Part 1: George Russell, Isack Hadjar and Charles Leclerc.
Charles, can we start with you? It was a very tough weekend for you and Ferrari last time out in Qatar. Having had all the post-race debriefs, do you understand a little better the cause of all the problems?
Charles Leclerc: Well, we have ideas of what we could have tested. Whether these are the solutions is another story. So, we don't have the 100% solution to it, but we've got ideas of what we didn't try during that weekend. And, obviously, we're clearly doing something wrong during the weekend, as we weren't strong from FP1 to the race. So yeah, we have ideas. Whether we have the clear solution, I don't think so.
So, do you think it was track specific, or do you think it could recur here in Abu Dhabi as well?
CL: No. Surely, it's been accentuated by the fact that Qatar was never going to be a track where we would be strong. But we didn't perform at the level we should be anyway. So yeah, we should have done better even though the characteristics of the track were not good for us. But for this weekend, I expect us to be back to where we should be, which is probably third team or something like that.
Now, this is the last Thursday press conference of the season. Can we just get your thoughts on 2025 as a whole, please? How you feel it's gone for you personally and for Ferrari?
CL: Personally, I'm quite satisfied. I think it's been a strong season on my side. You always try to improve from one season to the other, and that's what I've tried to do this year. And I'm satisfied with the work. Then, unfortunately, the performances are not where they should be, and I'm not as satisfied about the result side of things and the performance we've shown. Especially after last year that we ended up strong, the expectation was another one. But yeah, we've pushed. I think we reacted well as a team from the first race to the last race, trying to turn that situation around. It wasn't easy because we didn't have that many upgrades, as we are focusing mostly on 2026. But yeah, I think we performed well as a team on track. Then what we are missing eventually is the performance on the car. And for that, I hope that next year will be better.
Final one from me. World title showdown this weekend. Who do you think is going to be the world champion come Sunday night?
CL: I don't know. Again, I've changed my mind so many times this year. I thought it was Oscar, then I thought it was Max, then I don't know. I probably think it's going to be Lando. Twelve points is still significant. So, if nothing big happens to Lando, I think Lando will take it.
Isack, let's come to you now. Many congratulations on the new job. Huge moment in your career. Just tell us what does this race seat with Red Bull Racing mean to you?
Isack Hadjar: Yeah. It's a very good moment in my career, that's for sure. For all the hard work through the years being rewarded now. Obviously, it's just the beginning of a new journey, but yeah, I'm very excited and stepping into a new era of Formula 1 as well. I think it's a very good timing.
Can you describe the moment you found out? Who told you?
IH: Yeah, it was, again, like, there was no very cool phone call where I pick up the phone and it's like "Yeah, you're a Red Bull Racing driver," you know? It's not really how it worked.
How did it work?
George Russell: They sent a pigeon with a note.
IH: Ha! It was just a talk with Helmut I had. He made me understand I was driving for Red Bull, and I had to deliver. That's it.
Well, let's talk about delivering next year. What expectations do you think you're going to have?
IH: Yeah, I have no expectations at all because it's starting from scratch, everyone. So yeah, the work is going to be done. I'm just really looking forward to January, February, working with the team, getting to know all the people. Yeah. It's going to be crucial to try and be ahead a bit.
Final one from me: that world title showdown on Sunday. Who do you think is going to be champion?
IH: Lando.
Okay. Thank you very much. Good luck this weekend. George, how are you and Mercedes viewing the season finale here in Abu Dhabi?
GR: It's another race, to be honest. Obviously, we want to try and secure P2 in the Constructors' Championship. It was a bit of a shame we couldn't achieve that in Qatar, but we have a very good shot this weekend and just go out and enjoy the last race of the season.
How competitive were you in Qatar, or was your performance masked by being in traffic?
GR: I think, yeah, thanks to Isack, I had quite a long race in traffic. No, I think, unfortunately, we were very competitive. I think it was only really Oscar who was more competitive. I think, nine times out of ten when you are very competitive, the result is there. And I think, unfortunately, this was the one out of ten times when you do have the car, and unfortunately, it doesn't go the way you hope. And I think that lap seven Safety Car, starting on the inside - I think every driver in the first four rows who started on the inside lost at least one position - so that just compromised the whole weekend.
In terms of the Drivers' Championship, you're going to finish fourth this season as you did in 2022. Which has been the better season for you, do you think? 2022 or 2025?
GR: No, I think both seasons were very strong. I'd say this season, without doubt, has been my most competitive. I think 2022 was really challenging, experiencing porpoising for the first time and the challenges we were going through as a team and also my first year against Lewis. But I think, yeah, this has been a strong year.
Final one. World champion? Lando?
GR: Lando.
Questions From The Floor
(Craig Slater - Sky Sports) A question for George. You're going for Lando. Of course, it's very tight, and it's great that the world will be watching F1 this weekend. Is it a problem at all if it takes perhaps a team order to get Lando in a situation where he can win the championship? And what do you think is the kind of limit you could ask Oscar Piastri to do? Give up a second place potentially, if he's a distant second and can't win the champion to allow the team to win the championship?
GR: I don't think it's acceptable or reasonable to ask a driver who's also in a shot of a championship in the very last race to move over for your team-mate. I think if it were, you know, in other seasons gone by - let's just say, you know, Checo and Max or Barrichello and Schumacher - when clearly one driver is the one going for the championship, and if in the last race, the guy who doesn't have a shot of winning the championship moves over, that is absolutely reasonable. And I think every single driver would do that. But for me, I don't think it would be fair at all. I think they both need to be given a shot. And if they lose out because of it, you just need to say the other guy did a better job, and that's racing. That's how it should be.
(Mara Sangiorgio - Sky Sport Italy) A question for all three. On paper, do you think you have the right car to play an important role on track in this title fight? Charles, let's start with you.
CL: Well, I don't know how competitive we'll be this weekend. I think, at least for us, we expect McLaren to be extremely strong this weekend, then probably Red Bull, and then Mercedes and ourselves. Whether there will be at one point some interaction between the McLarens or the Red Bull and ourselves, I'm pretty sure there will be at one point. But I'm not here to think about any of that. I'll just do absolutely everything in order to maximise my race and then it's up to them to the do the best job and try and get the championship, whoever the world champion will be, but that won't be part of my thought process in my race for sure.
Isack?
IH: I mean, I won't be racing any of these guys this weekend, to be honest. It's more like a traditional track. I think what Charles said about the ranking of the car performances makes sense. So we won't be there to disturb their fight, that's for sure.
George?
GR: Well, I think McLaren have been so strong here the last few years. I think they were on pole and won the last couple of years, and it hasn't been our strongest track. But if we are in the mix, again, it's not really our problem. We're going out there to have the best race possible. I'm not going to risk any more or any less than any other race. For me, it's one race of 24. It's the last race of the season, but I treat every single one the same.
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