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Italian Grand Prix: FIA Drivers Press Conference

NEWS STORY
29/08/2024

Today's press conference with Sergio Perez, Alex Albon, Lando Norris, Nico Hulkenberg, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

Part 1: Sergio Perez, Alex Albon and Lando Norris.

Q: Lando, two wins. How were the celebrations on Sunday night? Was it as raucous as Miami?
Lando Norris: Quite the opposite. No, I just went back home and had dinner and went to bed. So not very exciting at all. But it was, yeah, it's just a good feeling. And that's the most important thing.

Q: And how much confidence did that win give you, not only coming into this weekend, but the rest of the season?
LN: Not a lot. It doesn't. I mean, Monza's a very different track, so... Yeah, I mean, it gives the team a good amount of confidence and always a little bit of a boost, but it doesn't change your feeling. We know we've been performing well the whole year since Miami. We've been doing a very good job, and this was a weekend where everything just went perfectly.

Q: The manner in which you won that race, tell us about that and what it makes you think about these two championships now. Are they both game on?
LN: They have been since the beginning. Like, I don't know, it's not something you can just question now. I think I answered it in every single interview I did last week so I'm not going answer in every single interview from now on, but we're pushing hard every weekend. Of course our goal is to catch in both, and especially from a constructor side, it looks a lot more doable than the driver's side. But I'm doing my best, the team's doing their best, and that's all we can hope for.

Q: And tell us about this weekend. The downforce is coming off here. Do you expect the car to be as good in low downforce trim?
LN: Tough to say. I mean, if you kind of compare it a little bit more to Spa, probably, I think we were still pretty good there. Obviously, Red Bull were very quick there, but Red Bull have always been very good in Spa specifically. Here it's a bit of a question mark. It was probably one of our worst races last year, mainly because I just sat behind Alex the whole race. It was genuinely one of our trickier races that we did last year. So we're not expecting to be probably as good as we were last weekend, that's for sure. We always knew we were going to be very good in Zandvoort, but yeah, a weekend where we're expecting good competition with all of our competitors.

Q: Alright, good luck with that. Lando, thank you very much. Checo, can we come to you now and get your thoughts on this battle between Red Bull and McLaren?
Sergio Perez: Well, I think what they've shown in Zandvoort was really, really strong. I think it's been the strongest performance we've seen from McLaren in a while. At the same time, I think we have every hope to believe that Zandvoort is probably a really bad track for us in regards to the wind, that we suffer more than others. We'll see. We come to a very different track and we expect them to be still the benchmark. Hopefully we can get closer and be in the mix in the race.

Q: Hopefully you can get closer, you say, but what kind of reaction do you want to see from your team?
SP: The biggest thing for us is that we understand now the issues with the car. We understand them. It's just a question of how quickly and what solutions we have to fix them. But we exactly know where we are with the car. We know what is the issue. And hopefully in the coming weekends, even already for this one, we are able to make a lot of progress.

Q: You had your best result on Sunday since Miami. Can we conclude that you're happier in the car now than you have been for some time?
SP: I think understanding the issue did help a lot because I think after Miami we were a bit in limbo and we were working with a car that we didn't understand what was going on with it. And I think once you understand the issue you are able to set up around it, to drive around it. And I think that made a bit of a difference in my side. But now the most important is to be able to fix the issue.

Q: And there's a new set-up on your side of the garage. Your race engineer, Hugh Bird, has gone on paternity leave. Just give us some insight into how it's working with your new, if you like, race engineer, Richard Wood.
SP: Yeah, Woody. I think, you know, obviously Hugh has been there since I joined Red Bull. And with Woody, he was my performance engineer, he's stepping up for now. And yeah, you can see that it's a little bit different, the communication and the way they see things. Everyone has their perception. But I think it's working well. And I just expect Woody to ramp up and get better every single weekend, and at the same time, wishing the best to Hugh and his family.

Q: Alright. Checo, thank you. Good luck to you this weekend. Alex, welcome to you now. Zandvoort looked like a missed opportunity for you and Williams. How was the pace of the car in the race?
Alex Albon: I don't think we really were able to show anything. We were stuck behind cars in the first stint. We tried to box early and then got covered off by other cars. So then we were stuck again in the second stint and that was kind of our race. As you said, a missed opportunity. I felt like we could have scored points last week. Yeah, obviously something to review. We need to understand the processes that went on to be disqualified. Obviously it was very unintentional and the car was still good on Sunday with all the changes. So yeah, it's a bit frustrating to miss out.

