DRIVERS
1 – Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull)
2 – Lewis HAMILTON (Ferrari)
3 – Kimi ANTONELLI (Mercedes)
TRACK INTERVIEWS
(Conducted by Nico Rosberg)
Q: Kimi, you did it! You are the 2026 Formula 1 World Champion and the youngest ever in the history of Formula 1. Take us through your feelings.
Kimi ANTONELLI: Yeah, we did it! We did it! And, you know, without them, I wouldn’t be here, without Mercedes, without my family. So I’m very grateful for this moment. It’s one that will live forever, and I just am speechless. I’m trying to process what has just happened.
Q: You’re sharing the podium today with the other two drivers who are two of the greatest of all time. How does that make it even more special to have beaten them this season?
KA: Of course, of course. And, you know, it’s been an incredible season, and to share this podium with Max and Lewis is truly incredible. And, yeah, looking forward to some more battles in the future.
Q: Now, can you say, did you ever feel a little bit of nerves? Because from the outside, it looked so solid all year long.
KA: Yeah, I mean, this weekend I did feel a bit more tense, but, yeah, I’m just so happy and happy that we got it done, and now we can enjoy the rest of the season.
Q: Well, enjoy this moment. You deserve it so much.
KA: Thank you so much.
Q: Max, what a fantastic weekend. After that qualifying setback, you were like, “This is going to be difficult,” but you absolutely nailed it today.
Max VERSTAPPEN: Yeah, it was very hectic out there today, I think. But, yeah, the first start already, I think, made the race for me. I just had a very good first lap, let’s say like that. And after that, yeah, we had a bit of a different strategy. I do think we lacked a little bit of pace, but we just hung in there, made the right calls at the right time. And then, of course, you know, the penalty for Charles put us into the lead, and then you could see they were always staying with me. So, yeah, it was tough. I was sweating at the end to try and, of course, keep Lewis behind.
Q: A big key to your win today was that Turn 1, and also defending against Lewis. That was proper, awesome, on the limit.
MV: No, I mean, as you know, it’s such a long run to Turn 1, and then to pick your braking point there, with a big bump in the middle of the track as well, I had to be quite careful. And, yeah, that is always a tradition in Turn 1, that there are two cars fighting for the lead.
Q: Max, I have to ask you also a word on Kimi. He’s your friend, he just became World Champion. Please say a word for him.
MV: Yeah, it’s incredible, of course. What a season he had, and, you know, to do that also at such an age, I think it’s just really, really impressive. And, I mean, it’s amazing to see the whole team, of course, celebrating with him. His family is here as well, so I’m sure this is a very emotional day for him, and I’m very proud of him.
Q: We look forward to your battles with him starting next year for the next championship. It’s going to be big. Lewis, you had a brilliant qualifying yesterday. That lap was magical, and now it just went away from you today. To not quite get that win in P2, is that really disappointing?
Lewis HAMILTON: I mean, firstly, look at this crowd. We have to acknowledge them, and a huge congratulations to Kimi and the Mercedes team. It’s great to see them all up here celebrating their success. Youngest World Champion ever is pretty phenomenal, and I’m so grateful to be in the race to witness it. Yeah, tough, tough day. I think we had the pace to win today, but it wasn’t meant to be. And, you know, we’ll take it offline and figure out what we can do in the background.
Q: I have to ask, unfortunately, because, of course, the win went away from you in that battle with your teammate that kind of decided it. Take us through that. Do you think the five seconds was fair on Charles, or should he have given the position back?
LH: I mean, in the drivers’ briefing, we discussed that as soon as you go off in Turn 1, you have to give the position back. But obviously, last year I got a ten-second penalty for that same move that he did. Ultimately, it was that that lost us the win today, and, yeah, I think we have to have some serious talks behind the scenes, for sure. But the good thing is the team are working really hard. We’ve really improved our car. It’s great to be here. We’re on the old engine this weekend as well, so good result, good points. Shame we didn’t get a win, but, you know, some wins, some losses.
Q: Yeah, I think that’s a positive. With that car, you can do some more winning towards the end of this year, and who knows next year?
