DRIVERS
1 – George RUSSELL (Mercedes)
2 – Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing)
3 – Isack HADJAR (Red Bull Racing)
TRACK INTERVIEWS
(Conducted by Timo Glock)
Q: George, we see that big smile back on your face. That tells it all. I mean, it looked like an easy Saturday drive through Baku, but it got really spicy at the end. Talk us through those last laps.
George RUSSELL: Yeah, I mean, it was amazing to be back on the top step of the podium. So, I do want to say a big thanks to my team because, you know, they’ve continued to believe in me through a tough moment, helped me come through it. I’m really proud to have had this weekend. And then, yeah, the first half of the race felt pretty plain sailing, getting a gap. Safety Car restart, especially when I saw Max behind, I thought, you know, it’s not going to be easy. And he drove incredibly at the end of the race. And then when the yellow flag came out, I lifted off the power and when I went back, I had no turbo, so then I had no power. Max almost got me at the line. So, yeah, that would have been a real shame. But all in all, incredible weekend.
Q: But what is it? I mean, it looked like you came in this weekend, from lap one on, you had this confidence back. What changed in getting that performance out of the car?
GR: I think it’s just having more experience with this sort of new driving style I’ve adopted. And every race since the break, I feel like I’ve gone from strength to strength and I feel like more myself again. So that’s really great.
Q: Well, Max, what a drive again, from P8 to P2, you came less than two tenths short, but how satisfying is that, to be back on the podium and having the chance of putting George under pressure?
Max VERSTAPPEN: Yeah, we had a good race. I mean, the first stint was probably a little bit difficult with the Medium tyre, but we still worked our way into P3 and then we had a good restart, into P2. Then it was just like, 1 second, 1.1s. Then on the final lap, with the yellow flag, I think, George lost a bit of boost out of one corner and that’s why I caught up quite a bit and then to the line, I got close, but it was not enough.
Q: But Max, you threw everything at it. I mean, you brushed the walls a couple of times. I mean, that last wall, was that a sketchy one or was it sort of still under control?
MV: It was okay. I just tried to open the corner probably a little bit too much, but the tyres were fine.
Q: Isack, I mean, what a comeback. Six weeks off, being on the podium. I mean, how happy are you coming back with a podium and a double podium for Red Bull?
Isack HADJAR: Yeah, I’m happy. You know, it’s been very long, six weeks. You know, it’s been like six weeks since I enjoyed myself and now, I think it was the right time to come back. I felt strong and, you know, this weekend I really took it step by step. It’s a track you can end up in the wall really quickly. I didn’t need that to gain the confidence, so it was a very slow build-up, but it brought me here. So, I’m very, very happy for an actual first proper podium on pure pace. So I’m very, very delighted.
Q: And that tells you as well, like, the wrist is okay after doing a whole race distance. This is something different. Must be happy now to continue the rest of the season?
IH: Yeah, now I’m completely satisfied. Even though it’s a bit numb, I’m happy. So, yeah, I’m really looking forward to get racing. It’s going to be a very packed schedule, so, yeah, I can’t wait to be in Sepang.
Q: Good. Thanks, Isack. George, coming back quickly again, you closed the gap by 15 points here. It’s going to be intense weeks ahead. What is the game plan of George Russell now in that championship?
GR: Win every race. I mean, that’s the game plan. You know, my team-mate’s had an incredible season. He’s been pretty flawless throughout, but now we’re getting to crunch time. But I’m just going to focus on myself. You know, if I continue delivering performances like I’ve done this weekend, no matter what happens towards the end of the season, I’ll be happy because it’s been a real tough period for me but I feel like I’ve come through the other side.
PRESS CONFERENCE
Q: George, what a weekend for you. Pole position yesterday by eight tenths, then victory today by one tenth. But just tell us what it all means to you.
GR: Yeah, it feels great, to be honest. I’m very proud of the resilience that I and my close group of engineers have shown during the tough periods this year because there’s been a lot of hard work to overcome some of the challenges, to adapt my driving style to suit this new car better. And F1 is so tough, you don’t get opportunities to practice this, and finally it’s coming to me a bit more intuitively than it once did, and I’m gaining confidence. And especially on circuits like this, it just allows you to eke out that little bit more on the brakes, get that little bit closer to the walls, and it’s been a flawless weekend.