Q: Tell us about the upgrades and the impact that they've had on performance?
AA: In terms of balance, not really anything to say. Just a bit more load. All the numbers came back positive. They were up, so that's nice. I think we're more in the mix with the midfield. It's still close and we would need a bit more to get in front of everyone. This is part of a double package, so we're waiting for a second part of it a bit later into the season, and hopefully that will just tie up some of the balance problems as well, because we're not just missing load, we're missing a bit of balance as well.

Q: And how hopeful are you for Monza this weekend? It's a track where the team has traditionally gone well, you qualified sixth here last year, what's possible?
AA: Yeah, I don't think we have the same car in terms of the same peaks as we did last year. Zandvoort, we were the second slowest car down the straights, so we just need to bear in mind where our car is. I think we'll be okay. I think we'll be in the fight for points, obviously on the lower end, maybe not sixth, but let's give it a go. I think we've got a decent car.

Q: Alright, and final one from me. You've got a new teammate this weekend. First up, how surprised were you by Logan Sargent's departure?
AA: Yeah, I'm kind of focused on my own lane, so obviously more than anything, I know Logan personally. He's a super guy and things didn't work out but I'm sure whatever he gets on and moves on to do, he's going to be very good. I know the pace he has and at the same time, of course, Franco is now joining, so there's a bit of a learning curve for him, but I think he's coming at the right moment. If I could choose a track to do my first race at, I think Monza is one of the more forgiving ones, better than Baku or Singapore.

Questions From The Floor

Q: (David Croft - Sky Sports F1) Alright, Lando, I won't ask you about the title. I'll ask Sergio instead. You're in the thick of it. You've seen the results ebb and flow, and you've seen the momentum McLaren have got. Do you think both championships are now up for grabs, both drivers and constructors?
LN: Well, I think there are nine races to go still. So I think definitely the momentum is with them. But we're not sitting back. We as a team are working really hard to find the solutions. I think it has been a really good step taken to understand the issue. It has taken us probably a little bit too long, but we know what are our problems. maximising from now until the end of the year and see where we end up. But I got every hope that we can bring some performance to the car in the coming races.

Q: (Diego Mejia- Fox Sports Mexico) Question to Alex and maybe Lando and Checo can comment afterwards. What's the main challenge that Franco's facing, jumping in in the middle of the year and what makes it different from stepping in as the season starts?
AA: I think in some ways it's a nice thing that he's got, in my opinion. He knows the seat's not up for grabs next year. There's no pressure in terms of having to deliver and not trying to get a seat for next year. In some ways, I think it's more just a bit of experience. I don't know what Franco's going to do next year, but the things you learn in F1 can help you a lot into, let's say, if he does another year in Formula 2 next year. enjoy it. and of course there is a bit of a learning curve but he's been in the car a couple times already so I don't think it will be such a big thing. maybe more about the physicality. when we go to Qatar and Singapore. that would be a bit of a surprise I think or not surprise but a difficult thing to get used to. But yeah, I think also Williams are great at educating and teaching the drivers how to get the most out of it. So also, I think I'll try and help him as much as I can as well.

SP: I think it's a massive challenge, definitely. But obviously, when you get the opportunity, you have to go for it. I think he's been with Williams for quite a while. Now I think it will really speed up his learning. Now that he will be racing, he will see what Alex is doing, how the team works during a weekend. And that will open his mind so much to whatever he does next. I think he will be a much prepared driver in the future. So I will just recommend him to enjoy his opportunity, enjoy the moment, and maximize the chance.

LN: I guess I just wish him the best. I'm sure it's not an easy thing. I think the main thing is he knows the track, he knows the car. It's just like external pressure, but I think he's a guy who can probably deal with it very well. I think the more difficult part of coming in mid-season is just we're on top of everything. We know how the tyres work, how everything works, and we're able to predict everything. For him, it's the complete opposite almost. He's going to go into certain times in qualifying and races just not being able to pre-empt what's going to happen with the tyres. When they get to this temperature, what's going to happen? How then do you have to drive? We're prepared for... for everything and every step of the way. And for him, that's going to be the tough part. But he's here for a reason because he's talented and he's a very good kid. And I'm sure he'll do just fine.

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