LH: Yeah, give Kimi a run for his money. Yeah, I’m hoping next year we have an engine to be able to actually compete with them. I mean, this year they were just flying past us on most of the straights throughout the year. So if we can fix that and keep this car, the base of it, I think we can do really great. So I’m relying on the team. I have 100% faith in them.
PRESS CONFERENCE
Q: A brilliant race by you, Max. Very well done. After some frustration yesterday, just how sweet was it to get the win from P5 on the grid?
MV: Yes, something that I didn’t expect, I think, heading into today. But I think the first start already made my race a bit better, getting into Turn 1, and then, of course, the battle that I saw unfold in Turn 4 put me in a quite nice spot. And then, yeah, it was a bit tough, to be honest. I think Charles just pulled away. I could not really stay with him. I did not have the pace to follow him, but at the same time, I was still within that around five-second window. So, then the team, I think, did a really good job to follow him in, and it’s always very tough when you have a five-second penalty to actually make it exactly five seconds. So, I jumped him, and honestly, after that, it was quite tough. Kimi was flying, still, out there on the first set of tyres, and I just did not really have the grip for whatever reason. So, yeah, Charles was very close, but at the same time, it’s very hard to follow around here because everything overheats, and that probably helped me as well because I think at one point Charles had to back off just for cooling, and that was quite nice for me. But at the same time, when I saw the Safety Car come out just out of the last corner and I couldn’t box, I was like, “There’s no way this is happening now,” because that was then probably game over for me. Then, of course, it ended up being a red flag, so then it reset everything. I was a bit worried because our starts this year have not been amazing, but luckily today, twice, they have actually been good, and that then made my way till the end. But it was not made easy. I mean, Lewis was in my gearbox, pushing hard. It was basically a qualifying lap till the end. Yeah, it was tough out there. It was a tough race to the end, just to not make any mistakes. But, of course, happy to win today.
Q: There was so much frustration in your voice after the race last weekend. Was today a race where you and Red Bull just got everything right again?
MV: Yeah, what I said also last time, most of the time we get it right. Just a few times you don’t get it right, but that’s life. That’s part of it. That can happen. As long as you learn from it, you come back stronger, and that’s what we did.
Q: And finally, Max, just a word on Kimi’s achievement today. What stood out about the way he’s driven this year?
MV: Well, I think to achieve this in your second year in Formula 1 is always very impressive. Because, of course, at his age as well, to be so solid, not make big mistakes, and, of course, also beat your experienced teammate, he’s just driven incredible. And I’m very proud of him, how he has handled himself this whole season. It’s not always easy to deliver every single weekend, but he has done that, and he’s the deserved champion this year.
Q: Max, thank you very much for that. Lewis, if we could come to you now. You gave it everything out there in what proved to be a very eventful race. Just how do you sum up everything that happened?
LH: I mean, it was beautiful to be up there with these two and to be up there with Kimi for his first World Championship. I think it was a very special moment, one of the most special moments that I remember having here.
Q: And just to sum up, if you could, your race. It was very eventful.
LH: Yeah, it was very eventful. Had a good start, and I think we had the car to win today. Unfortunately, we had the car to easily have first and second, but due to the first two corners, that kind of went away. And then after that, we just gave it basically to Max, and then all they had to do was just stay ahead of us, which he did a good job of doing.
It’s a shame because we lost good points for the team. It’s something we have to take offline.
Q: Lewis, you’ve had some pretty intense battles with your teammate this year. You’ve had many teammates in your long career. How different is racing Charles, not much different, I would say, to any of the others that have been alongside you?
LH: You know, I think the core thing to remember, which maybe comes with age, is that every decision you make in the car impacts all the people that work in the background for the whole team. So, working as a team is a part of our job and a part of our contract. We have to work as a team, which we could have easily done today. So, it’s a shame to see us lose this, as we did. That will just continue unless action is taken, if a real deep, serious conversation is had. So, it shouldn’t happen moving forward. Of course, I’ve had close battles with teammates in the past, and you can’t always get it right, but nine times out of ten we should be able to. So, I think we’ll take it offline and we’ll have some good conversations, hopefully. For sure, it won’t be easy, but it must be done.
