TEAM REPRESENTATIVES – Alan PERMANE (Racing Bulls), Frédéric VASSEUR (Ferrari), Toto WOLFF (Mercedes)
Q: Alan, why don’t we start with you? Congratulations are in order because you’ve signed a new long-term contract with Racing Bulls. Tell us a little bit about that. Tell us why you’ve committed until 2031.
Alan PERMANE: Yeah, a proud moment, honestly, for me to be offered a contract like that. Long-term stability for myself and the team. I think things are going very, very well. As we can see, we’re in a… I would say I’ve been saying for a while we’re in a tight fight for fifth. We’re not actually in such a tight fight for fifth. I’m very cautious of this weekend because, with the weather we have, and we saw Alpine do a couple of years ago here, anything is possible. But I think we have a decent buffer, and I want to build on that. I want to be part of this team long-term. I want to lead it together with Peter towards greater things.
Q: You mentioned Peter because it’s an expanded role, isn’t it? You’re co-CEO, sporting. How’s it going to work between you and Peter Bayer?
AP: Yeah, I don’t think anything will change. It’s clear Peter looks after the commercial side, the PR side, the comms and marketing, and I look after the sporting, the design, production and racing side. I don’t think anything will change there.
Q: Now, Alan, while we’re talking contracts, when can we expect news about your drivers for 2027?
AP: I’m not going to give you a date, Tom. I’m sure you’re not surprised to hear that. Look, Red Bull’s had a very successful young driver programme, and I think, if I want to be… and I don’t want to be critical of it, but I think if you guys are critical of it, maybe sometimes the drivers haven’t been able to have enough time to settle, or maybe some snap decisions have been made. We’re trying to apply a little bit of science, and that takes some time. So we are looking at everything and studying, analysing, and time is on our side. We’re not in a rush to do anything, and I’m very confident the right decision will be made. I realise it’s frustrating for our drivers. I realise it’s frustrating for everyone else, but we want to get it right, and we will get it right. I’m sure when we announce it in the coming weeks, everyone will be happy.
Q: Final one from me, Alan. Can we talk about car performance now? You’ve finished in the points in seven consecutive races. What is your car’s greatest strength?
AP: I think it’s not just the strength of the car. I think it’s the strength of the whole organisation at the moment. We are putting stuff on that comes from the wind tunnel through to production through to the race team, and it works first time. I think that, and these guys will tell you, is a massive strength. It just accelerates your performance. You don’t spend time back-to-backing at the track. You don’t have to go back to the wind tunnel to understand why something doesn’t work. So, I think if there’s one thing I could pick out, it would be that. Of course, our drivers are both delivering, and you say they’re under pressure. They’re both working incredibly well under pressure. If you say the last seven races, I think it’s only two rounds out of… I don’t know how many we’ve done now that we haven’t scored. So, it’s quite an impressive record for this team.
Q: Alan, thank you very much for that. Fred, if we could come to you now. A lot’s been said and written about what happened between your drivers in Mexico. Have you had a chance to sit down with them since then to discuss it?
Fred VASSEUR: We did it, We did it yesterday evening because I had to fly back to Europe between the two races. It went well. It was good to discuss, good to clarify my position and their position. It was good to do, and now we turn the page, and we are focused on the next one.
Q: You say you’re turning the page, but what are you changing going forward?
FV: The guidelines are still the same. I think they accumulated perhaps a bit of frustration because they are starting each weekend side by side, and you have a kind of accumulation of that. But at the end of the day, the guidelines are always the same: they need to respect each other. That they are two competitors with a fighting spirit, for sure, but they need to have respect for the other one. But mainly, and firstly, they need to respect the brand, the team, the people working at home and the people working on track. I think we are putting a lot of effort into this, and the message was clear and will stay clear.
Q: They raced cleanly in China and Japan, why do you think they’re unable to do that now?