Q: You’re gaining confidence. Do you feel rejuvenated?
GR: I think I never lost that faith in myself, even through a tough moments I knew there was a reason why I was off the pace. It wasn’t like I just suddenly forgot how to drive, and I knew I would be able to find it again. I just had to be patient. So, I feel confident. You know, it’s been four races since the break. I’ve been on the front row in three of them, three podiums from the four races. I feel I can fight for victory week-in, week-out now.
Q: Let’s break down the race. It was definitely one of two halves. You looked serene out front in the first stint. Were you happier on the Medium tyre?
GR: Well, I think Max and myself were probably the two quickest drivers out there, and the soft tyre looked the best tyre, so I think that was maybe not allowing Max to get past Piastri. But, yeah, clearly that final stint, the two of us were exceptionally fast and, you know, we were pulling a second a lap almost to the rest of the field, which was really good fun, to be honest. It felt like qualifying laps, one after another, and I knew I couldn’t make a single mistake. But certainly, the last 10 laps were a bit more tense than the first 40.
Q: Talk us through the Safety Car restarts. Did they play out as you’d hoped?
GR: Yeah, I mean, it’s the first restart I’ve done this season from the lead. These power units are very challenging at restarts, getting the battery in the right place for turbo spinning at the right speed, and I always do good preparation on what I want to do at a restart. It needs a lot more thought into it than ever before. But, you know, I was keeping an eye on my mirrors where Max was, and I had waited for that moment when the gap was just slightly larger and managed to break him because I knew if he saw half a chance, he would have been sending it down the inside. So, I was pleased with it.
Q: You’re happy with the car here, you’re happy with your performance. Are you confident that it’ll be the same next weekend at a permanent racetrack like Sepang?
GR: I’m really excited. We’ve got the upgrades coming soon. That’s going to be a good step forward. Our car has been working exceptionally well on the low-drag circuits. We’ve got a really efficient car, so here at Monza we’ve been exceptionally fast. But I think from next week onwards, we’re hoping to make a bigger step to the rest of the field. But nothing’s sure until we see how it pans out in reality.
Q: Alright, very well done. Thank you very much for that, George. Max, let’s come to you. Great race by you, very well done. Given how close you were at the line, does today feel like a “what if” race for you? What if you’d started a little bit higher up the grid?
MV: Yeah, I mean, we should have done that, right? I mean, that’s what happened yesterday. You know, you have a problem and then that means that you have to start P8. But I think even if I started second, I think the pace of George, it would have been very hard to pass. So maybe I could have followed him a bit better, of course, then in that first stint. Then you box, you’re second, behind, and then probably we would have done the same race, just pushing each other along. It would have for sure made my first stint a bit easier instead of overtaking all the cars that I had to. But, yeah, for sure the Soft tyre was much better than the Medium because I just had the first few laps in the first stint were very strong, but then, yeah, the tyres were just not working and it was quite a bit of, like, just surviving in the first stint, trying to go as long as possible. And then the Safety Car actually came at the right time to swap to the Soft tyres. And then I have to say that, yeah, those last laps were very enjoyable because there was barely any deg, really. We were just pushing to the end and the gap was always, like, one second, 1.1, so that was nice. And, of course, it looked close on the line, but I think that was more because I think George suffered from a little bit of boost lag in 15 with the yellow flag. So if you look at the last stint, it was always one second, so that’s probably also where we would have finished.
Q: How much of a boost is the performance of the car here with the upgrades, both for you and the whole team?
MV: Yeah, it was good. I mean, the car was feeling very good all weekend. Okay, then we had the issue in qualifying with the engine. We still, of course, have some limitations with the car that I’ve mentioned many times that probably are not fixable for this year. So we know that for next year that needs a lot of work. But the balance in the car was strong. But like George said, for Malaysia, if they’re bringing an upgrade, it’s going to look a little bit more difficult for us.