Q: Lewis, thank you very much for that. And, well, Kimi, we’ll come to you. Brilliant race by you. Just how did it unfold from where you were sitting?
KA: Yeah, it was a fun race. I think we had a strong pace, especially in that first stint, when we went for 40-plus laps on the soft, and we were still very quick. We were able to create a big offset on tyres, and when I came out of the pit, I was like, “We have a good chance to fight and to catch the leaders back.” But then, of course, with the red flag, everything went back to zero, and everyone then put fresh tyres on, and we were back to base. But then it was good. I think the move on Charles was critical into Turn 1, and then, yeah, I tried to… We were all pushing, the three of us. It was a very high pace, but, of course, it was a bit hard to follow, mainly for temperatures. We had to manage brake temperatures a lot during the race, so couldn’t push as much. But it was still very fun, and, yeah, well deserved to Mike St Louis.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Victor Alvarado – Animal.mx) Max, how do you feel about being practically the Mexico Grand Prix king after getting your sixth win in the history of this Grand Prix?
MV: Yeah, they should actually call it the ‘Maxico’ Grand Prix. That would be great. I honestly love being here. I love the city, I love the environment, I love the fans, but I have no idea why. You know, you win six here and maybe only one… You know, it just happens. Sometimes your car just comes alive, and you’ve had good races and not a lot of bad luck sometimes as well. So, yeah, it’s just always come together for me here, and, of course, I happily take that.
Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Lewis, just on the first lap with Charles, was that something that you guys had discussed before the race about giving a place back? No? How surprised were you in that moment to not see him pull back and give the place back to you?
LH: How surprised was I? At that point, it didn’t even matter. We had let Max past, and the race was done from there. You can’t overtake here. I think it’s something the FIA need to do, and it’s just quite bad. I’m sure these guys would agree. We have this clip at the end of the straight where you can’t go past a certain speed, so everyone just follows. It’s the silliest thing when you are behind and you have a little bit more power in the slipstream. You should be able to go past that to have a chance to overtake. The engine can go faster. It’s just they have these silly clips. I mean, it’s the worst engine profile setting that I think they’ve probably ever had in this sport, and it doesn’t provide great racing. So today you probably didn’t see much overtaking, unfortunately, because of that. Obviously, the starts were fun, but it’s a very hard track to follow with the thin air and low downforce. I gave it everything to try and get close to Max, but maybe they needed… I don’t know if they need to change the last corner because it’s so quick. I don’t know. There could be a change to the track, maybe, to enable us to have a little bit better racing. But everyone having this this year just diminishes any opportunity of that.
Q: (Scott Hunt – Press Association) Lewis, after Monza, you called for a written rule of engagement from the team. Are you disappointed to be here again asking for similar talks? Should those talks have happened already, and is that what you need to happen now?
LH: I don’t know what needs to happen now, how we discuss things when we go back. I’m not quite sure how I want to engage in that. Of course, the frustrations are today. I’m happy because this guy just won the championship, so I’m really torn because, on one side, I’m happy, and on the other side, I’m really p***ed. We lost valuable points, and we, as a team, worked so hard. We could have easily had a one-two today. Really, we had the pace to do so. We’re going into Turn 4 first and second. If we just hold position, I think anything can happen in the race. But when your teammate works against you and then you lose positions like that, it’s definitely tough. So, we’ll just talk about it offline, and it’s not really worth saying too much more. We don’t have rules of engagement, and whether or not that will change anything from Charles’ side, I don’t know. We’ve just got to figure it out, but something needs to change for sure.
Q: (Carolina Figueroa – Por esto!) My question is for Kimi Antonelli. Congratulations on the championship. What feelings does this weekend leave you with compared to your initial expectations?
KA: Well, I knew I was very close. However, I still needed to get the job done, and, of course, you still want to do a good race. You want to do a good performance, so that was the goal. But, of course, it hasn’t been the easiest weekend either. Physically, I haven’t been in the best shape, but also yesterday we had a bad qualifying execution, and, you know, emotions were a bit high overall. But I’m really happy that today we did a strong race and really happy that we managed to finish the job. And then now we’ve got a few races to go, and we’re just going to enjoy all the way and try to finish on a high.
