F1 – 2026 United States Grand Prix – Thursday Press Conference Transcript

PART ONE – Isack HADJAR (Red Bull), Oscar PIASTRI (McLaren), Carlos SAINZ (Williams)

Q: Carlos, why don’t we start with you? You have an excellent record here at COTA, including that Sprint podium last year for Williams, of course. Can you give us your thoughts on the track and what kind of performance you’re expecting this weekend from Williams?
Carlos SAINZ: I think it’s one of my favourite tracks for sure, one of those tracks where I’ve always felt comfortable driving. I always say COTA is, out of all the new-generation tracks, by far the most exciting that has been designed, I think, and the most different. And I think it’s a track that a lot of circuits could take as a good example of, with the kind of design it has for overtaking, the kind of ups and downs, the roller coaster feeling. I think normally we tend to always like good old-school tracks, but Austin, even if it’s not an old-school track, it feels like one. And I think that’s why many drivers like it and enjoy it. And on top of that, it produces some great racing. So, yes, not expecting a podium this year, but definitely going to try and still enjoy what is a great track.
 
Q: But is the upgraded FW48 that arrived in Baku good enough to at least challenge for points?
CS: No, it’s not. It is a car that is good enough to get into Q2 with a very good lap in Q1 and race from there. And if the others make mistakes and get things very wrong, then maybe you can get a point like we got in Baku. But the reality is that our position is not to score points. The lightweight chassis has worked, and it’s given us the opportunity to get into Q2 three consecutive times since Baku. But as soon as the race settles and everyone gets into their pace, it’s right now, in a normal race better than the top 15, top 14 is very difficult.
 
Q: So, what do the last six races look like for you and the team? Is it all about laying the foundations for a better 2027?
CS: Yes, I think it’s exactly that. We’re going through some massive changes inside the team, and we are investing these last nine races of the year to challenge ourselves to change things in the middle of a Formula 1 season, which you would never wait until the break to change. But now the team has taken that direction, with clear leadership from the top management to say, even if we are in the middle of the season, change everything, change what needs to be changed. And it’s quite uncomfortable because we’re changing things that, even in the middle of an F1 weekend, you feel like you’re leaving lap time on the table or that you’re doing too many things. But it’s with a target or an intention of getting things out of the way with a car that we know is very difficult to score points with and making sure we hit the ground running next year.
 
Q: Okay, Carlos, thank you. Thank you for that. Oscar, let’s come to you now. Your boss, Zak Brown, says you’re back to being the driver he knows. Do you feel that driver ever left?
Oscar PIASTRI: Certainly, it was hard to find for a while, but I feel like the last triple header was definitely more back to where I wanted to be. Definitely not still at the level I aspire to be at, but back in the ballpark that I should be in. So, yes, I mean, it’s been no secret that this year has been challenging in terms of getting a grip on this year’s car. But I feel like over the last few weeks, it’s started to click a little bit more. It’s still very challenging, but we’re finding a way. So, no, I feel like I’m slowly getting there and both improving this year and also identifying what I need more of or less of to go quicker from the car. So, yes, we’re getting there. But this is not a level I want to be trying to get to. I want to be getting to a much higher level than where I’m at. But it’s a clear sign of progress, which is what I’m after.
 
Q: What have you changed on the car that’s allowed you to make this progress, to allow it to click, to use your word?
OP: Not a lot. We’ve tried various things. I think what we’re dealing with, what’s been challenging this year, you can’t quickly fix. I think even trying to fix it overall is not an easy thing at all. But we’ve been trying some things. There’s been a lot of hard work in terms of how I adapt myself to the car, because the things that were working so well for me at points last year are kind of the things that are my downfall on a lot of weekends this year. So, when you can’t rely on the things that you normally want to rely on, it is always challenging, both in terms of actually adapting but also when you’ve been used to something working for you for a long time, trying to move away from that. There’s almost a mental challenge to that as well. So, yes, I feel like we’re making progress and things are starting to feel a little bit more comfortable, but there’s still room to go.
 
Q: Do you think the layout here at COTA will suit the car better than, say, Singapore last time out?
OP: Difficult to say. I mean, I think in general the high-speed corners are where we’ve been stronger this year, and the low speeds are where we’ve struggled. I think here you’ve got a combination of both. You’ve got very high speed and pretty low speed as well, and very long low-speed corners in a lot of ways. So, it will challenge everything. We’ve got a few new bits on the car, which will hopefully help us a little bit. But, yes, I think at the moment we know that we’re lacking a bit of performance compared to the teams around us in general, regardless of our strengths and weaknesses. But, yeah, hopefully at least we can exploit some strengths this weekend.
 