Q: This was podium number seven for you this year. Are there any tracks that you’re particularly looking forward to coming up where you think you can be this competitive again?
MV: We don’t know. I mean, if Mercedes is bringing an upgrade and it works, then they take a step ahead, and that’s not what you want. It will make it even more difficult to win, but we’ll try every single weekend and, of course, if the opportunity is there, we go for it.
Q: Max, very well done to you. Thank you for that. Isack, let’s come to you. What a comeback. Your second podium of the season after six weeks out. Just how sweet does this moment feel for you?
IH: Yeah, I must say I came back at the right time in terms of an injury point of view and, at the same time, in terms of what the car is capable of. You know, the way I left the car in Budapest, I was not really satisfied, and coming back after a couple of races, definitely made a step. So, yeah, definitely happy about that. And, you know, in terms of the approach, I took it really slowly, the whole weekend, because it’s a demanding track to come back to. I don’t want to be in the wall. And, yeah, like I said, it’s a tough track to come back to. The approach was great. It brought me to that P3. So, yeah, I can’t really do much better than that.
Q: As you say, it’s a tough track. Any issues at all with the wrist?
IH: No.
Q: And then when you look at the weekend as a whole, just how much have you missed racing over these last six weeks?
IH: Yeah, it’s been a moment now. I felt like I had, like, a whole winter break, which is not really what you want in the middle of the season. So, yeah, I definitely missed it. You know, the adrenaline, those Q3 laps, the restart, and, yeah, it’s good to be back fighting with the other drivers. It’s what I love to do. So hopefully I use a bit more my brain when I go boxing next time.
Q: There was some radio chat about vibrations in the gearbox while you were behind the Safety Car. Did that clear up once the race went green?
IH: No, it was quite noisy and I felt a lot of vibrations. I was a bit stressed, to be honest. I wasn’t really sure, but everything was fine until the very end. But, yeah, let’s see if it’s just some irrelevant noise or actually relevant. Let’s see.
Q: Okay. Look, final one. Just how much confidence does this weekend as a whole give you going to Sepang next weekend?
IH: Yeah, a lot. You know, in the end, the Monaco podium, of course it was a podium, but it was not on pure pace, not because I qualified in the top three or whatever. You know, I felt like this is my first time with the team that I actually get to do a very clean weekend and actually, like, fight my way into that podium. So actually, for me, it feels like a real first and, yeah, it gives me good confidence heading into the next races.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Frédéric Ferret – L’Equipe) Question to George Russell. What does the Grand Slam mean for you? Question for Max: what does the podium of Isack mean for the team and how do you rate him? And question for Isack: you have the Zandvoort trophy on your helmet. Do you plan to make the same helmet next week?
GR: Yeah, I think it’s probably my first Grand Slam in Formula 1 and, for sure, the most dominant weekend I’ve had in my career. So that has come at a really great moment. And also to achieve it on a circuit that requires so much commitment and confidence, I’m really proud of because I think it would have been very easy for me to lose the faith this season. Not necessarily about winning the championship, but in terms of my ability, and that never happened.
MV: Yeah, well, this is what the team wants, to have the two cars on the podium when possible. So, maximising the result, and I think we did that today. So that’s very good. And, yeah, for sure, I mean, it’s working really well with Isack in the team and we just need to keep that going.
Q: How do you rate him, just to follow up?
MV: Yeah, like, it’s working really well within the team, you know. So, of course, I mean, if you’re on the podium together, then I think you’re doing a good job.
IH: I mean, it was pure coincidence. I should have raced that helmet in Zandvoort. I made it, so I wanted to, even though I skipped those races, wear it for that occasion. But now it’s a retired helmet and has a podium, so it’s good.
Q: (Leonid Kliuev – GrandePremio.com) Question for all three. Behind you, Franco was out of control into Turn 1 at the restart. Several people were taken out. Franco apologised. Lando said that, and I’m paraphrasing, he didn’t see the replay, but whoever is taking people out in this fashion should have a race ban, and he emphasised the race ban. Is that perhaps too harsh for your liking?