Q: (Ronald Vording – Motorsport.com) It’s another one for Kimi to share the podium with these two greats. It’s probably one of the best possible ways to clinch this championship. But, as you said, you felt a bit tense throughout the weekend. How did that affect your decision-making throughout the race? Because you didn’t want to risk anything, but at the same time, I think you were quite eager to get on the podium here.
KA: Yes, so at the start I was very cautious, and I gave a lot of room. So I was probably playing it very much on the safe side. But then, you know, I saw I had the pace, and especially that first stint, I knew we would be in the fight because the pace was very good on used tyres. But then, obviously, with the red flag, it kind of all went back to zero. And in that moment I was like, “You know what? I’m just going to take more risks.” I had the opportunity to gain a few places, and that move on Charles was crucial to get on the podium. And then I tried until the end to stay close, and it was very fun, the last stint, because we were all, I think, the three of us within two seconds, and we were all pushing. It was just difficult, of course, to overtake, but it was high intensity, and it was fun. And then, of course, on the last lap I just backed off because I just couldn’t see the track. I was getting emotional, and I said, “I’m just going to back off because otherwise I crash here.” So it was just good to bring it home.
Q: (Tim Hauraney – TSN) Question for Max. Max, I heard you on the radio about the engine braking. I just wondered where did that come from, and how did it affect your race?
MV: It happens randomly. Yeah, I don’t know. The engine just decides by itself what to do, to be honest. So, I don’t know. Maybe I need to have a conversation with the engine before going into the race. Maybe it has to behave better. Yeah, we don’t know. Sometimes it just happens. It’s not very consistent. I think, honestly, everything is running so hot here, and also for the turbocharger and everything, it’s tough to make everything spot on.
Q: (Jack Smith – Motorsport Monday) Question for you, Lewis. You’ve raced hard with a lot of teammates before, back in your McLaren days and, of course, with Nico at Mercedes, which led to a lot of difficult conversations with Toto. Do you feel that these conversations you’ve had in those days differ from the ones you’re having with the team now? Do you feel that they’re a little bit tougher? Are you maybe struggling to get the resolutions that you want?
LH: I mean, I’ve had way worse times at Mercedes. There were some really bad moments, but no, I don’t really see there being huge differences. I think it was managed well at Mercedes, and I think Fred’s doing his best. I think Fred came and spoke to me before the race, and I think he was nervous. I think he just wanted us… Of course, he wants these two drivers to do well. Yeah, I mean, I think from my side, if I’m coming from behind and I’m taking all the risk and it ends up that we lose as a team, then I think I have some answering to do, because it impacts a lot of people. But the other way around, I’m in the lead, and it was just unnecessary. I think we could have easily, as I said, had that one-two today, which would have been huge for the team and for everyone back at the factory who’s worked so hard to bring us these upgrades. I don’t really know what will be done because up until now nothing really has been done. So, yeah, we’ll see.
Q: (Sam Johnston – Sky Sports) One more for Lewis. You mentioned before that you thought inexperience may have been a factor for Charles in making the decision he did. Do you think that was an element, that he hasn’t been in a championship team before and isn’t used to fighting for victories with a teammate? Maybe when you’re fighting for fifth or sixth it’s slightly different, but when a one-two is on the line, maybe a different approach is required?
LH: I mean, before I joined this team, when I was at Mercedes, I watched and witnessed the back and forth between Charles and Carlos several races, where they were battling so much that the person ahead just pulled away, and they had the pace to actually win. But it is one thing when that’s happening in fourth and fifth, as opposed to first and second, and you lose the win. That’s significant. The guy is 28 years old, so I don’t think it’s an age thing. I think it’s a mentality thing. It’s like, “Do or die. Either I win or none of us do,” and it shouldn’t be that. It should be us having, getting that one-two. As I said, it’s still a good feeling. You know, Silverstone, I could have gone all kamikaze on him and taken him off and lost us the win, but instead the one-two was there. I think we got the one-two. Was it one-three, first and third, one-two? Whatever. For me, I’m happy for the team to have experienced that, but I’m hopeful we’ll work towards a better place, a better working place, in the future.