Q: All right. Oscar, thank you for that. Good luck. And Isack, let’s come to you now. You come to Austin on the back of a frustrating weekend in Singapore. What is your frame of mind ahead of the United States Grand Prix?
Isack HADJAR: Yeah, I mean, it’s one of those weekends where you get a failure in each session. So, you learn from it and we just move on, and I’m happy to be here in Texas. I like the track, and the car has been working really well performance-wise over the last couple of weekends, so yes, we’re confident as a team, but of course, we are aware of the upgrades in the other garages. So, still down to earth. We still know our weaknesses on the car. We’re still working on it. So, yeah, I just want to go out there and have another clean one because the last two weekends have been very frustrating, considering the car I’ve been given.
 
Q: You talk about the car’s weaknesses, but do you think you come to this race with the fastest car in Formula 1?
IH: No. I don’t think we have the fastest car.
 
Q: Look, final one for me: can we get a word from you on Kimi Antonelli, whom you raced against in the junior formulas? He can win the world title on Sunday. Can you give us your thoughts on the season he’s driven this year?
IH: Yeah, just, I think he’s surprised everyone with the level he’s been driving at, just because of how challenging a rookie season can be. And then you turn things around, and we know how good George is and he’s been doing so well against him. So now he’s even surprised me, impressed me. So, yeah, it’s great.
 
PRESS CONFERENCE 
 
Q: (Craig Slater – Sky Sports) A question for Oscar. Oscar, we’ve had a little bit of time since Singapore. We obviously had the coming together there. Are you happy with the way the team handled that situation? I understand there aren’t any racing repercussions. And I just wonder if you think in any way what did happen is kind of symptomatic of where McLaren are at the moment, in a little bit of a frustrating position, trying to make things happen when it’s not really happening for you?
OP: Yeah, I’ve been happy with how things have been dealt with. Yeah, I think the team, Zak and Andrea have handled things the way they should have been, so that’s been fine. Yes, I mean, it’s been a challenging year for us, definitely. I think in the middle of the season we felt like we’d gained some momentum and potentially we were back to being able to fight for wins and regular podiums. But, yes, that’s often the way in Formula 1. You think you’re there again and you’ve got a few teams around you to pull you down a few pegs. So, yes, hopefully we can find a bit more performance in the rest of the season. But, yes, I think in terms of going back to Singapore, I think it was dealt with appropriately and we’re ready to go racing.
 
Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports F1) Isack, a question for you. I understand your frustration completely from Singapore. It wasn’t the straightforward weekend you were looking for. Your team-mate won from pole. Why don’t you think your car is the fastest car on the grid when your team-mate’s car was the fastest car on the grid? And are the cars different, or was it just a case of the power unit?
IH: Because I think the car is still very hard to drive. In Malaysia, it was dominant, but I don’t think in Singapore it was the fastest car. That’s what I believe. I think if you put Max in the Ferrari, he would have won the race with more margin. So that’s my opinion. In Singapore, I think it was the fastest car. 
 
Q: (Tom Slafer – DAZN Spain) Carlos, we are starting yet another triple header this weekend. It should be nine races in 11 weekends. There’s a lot of debate among the fans to see whether they like it or whether they are at least used to having so many races in a row. Being now in the middle of this long stint of races, what’s your opinion, or the opinion of the drivers, if you can speak on behalf of the GPDA, on whether you like it or whether it changes anything mentally or physically having so many races in a row?
CS: Well, I think if I were a fan, I would love it because the more F1 I can watch on TV, the better. Like, I remember when I was a kid and there were only 16 races in the calendar, or 18. I used to miss Formula 1 for a lot of weekends. We also need to consider as a sport if that’s something that maybe is also counterproductive. Sometimes you need to miss the sport to get people engaged. When maybe you get so many races in a row, people or the sport can maybe feel a bit like a league, like the Premier League rather than the Champions League. So maybe you pay a bit less attention to the matches or to the races in this case. So, it’s more a philosophy for the sport to consider whether you want to keep having so many races in a row. But more important than that, I think as the GPDA, we’ve been told more or less that 24 races, 25 races is the limit of the championship that they’re willing to go for. I don’t know if that will be the case, the more offers there are to keep increasing venues. But I think that is the limit. And I think it’s more about the members of the team that are going to spend only three or four days at home, or five days at home every month. And it’s the people in the teams that get the tougher end rather than the drivers. I think we are in a more privileged position in that sense. So, let’s see. I have the motivation to do however many races we need to do. I have the will to race. I love racing. But it is true that this end of the triple header, with three triple headers in a row, is going to be tough for the body, tough for the people, tough for the mind.
 