FV: Unable is a bit harsh. I didn’t see a contact between the two cars, also. It’s taking huge proportions because we were one-two, but there was no contact between the cars. It’s not always like this between two teammates. For sure, it’s not a good move because when you are one-two, you are expecting to stay one-two, and we didn’t. On the top, we took the penalty and this won the race. But overall, we still scored the highest number of points over the weekend. I would have preferred to finish P1, for sure, but we have to take it, stay calm and take it step by step.
Q: Lewis thinks Charles races him harder than any of his previous teammates do. Do you agree with him?
FV: I’m not sure that he said something like this. He said that he was fighting probably a bit harder with him than with some others. But if you have a look at what Charles did in Austin in the first section, everybody said that he was magic, that the line was fine between the two, but he didn’t crash into the other car, also.
Q: Fred, you have a lot of experience working with drivers. Is this pair one of the most challenging of your career?
FV: For sure, we have two experienced guys, two competitive guys. There are now four or five races in a row that we are at the front, scoring the highest number of points after Monza and Madrid. Then, for sure, you have a kind of escalation because you all want to win races. I think it’s probably the downside of the system, that we have two competitive guys starting each weekend next to each other. But I think if we are P2 today, it’s also because we have two guys who are very, very close, and we have to manage it. But it’s a choice. It’s a choice in the line-up, and I have the positive and the negative, but I will deal with the negative.
Q: On a lighter note, Fred, has Charles asked you to be godfather to his baby girl?
FV: I have four children at home, and I don’t want to be the godfather of all the children of my drivers.
Q: Fred, thank you very much. Toto, if we could come to you now, please. It’s been a week of celebrations for the team. What’s been the highlight so far?
Toto WOLFF: I forgot these things. Well certainly, Sunday was a highlight. I found myself in a strange situation that during the race and after the finish, I felt zero emotion and said to myself, “What’s wrong with you?” And then going into the stadium that was properly my highlight of the weekend, seeing Kimi, the team, the parents, everybody being so happy, and you realise what he’s done is just magic. And, yeah, that was my highlight. Other than that, there were many hours in an aeroplane.
Q: Look, Kimi’s been busy this week. What kind of ambassador for Formula 1 do you think he’ll become?
TW: They all have their different personalities, you know. And what stands out with Kimi, I’ve said it very often, is that he’s preserved his authenticity. He’s a very polite, charming young man who is capable of deploying capability or power in the car that sometimes doesn’t fit the guy out of the car. I was always saying in the past, you can’t expect a puppy outside of the car and a lion in the car. And I think what we’re seeing is a lion in the car and a very, very good young man outside.
Q: Now, you can clinch the Constructors’ Championship here in Brazil this weekend. You’ve won a lot of championships now. How does 2026 compare to the ones that came before?
TW: They’re all different, with different challenges and situations. The Drivers’ was very special this year, but the Constructors’ is obviously the one that pays the bonuses. So, it’s something that is very, very important for all of the organisation. You know, you pay the mortgage, the kitchen, or the holiday, or the school of the children. And the driver is also very aware of that.
Q: Final one from me. It was a tough Sunday for George in Mexico. Have you caught up with him here? Is he in a better place now?
TW: Yeah, certainly very tough for him. I mean, you know, he’s still… he’s gone to see Kimi, which is great that he was capable of doing it. But when a season goes against you like that, it’s obviously very difficult to go through these moments. But I spoke to him. We texted the same evening, we spoke the next day, looking forward to this race and the next season. And that’s the mentality of a fighter. This one is lost. What can I do best to win the next one?
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Ted Kravitz – Sky Sports F1) This one’s for Fred. Fred, I appreciate what you said about the incident in Mexico City, but maybe, I think, for some Ferrari fans, for some Tifosi, maybe some independent fans out there, it wasn’t so much that they didn’t show some respect for each other and the team. It’s that they didn’t work together to make sure that Ferrari won the race and not one of your competitors. Do you agree in your meeting that they would be able and would work together in future to ensure a Ferrari win rather than handing the victory to someone in another car?