WORLD CHAMPION’S PRESS CONFERENCE
Q: Kimi, what a day. You must have dreamt about this for a long time. What’s the reality for you?
KA: Yeah, I’m still trying to realise and understand at the moment what has just happened because, you know, when you work so hard since I was a kid, I’ve been dreaming of achieving this, and when you finally achieve it, it’s truly, truly special. And, obviously, all the emotions come out as well. To be able to share this moment, to witness this moment with my whole family, with my team and part of my friends as well, is a moment that will always be remembered. I’m just super happy and grateful for what has just happened, all the opportunity and the support that I’ve got, not only this year but since I joined the team as well. So, yeah, just going to try to enjoy it all the way and then enjoy the rest of the season as well because we’ve still got a few races to go. We still want to finish on a high, and then, obviously, this new point where to start again and just build on and improve.
Q: The podium here is very special. In the Foro Sol, describe what it was like being held aloft on the shoulders of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
KA: Incredible. It happened in Canada as well this year, earlier in the year, but obviously this is special. And, as I said many times, I will definitely frame the picture and put it in my house because it’s just an incredible moment. And as well, to see so much respect from, you know, two incredible drivers who have done the history of the sport is truly special, and a moment that will live and will always be remembered. So definitely I will frame the picture and put it on the wall of my house so I can see it very well whenever I go in.
Q: When you look back at the season, what do you think are the most significant moments as you look at the races we’ve had so far?
KA: I think it’s really hard to pick one. I think the main thing was the consistency we’ve had during the whole season because even when it was looking a bit rough, we still managed to do a decent result, managed to do some damage limitation. That has been the key, always been there. And also, I think enjoying every weekend, enjoying the weekends, facing the weekend and going to the weekend with passion and love for the sport, for what I do, and just trying as well to appreciate every moment. This weekend has been very difficult emotionally as well. It hasn’t been easy, but I still tried to appreciate today, coming to the track having that feeling that today could have been the day, and also the feeling on the grid. So, yeah, just trying to really enjoy every moment, and that has been the thing of the season for me with the team. Just taking it race by race and enjoying the weekend on and off the track, enjoying the time with the mechanics, with the engineers and with everyone involved, because at the end, I’ve still got to remember that I’m very lucky to do what I love to do as a profession.
Q: Nine wins so far. Which has been the most memorable for you?
KA: Difficult to say. I think the best one is yet to come, as always. But if I had to pick one, I would say my home race. Very, very special one. Then, of course, the first race. You know, the first one is always very, very special, and I think all of them have been very special and very unique in their own ways. I think I rate Spa as being a very special one because Spa was probably last year my toughest moment in my career, and coming to this year and winning at a track where I was probably at my lowest, that was very special. So, I think all of them have been very special, and hopefully a more special one is coming on its way.
Q: Right, and Kimi, final one from me. How are you going to celebrate this one?
KA: I don’t know. I haven’t planned anything at the moment, but definitely when I go back home, I will take time to organise something big and enjoy the moment. But definitely tonight I will be with my family and my friends, and we’re going to enjoy it. And then we’re also going to try to enjoy Brazil next week. Of course, it’s a very special race coming up for many reasons. But I think, you know, I will enjoy tonight. I’ll see what I will do, but definitely when I go back home after Brazil, I will push. And, yeah, then back to Vegas. I wouldn’t be in the best state going into Vegas, but I think it’s fine, right? You’ve still got to enjoy all these moments.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Ronald Vording – Motorsport.com) First of all, big congratulations, Kimi. I don’t know if you’ve thought about this at all, but you’re the first driver to win the championship with number 12 since Ayrton Senna in 1988. Do you already know if you will pick number one for next year, or is number 12 special for you?
Kimi ANTONELLI: I think I’ll stay with number 12. I’ll stay with number 12 because, obviously, it’s a very special number for me, but also it’s a way for me to stay grounded, to stay humble, and I feel like by keeping number 12 it allows me to have a new point where to start and build on everything again and try to improve. And also, to be honest, I’m very superstitious, and number one has never been a good number for me. Whenever I put it, it went extremely badly. So one more reason to stay with number 12. But, yeah, I will stay with number 12.