Q: (Jim Vertuno – Associated Press) For the drivers, the FIA president seems adamant that the season is going to end with the races in the Middle East. I’m wondering what kind of assurances the drivers are getting, and do you have any concerns at this point?
CS: I think they seem very convinced that it’s going to go ahead. I think on my personal side, and not speaking as the GPDA, it’s very difficult to be convinced right now because there are still things happening in the Middle East, and also there is obviously an election that is going to happen in the US and things that are going to happen on the political side of the world that could affect the next month, month and a half, very suddenly. So, I think it’s relatively premature to be so convinced. But as it stands, we would go to Qatar and Abu Dhabi. If the FIA and Formula 1 decide that it’s still a safe and good scenario, I think we as drivers have to go with whatever they say. It’s not like we have as much political information, as much inside information as they have, for sure. So, we need to follow their lead and trust in their decision-making. But only as it stands, I think the world can change a lot in the next month, one month and a half, and we need to stay diligent and reactive to whatever happens, and not just go because we want to go right now.
OP: Yes, I mean, I think putting our trust in the FIA and F1, there have been difficult situations in the past through conflicts and all kinds of things. So, yeah, we’ll put our trust in F1 and the FIA and listen to their advice.
IH: Yeah, I’m not sure. It’s out of my control. So, I’ll drive on the track I need to drive, and that’s it.
 
Q: (Josh Suttill – The Race) A question for Oscar. Just following up a little bit on what Isack said about Ferrari. Where do you see that? Do you think Ferrari had the benchmark car in Singapore? And are you surprised that they haven’t won a race in three or four months?
OP: I mean, I think Red Bull definitely took a pretty big step forward over the last triple header. I think whatever upgrades they put on the car in Baku were very strong. Obviously, they had a double podium there and won the next two races with Max. So, I think it wasn’t a surprise that Ferrari were very strong in Singapore. I think on the data analysis, they’re always the quickest or joint-quickest or outright quickest in basically every corner this year. But they lose on all the straights, whether that’s from drag or power, I don’t know. But, yeah, you would expect – or certainly we expected – Ferrari to be the benchmark in Singapore, but we’ve expected them to be the benchmark at other circuits and it’s not turned out to be the case. I think they’re very strong. I think clearly Red Bull was very strong…  Both stronger than us for sure! So, yes, I think over the last few weeks Red Bull has definitely become, I would say, the most consistently quick car. But I think each weekend the challenges are kind of rotating.
 
Q: (Sahil Kapur – NBC) A question for all three of you, following up on the two season-ending races in the Middle East. If it is determined that you won’t be able to race there, what would you like to see happen? Should those races get cancelled? Should they get replaced with some other tracks? And what tracks, if so, would you like to see replace them? 
IH: It’s Imola, no? Is that not the plan? I think… 
OP: I mean, the weather in Australia is good this time of the year, so I’m okay with that. We might have to get some snowploughs out if we race in Imola, but no, I don’t know. I think, yeah, I’ll leave it to F1. And if, I think, yeah, Imola has just been touted as the replacement, then, yeah, hopefully it’s above zero. That’s all I ask for.
CS: Yeah, I think Plan B is Imola, so, yes, go freeze ourselves at Imola and finish the year on a cold note.
 
Q: (Diletta Colombo – AutoMoto.it) A question for Isack. You mentioned before that Max won the race without having the best car in Singapore. Is it a matter of his ability to overcome the limitations of your car? 
IH: I mean, he qualified on pole by half a tenth. You know, Ferrari didn’t have new tyres in the race. I mean, not on the Soft, so this has an effect as well. So, he puts all the chances on his side, and he made the difference in Q3, and that was enough.
 
Q: (Josh Suttill – The Race) Carlos, just following up on the Middle East thing. Obviously, drivers might feel like they don’t have a voice. Is that kind of correct? Because you guys are an important stakeholder, kind of wearing your GPDA hat. Do you think you should have a little more of a say? And will there be a kind of opinion expressed from the GPDA, or do you just leave it all up to the FIA and Formula 1?
CS: The GPDA, as united as we are, we don’t have half of the information that Formula 1 and the FIA have with all the political battles that are happening in the world. So, I think the GPDA can help a lot to understand the sport, or help the FIA and F1 understand the sport, what makes racing better, what makes a racetrack better, what needs to be changed in order to get more safety. But about political matters, realistically, none of us have the information and the contacts that F1 and the FIA have. So, similar to you guys, you need to trust in a way that the decision F1 and the FIA take about that matter is the right one. But as I said before, we need to stay reactive and see how situations change. So, yes, I think they will do that and they will take the right decision when it comes.
 