FV: Yes, Ted. When I said that the message was clear, it’s that I think it’s true for Ferrari, but it’s true for every single team on the grid: they are working for the team, and the team has to come first. For sure, in this situation, we failed collectively because we were one-two and we didn’t win the race at the end. That means it’s clear that we failed, and we have to react. But, yes, the conclusion of the meeting yesterday evening was clear. It was a clear reminder that Ferrari is coming first. It’s coming first for the brand, for the employees, for the Tifosi, and this, we have to keep it in mind.
Q: (Nelson Valkenburg – Viaplay) For Alan Permane. Alan, you just said that you’re looking forward to getting to a resolution where everybody is happy. Picking up on that, does that mean that there’s a solution where you would maybe even announce Tsolov for ’28 and have the current line-up fight it out for the other seat, leaving everybody happy?
AP: All solutions are possible. I’m not going to give you any clues on what we’re going to do because, honestly, we’re almost there, but we’re not finalised. I don’t want to say one thing or the other on that. But nice try.
Q: (Breno Peçanha – Globo TV) Fred, what does it mean to Ferrari to have another driver from its academy, Rafael Câmara, taking part in his first F1 race? And did you have a chance to speak with him to give him some advice?
FV: It means a lot. When you have a look at the field today, Kimi is champion after two years. It means that the young generation is performing very well, and also with the new generation of cars, and we have to prepare the future. We have Oliver Bearman into the pipe already. Rafael did a fantastic job in F3 and F2 this season. He’s leading the championship, and he was performing all over the season. But it means that it’s a good one for the future. We are planning to put him into the Haas car next year with Ayao, and with the situation, it was a bit anticipated. But, yes, we are trying to help. We helped him over the last couple of years to be prepared, and it’s not just a matter of doing the junior series. It’s to do a TPC, to prepare him also for the environment of F1. I think now he’s prepared. We don’t have to expect too much because to start the season two races before the end, in Brazil, for him it will probably be a bit difficult with the pressure, and then you have Vegas. But I think it’s also the best way to prepare next year, the best way to accumulate experience and to have a good debriefing session after the first event, and to prepare 2027 in the best way.
Q: (Craig Slater – Sky UK) Another one for Fred. There were obviously one or two flashpoints between Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc when they drove together, but they seemed to have a very good personal relationship and were able to sort out any issues between themselves afterwards. How would you define now the personal relationship between Lewis and Charles? And do you have any concerns? Lewis says he won’t be silenced. Were you concerned about the kind of language he did use in the aftermath of the race in Mexico?
FV: No, no. But this I was clear with Lewis, and I will keep it between Lewis and me. You can’t compare the relationship between Carlos and Charles, or Charles and Lewis, or Lewis and Bottas in the past, or whatever. They have different personalities. Probably in terms of age and experience, Charles was a bit closer to Carlos, and it is like it is. But I’m not asking them to be best friends. I think it would even probably be a bit negative. I’m just asking them to act and to work as professionals, and this is it.
TW: You know, for me… Fred here doesn’t need any advice from me, but it’s like déjà vu because you’ve asked me exactly the same questions for how many years? 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, was it? Then Nico called it a day? Four years. Exactly the same situation. And sometimes when you put two strong drivers in there, the best ones have edges and they want to win, and that is a situation that is always very difficult to cope with, obviously under the media spotlight if those cars race at the front. So, in that respect, I can so relate to what Fred goes through at the moment. And I think sometimes it needs the really tough ones, where, like the last one, to make a point. It was always when I was there with Nico and Lewis, when there was an accident, it was understood that that was now the limit, and it wouldn’t continue like this. That’s why maybe it needed to escalate to that point, because it’s respect for the team, many thousands of people, the brand, who work together, and that’s what they need to keep in their heads.
Q: (Jon Noble – The Race) To Fred: when Toto dealt with Nico and Lewis, there were times when he made clear that if the problems continued on track, maybe they wouldn’t continue with the pairing or there would be bills sent for damage. How robust were you with the pair of them yesterday, and what have you laid down in terms of consequences if there is a repeat? It’s easy to agree things in a meeting. It’s another one when they’ve got their helmets on in the car.