Q: (Jack Smith – Motorsport Monday) Congratulations, Kimi. I just wondered how much this title push this season has been motivated by a lot of the people who felt that you weren’t ready for Formula One last year. And just also, on top of that, what are your thoughts on George? He’s had a tough year. How aware are you, I know there’s a lot of races left, that he will be coming back really determined next year to make up for it and give you a big push?
KA: Yeah, about the first question, it’s always good to shut off some of the noise, and, of course, I think in many ways it does help to add fuel to the fire, the fact that some people said that I wasn’t belonging to Formula One or I wasn’t ready for it. Which, at some point last year, probably looked like that. I wasn’t ready for it. But I think last year, being able to experience those moments made me much more ready as well ahead of this year. I think experiencing really low and difficult situations, high-pressure moments, really helped me to face certain situations this year, and definitely they made me mature a lot as a driver and as a person. And still this year, I’ve had moments where I could have done better, a lot better. So, yeah, it’s just a constant learning process. But I think, you know, last year, being able to race straight into Mercedes, obviously straight under the spotlight, made me grow much, much faster than if I would have gone to a smaller team, for example. About George, yeah, I mean, definitely I think he has had bad luck at some point in the season. I think he has had a little bit more than me, being honest. I’ve also had my moments in Silverstone and Barcelona. Also, after Silverstone, we had to trash our new PU because it had a problem in it, and we had to take an earlier penalty, which was in Monza. Definitely, we’ve had our bad moments, but still, I think he will definitely come back. You know, he’s super quick. He has shown this season that when he’s on it, it’s very hard to beat. So it’s just about, you know, on my side, keeping focused on myself, keep trying to raise the bar, keep improving, keep developing, because I think it’s not going to be only a matter of George at the end of this season, but I think also for next season, Red Bull, especially with Max, Ferrari and McLaren, eventually, we’re all going to be up there, and it’s going to be a tight fight. So, it’s going to be important to be on top of the game, not only against my teammate but against all the others.
Q: (Tim Hauraney – TSN) Congratulations, Kimi. You had mentioned you had your whole family here this weekend with you. What do you think they were going through as they watched you cross the start-finish line and become a Formula One World Champion?
KA: I still have to ask them, but I guess they were pretty… You know, they were very emotional, very happy. My dad today was fighting for the championship as well with his team, and unfortunately, they got taken out and they lost the championship. And I saw him very sad this morning, and I was like, “You know what? I’ll make it up.” So, I’m very happy that I did, and definitely that gave me an extra motivation to try and finish it off today. But definitely very special to them here.
Q: (Diletta Colombo – Automoto.it) First of all, congratulations, Kimi. Second of all, what went through your mind when you were crossing the finish line?
KA: I mean, already the lap before, I think I lost probably two seconds because I was already crying, basically. I couldn’t see clearly ahead. You know, I could see two Ferraris somehow with the tears. So, it was very special. A lot of memories went through my mind in that moment, all the memories since karting all the way to here. It was a very special final lap, and definitely, you know, then when I crossed the line, I let it all out because it was just achieving one of my biggest dreams. It was very special.
Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Congratulations, Kimi. Just building on Tim’s question, how special was it for you to have your family there in the Foro Sol, the moment you jumped out of the car, and also Toto, Bono, all these people who have been so special within your career, to share it with them in that immediate moment?
KA: Very special, very special. You know, my family made an incredible effort to come just for today because my dad was busy with his rally racing team. He was in Mugello, and then they flew Saturday morning and arrived last night. So, it was a big effort for them to come here, and I’m very happy to be able to share and witness this moment altogether because my family has made, and they still do, an incredible amount of sacrifices for me. And especially my dad, he has come to basically all the races this year, despite being very busy with his own work, his own job. So, you know, that has been crucial, to have such a figure. First of all, he was the one keeping me grounded, especially after very high moments, but as well he was the one that was always there when I was facing a difficult situation, or I wasn’t feeling the best ahead of a session or ahead of the race. So, yeah, definitely it’s been a big part. And then, of course, Mercedes, I couldn’t thank them enough because, first of all, they were the ones who took the gamble when I was 11, and they were the ones who believed in me all the way, and they still do. And, of course, it’s been a massive privilege to be able to, first of all, race for this team. And, you know, hopefully we’ll have much more success in the upcoming years. But as well, it’s been a big privilege to work with Bono and with all the other guys, all the other boys and girls who always come to the track and do their best, because it’s an incredible group, a very unique one and a very united one. And every single one of them has played a massive role in achieving this.
