2022, with the bouncing and every part. I believe we had an excellent present. And mixed with this engine, I believe it raised the bar to a really excessive degree.
FV: And don’t overlook, in Budapest, we had 4 completely different groups, six automobiles, I believe inside lower than one-tenth. That’s correct racing. For certain, McLaren is dominating – I’m not silly – however they’re a step forward. Additionally most likely a bit in tyre administration and so forth. However I believe we’ve reached a degree the place we’ve a correct battle at the moment. And don’t overlook additionally that we developed this technology of automobiles underneath the associated fee cap—it’s the primary technology underneath price cap. Meaning we’ve to take the positives from the final 4 years. We’ve had completely different winners, completely different groups capable of win races, and from my perspective, it’s been a very good present and good sport.
AK: Yeah, I believe it simply demonstrates how wonderful this sport is. Inside 4 years—like Fred stated—in 2014, some folks couldn’t even do a single lap. Then got here 2022, with floor impact automobiles—once more, most groups had big points. However how shortly we handled that, how shortly we converged. So each on the PU facet and the chassis/aero facet, we proved one thing. I believe it showcases what’s wonderful about F1. And subsequent yr’s laws are going to vary each PU and aero. That’s an enormous, big problem. I believe you’ll see a really completely different panorama to start out off with, however once more, I’m fairly certain you’ll see this paddock—these 11 groups—shortly discover options.
Q: (Adam Cooper – Adam Cooper and Associates) Query for Fred. How a lot frustration was there round Lewis’ penalty and the truth that it carried over? Possibly the opposite guys have a view on the timing and the way in which that state of affairs unfolded.
FV: Frustration—I’m unsure that’s the correct phrase. For certain, we have been a bit upset. Truthfully, I don’t know if it was too harsh or not. However from Sunday night in Zandvoort, my determination was to be centered on Monza and to not spend vitality or no matter to battle this. That was my cellphone…
The frustration with the choice got here additionally as a result of—it’s important to decelerate, sure—however it’s subjective. It’s not black or white. It’s not “it’s important to be on the pit lane.” It’s somebody deciding when you slowed sufficient or not. And relying on the individual making the choice, it is going to be completely different. However it’s what it’s. We determined to concentrate on the weekend and never lose vitality on different initiatives.
ENDS