GR: Yeah, I think that’s too harsh, personally. I think Safety Car restarts, cold tyres, a very small mistake can have big consequences. And from what I saw today, that’s what it looked like. It was a small error that had a big consequence. I think, personally, race bans should come from drivers intentionally doing something very dangerous and very reckless. So I think it was unfortunate.
MV: Yeah, I think as long, of course, the driver that caused it is aware of what he did, right, and apologised. And, I mean, yeah, that happens. I mean, like, a small mistake or misjudgement, you lock up, it’s on the inside, low grip, and, of course, then I guess a bit unfortunate that it involves so many cars. But, yeah, unfortunate, happens, and it’s not nice, I think. Not nice for anyone involved, right? But like George said, I think, yeah, a race ban probably is a bit much.
IH: From my side, I think the track is not good enough. You move out of the racing line, it starts to be very bumpy. It’s hard to generate temperature behind the Safety Car, it’s going quite slowly. So then, yeah, you just overdo it and then it has big, big consequences. So, I think, yeah, a race ban is way too harsh.
Q: (Ronald Vording – Motorsport.com) It’s a question to both Red Bull drivers. Has your feeling behind the wheel, the feeling in the car, changed at all with this upgrade? So, do you feel more confident to attack the corners now, or is it simply quicker but still with the same issues?
IH: Yeah, to be honest, Baku is a very specific track, specific tarmac. But like I said, to me, the way the car was behaving in terms of through-corner balance this weekend, from lap one in FP1, I was like, “Okay, this is looking pretty good.” Then the second half of the car, we’re lacking compared to Mercedes, definitely. But, you know, in terms of handling on the brakes, the car was, to me, compared to Budapest, it definitely did a step. So, yeah, I’m really pleased with that.
MV: Yeah, I mean, it’s a unique track. It’s, like, mainly 90-degree corners. But, yeah, it felt probably a little bit more together balance-wise. But like I said, we have other issues in the car that we really need to fix because there is also just free lap time in that, and that’s what we are working on. But the performance items, they worked well and we’ve been fairly happy all weekend, really, with what I had from the car.
Q: (Phil Duncan – PA) George, after the race you spoke about your plan now is to go and win every race. It’s the crunch part of the season. You obviously don’t have the target on your back that Kimi does. Do you think that you can use that to your advantage, that you’re chasing and that you can help apply the pressure that way?
GR: Yeah, for sure. There’s much less pressure on me than there is him. As I said yesterday, he’s had an incredibly flawless season. Yesterday was probably his first mistake of this whole season in a proper session, qualifying, race, and he still came home in P5 today. I didn’t really consider myself in this fight for a number of races, purely because my performance wasn’t strong enough. Now I feel like if the season were to have started today, or since the summer break, you know, I feel very much I would have been able to fight. Now I’ve got this big deficit. It can change quick. So I’m not chasing that. I’m chasing to win every race, and what will be, will be.
Q: (Sergey Podosenov – News.ru) As we have seen today, Baku City Circuit proved its unpredictable nature. How did the unique challenges of racing in Azerbaijan today impact your strategy and mindset on the way to the podium? Thank you.
GR: Yeah, well, I must say Max and I spoke about this. The final stint, I think, is the most amount of fun I’ve had in a race for as long as I can remember because the tyre felt great. We were pushing flat out every single lap. It was like qualifying one after another. You needed to be so alert around this circuit because the walls are so close, especially through the castle. You’re threading the needle. But, yeah, those final 10 laps felt really, really fun. And it almost felt like the stories I hear of the drivers in the early-mid 2000s, of when every lap was like a qualifying lap. The heart rate is higher, you’re pushing the limit every single lap, there’s no management. We’ve had a lot of conversations this year about PU energy management, but the tyre management is still there and it has been there for years and years. But just with how the temperatures and the circuit fell out today, with the tyres there was no management, and that was exceptionally fun.
MV: Yeah, exactly that. I mean, last stint was fun. Kissed a few walls as well, just to leave my mark here in Baku. So, yeah, it’s always very challenging around here, qualifying and in the race now at the end as well, just pushing flat out. Comes, of course, with risk, being close to certain walls on the inside, the outside. But it’s cool.
ENDS
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