FV: First, I’m not sure that Toto ten years ago told you exactly the content of the discussion with Nico and Lewis, and I will do exactly the same. We had the discussion. It has to stay private. It’s a matter of respect also for them and for the team. Once again, the most important is the message. The message is that we are working for a brand, we are working for sponsors, we are working for… I would say probably mainly also the employees of the team. And we had a good recovery in terms of performance. We came back after Madrid in much better shape, and this is due to the work of the people at home. We all, as a team, have to keep this in mind, that it’s not due to the wind or whatever. It’s due to the work of the people and the employees of the company. And that was the tone of the message.
Q: (Cyprien Juilhard – Auto Hebdo) A question for the three of you. Of course, Rafa Câmara is starting this weekend, but it also means that it’s the end of the story for Esteban Ocon with Haas. All of you have worked with him at different stages of his career. What do you think about his situation? He has also said pretty often over the last few weeks that he thinks he still belongs in Formula One. Do you agree with it?
AP: Yep. Thanks, guys. Look, Esteban is a super guy. I was there in Budapest when he won that race, and he thoroughly deserved that, with a good dollop of help from Fernando to hold off Lewis in the final stages. I think he’s exceptionally quick. He’s a lovely kid, and I think it’s a shame for him. It’s a shame that it’s ended like this. I think that’s more the point. I think if he could have seen the season out, for him it would have been nice and he’d have been able to hold his head up high. We don’t know what’s going on, and I’m certainly not going to speculate on that. But I think he’s had a very good career, and I don’t say it’s over. He’s had a very good career in Formula 1, a very strong career, and he’s a quick guy. I just wish him well for the future.
FV: Yeah, I worked with Esteban in GP3, in DTM. I don’t know if it was ten or fifteen years ago, with Toto also at this stage. Yes, he did very well. He did, I think, very well in the junior series, in the DTM, in F1. Now, to comment on what’s happened in another team, it’s difficult. I have enough to do with my guys, and I don’t know what’s happened between Ayao and Haas, the team and the driver. I don’t want to make any comment. For sure, it’s a shame for Esteban because I think he’s a pure competitor. He put a lot of energy all over the season to be in F1, and we need to have huge respect for this. Now, I won’t make any comment on the situation.
TW: Yes, at Mercedes we picked up the management of Esteban, due to Gwen, actually. That’s how we got to know Gwen when Gravity defaulted and then agreed to work with Fred in GP3, the championship together. Then there wasn’t really an opportunity in Formula 1. Then the DTM door, we did that together. And then, I don’t know if that is actually known, when suddenly there appeared to be a free seat in Manor from Spa onwards, it needed two million dollars, and were saying we can provide one million for that seat, but we were missing one million, and Fred put the money in personally to give Esteban the opportunity. And over all those years, I think we were all very supportive and very strong in trying to make sure that Esteban would have the best possible opportunity. Obviously, then he went through a couple of team changes, and I think at the end it came to the point where Ayao needed to represent the team and protect the team from certain rhetoric. And on the other side, Esteban felt personally that he wasn’t wrong in the things he said. And you’ve got to respect that at the end, the team calls the shots. The team principal needs to decide when it’s enough, and that is what Ayao did.
Q: (Adam Cooper – Adam Cooper F1) One for all three of you. I know you’ve been asked a few times in the last few months about the Middle East races, but the clock is ticking. We’re only four or five days away from a decision on whether they can happen. What are your views on the latest situation? Has the MotoGP example made things clearer or not? And as we get closer, are you starting to get team members asking you questions or expressing concerns about going?