Q: (Nate Saunders – ESPN) Kimi, I’m just over here. At the end, on the podium ceremony, you had ‘Nessun Dorma’ playing. I think it was followed with ‘Sarà, perché ti amo’. What was that like for you? Two very Italian songs. You had the Italian flag on your shoulder as well. Just what was that moment like for you to soak that in? Because it looked like you were a little bit shell-shocked by that point.
KA: Yeah, I mean, well, the first song was very emotional for me because it was a song that my grandfather used to listen to always, so it was very special to hear that. And I think he’s… I think he would be very proud. Oh my God, I’ve cried way too much today, but it’s good. So, yeah, I just got very emotional because of my grandfather, and, yeah, so I was very happy also for him.
Q: (David Schneider – Shiga Sports Japan) Kimi, congratulations. Just a quick question. Many Japanese fans think that winning Suzuka was a key moment in your championship campaign. How would you think now, looking back, about the third race, second win?
KA: Yeah, I think Suzuka was obviously… I think China was the start of everything, but Suzuka was the first turning point because it was when I started to lead the championship. So definitely it was a key moment for me, and it helped me to make that further switch in my head, gave me an extra belief to say, “Actually, we can win this.” So definitely, especially winning at such an iconic track, it was very special because, as I said, it was the first turning point for me in the championship. Getting that lead for the first time gave me that extra confidence.
Q: (Anna Sofia Alcala – El heraldo de Mexico) Congratulations, Kimi. What’s something that makes you feel nervous or generates pressure on you? And is there anything in particular that made you feel that way during this weekend?
KA: Well, today… Well, this weekend hasn’t been easy because, you know, I kept hearing the same thing over and over again. And, you know, I’m quite straightforward on this: until it’s done, it’s not done. So, I knew that I still wanted to finish the job well, and it’s not easy when you keep hearing from many people, guests, fans, congratulations for the championship, knowing myself, I’m very superstitious. And I’m telling you, it’s not easy for me, especially being that superstitious. I think it’s just because this whole season I’ve been trying to focus on one race at a time. I very rarely, hardly ever, thought of the bigger picture. You know, there have been a couple of races where I thought of the bigger picture. Baku was probably the race where I first thought about the bigger picture, about points. But I always tried to focus on what I had to do and focus on the process. So, to hear this over and over again, it kind of made me realise all of a sudden much more what I could have achieved. I knew already, you know, don’t get me wrong. Already after Austin, I knew how close I was, but I still tried to block that thought as much as possible. So, when you hear that over and over again, you suddenly start to realise a bit more, and you kind of relax in a certain way because you suddenly realise how actually close you are and how little you need to do to achieve that. So, that’s why I think yesterday in qualifying I didn’t have the same intensity. I wasn’t as precise driving. I think Austin was completely the opposite. At Austin, I was much more aggressive, much more present in the moment, while in Mexico yesterday in qualifying I was a bit more tense in a way, and also, I wasn’t as intense in the way I was driving. So, definitely it hasn’t been easy on that side. But now finally we clinched it, and now we can just enjoy the rest of the season.
Q: (Henry Bonilla – F1LATAM.com) Kimi, congratulations. Next week will be very special in Brazil. Are you planning any tribute to Ayrton? Any special helmet?
KA: Yeah, I will have a special helmet for Brazil, for Ayrton. Also because it’s going to be 35 years since he won in sixth gear, his home race. So, yeah, it’s going to be a tribute helmet for Brazil, for Ayrton, and I think it’s one of my best helmets that I’ve made. So hopefully you guys, everyone, hopefully you will like it. But, yeah, it’s going to be a very special weekend. I’m very much looking forward to it because the support from Brazil in general has been incredible, not only this year but already from last year. So, yeah, looking forward to going back there, and hopefully it’s going to be a great weekend.
ENDS
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