TW: Stefano and Mohammed have been pretty clear about the situation that Formula 1 follows what the international guidelines are, whether there are travel restrictions, airlines not flying, any warnings in the region, the kind of feedback that local governments are making. So not only the promoters, but what the local governments are making. And this is what you need to rely on, in my opinion, and I’m fully with that. I think that if riders stand up, who know nothing geopolitically about what’s going on, but have an audience that listens, I think that is something that creates media value. But I would have done the same as MotoGP management has done. You want to ride or drive, go. If you don’t want to, don’t go. It’s as simple as that, and everybody can take their personal decisions on that, and I respect that. Of course, you’ve got to be wary of what’s happening in the next few days, a few weeks, and Stefano has his finger on the pulse to monitor that. If things were to get more dangerous and we would get that feedback, then he’s going to be the first one, together with Mohammed, to protect the people that were meant to travel. So that’s why I’m following their guidance. From what I’m hearing internally, it hasn’t been raised. It hasn’t been a topic. But also there, if someone feels they don’t feel comfortable, he or she doesn’t feel comfortable travelling, then it’s something that I would always respect. And maybe that’s an opportunity to give somebody else a chance. It wouldn’t change anything for the relationship. I’ve always respected that some people didn’t want to go to certain Grands Prix, and that’s how I see it at the moment.
FV: Yeah, as Toto said, I think that our organisation is quite robust. I have full trust in the FIA and FOM and Stefano, and let’s see what we will do. Concerning the point about whether we had questions internally, honestly, we are in the middle of nine races in 11 weeks. Everybody is focused on the triple-header, and perhaps the topic will come to the table a bit later, but it’s not the case today. In any case, we will respect the decision of the team member. If someone feels something and doesn’t want to come, we will respect the decision. But so far, we have huge trust in our system, our organisation, and we will see in the coming weeks.
AP: No, nothing further to add.
Q: (Anna Carolina Ramos – Lance) Alan, we’re getting closer to the end of the season, and Racing Bulls is the only one with two seats available still. How close are you to making a final decision, and what are the main factors that will guide your choice now that we’re getting to the end? To announce it.
AP: Yeah, we are getting close, as I’ve been saying for a while. The main factors are, as always, pace and speed. That’s what comes into it. That’s the very first thing we look for. But we’re not just a team that exists solely to compete. We are here to bring young talent through, so we have to keep an eye on that. And that doesn’t necessarily mean that we just keep churning young talent through the car. We need to have maybe some experience as well to measure that talent again. So, it’s not an easy decision, and I understand and get the frustration from everyone. I get the frustration from my drivers. However, they are both performing excellently, so I don’t know if that frustration is helping. Maybe they’ll be even better when those decisions are made. I don’t know. But, like I said, we don’t have a… I’m not going to give you a date, but we’re getting there, and it won’t be long.
Q: (Caio Innocencio – UOL) Fred, talking again about Rafa Câmara, I would like to know which areas do you think he needs to improve next year at Haas, and how he can improve by having time with the team? And if you could compare him with one driver, which characteristics do you see in him compared with other drivers?
FV: Honestly, they are all different, and I didn’t work directly with Rafa. It means that it’s always a bit different when he’s in the junior series than in F1. For sure, there is a decent step between F2 and F1, but if you have a look, he was able to manage the step between F3 and F2. Over the two series, I think he has the best record in terms of pole positions of the last years, and I don’t remember having someone so successful in the junior series as Rafa. But it’s not all, and it’s not just a matter of speed, not just a matter of the capacity to do the lap when you have to do the lap. It’s F1. It’s also a much bigger team. You have a role behind the scenes. You have the support that you have to offer to the team, and I think on this Rafa is very well structured and he will do a good job in the future. But we have to take time because even for Kimi, I think year one was a bit more difficult. And it’s true that the challenge is even more difficult when you are in the top team. It’s probably a huge one. And, yes, let’s take time. Don’t put too much expectation on these four races because I think it would be a huge mistake to start like this in the middle of the season. We saw at the beginning that even the experienced drivers were struggling with the new generation of cars, and for sure Rafa coming into the season like this will be a challenge. But I think Ayao considers that the challenge is valuable because it will also be the best preparation for next year.
ENDS
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