Q: Can I bring in Oscar and Carlos on the topic of Kimi Antonelli, please? And the season he’s had, he can, of course, clinch the world championship this weekend in Austin. Oscar, you start. Just your thoughts on the season he’s driven.
OP: Yeah, I think he’s been very impressive, obviously. Yeah, kind of similar to what Isack said. I think the step he took from his rookie season has been quite impressive to see. Different cars, different engines. I think he’s done a good job of adapting to the needs of these cars. So, yes, I think he’s been impressive. And I think when he wins the championship, not if, I think he’ll be a very deserving champion this year.
CS: Yes, I agree. I think for me, more than anything, is the contrast to last season, how much he struggled in his rookie season versus how great this season he has been and the way he’s managed to turn it around. F1, I think, is also a lot about being in the right place at the right time, and having that regulation set change and moving to cars that, for sure, adapt better to his driving, to the way he approaches a corner, to the way he drives with the throttle or the brakes, is exactly something that can change your life, can change your career, and he’s maximised that. And he’s been exploiting, I think, this year’s Mercedes car to the limit and done an incredible job. And I think fair play to him, because to bounce back from a challenging rookie season to put together such a solid season is something really impressive and says a lot about him.

PART TWO – Valtteri BOTTAS (Cadillac), Kimi ANTONELLI (Mercedes), Lewis HAMILTON (Ferrari)

Q: Kimi, if we could start with you, please. You can achieve something incredible on Sunday. You can become world champion. How does that make you feel, and how are you approaching the weekend?
Kimi ANTONELLI: I mean, it definitely is crazy if you think about it, but that’s why I won’t think about it. I’ve heard that something catastrophic needs to happen to the others for me to become champion. For me, it needs to be a perfect weekend. The others need to have a poor result, which is unlikely to happen. So, of course, anything can happen, and it’s crazy to think about it. But, as I said, we had a meeting with Bono this morning, and we just said, “Just have fun.” It’s always the same mindset I’ve had all year: one race at a time. Just try to do the best I can every race weekend, and then we’ll see. But, of course, if I do things well, then the result will come.
 
Q: And if and when that result comes, what would it mean for you to follow in Lewis’s footsteps?
KA: I mean, it would be a dream. It’s something I’ve dreamt of since I was little. First of all, to find myself in such a position is incredible. But at the same time, I need to keep going, keep pushing, and it’s not over yet. So first, we’ll try to finish the job properly, and then we can enjoy the rest. But, for sure, it would be an incredible achievement, but there’s still a bit to go.
 
Q: Kimi, do your title successes in the junior formulas and in karting help prepare you for a moment like this?
KA: For sure. I mean, obviously, Formula 1 is different because the pressure is a lot bigger than in anything else. So yeah, the pressure is a bit more. The competition is a little bit higher as well because you’re racing with 21 of the best drivers in the world. So, it’s definitely a bit more complicated in that regard. But I think when you fight for championships in karting and junior series, the mindset is very similar in the way you approach races and the way you think. So, it definitely does help, the fact that I was able to fight for championships already from karting, and it kind of prepares you as well to face certain situations. Of course, the F1 stage is a lot bigger and more complicated to handle in certain ways, but definitely the basics have been there from the start.
 
Q: Lewis, can I bring you in on this? You’ve won so many world titles. Do you have any advice for Kimi at this moment?
Lewis HAMILTON: Slow down. No, I don’t know. He doesn’t need any advice. I think he’s shown this year, and also last year, but particularly this year, his talent and his ability, his calmness and his approach. He’s done an amazing job this year, and I’m so proud of him. I’m so proud of the way he’s carried himself, how he interacts with the drivers and even with you guys. It’s great to see him and the team excel. If it’s not my team, I’d always want to see my old team do well.
 
Q: Can we talk about your team and the performance you’re expecting this weekend? How competitive do you think you can be? Do you think you can win this weekend?
LH: I mean, I have no idea whether or not we can win. I think if you look at the horizon, the different performances through the year, Mercedes were leading for a second, then McLaren stepped up, and now you see Red Bull kind of dominating in the last couple of races. So, I don’t really see why that would potentially change, but I would imagine it’s close between us all. I hope if we can get the car in the right place, hopefully we can be there or thereabouts.
 
Q: Lewis, thank you very much for that. Valtteri, coming to you now. Can we just get your thoughts on the season that Kimi has driven so far?
Valtteri BOTTAS: It’s been amazing to follow. Obviously, last year I was following closely, in the same team, what Kimi was doing, how he was developing, how he was gaining confidence in the car, but also outside the car, with his feedback and everything. And now he’s just taking things to the next level this year. So, yeah, it makes me proud. A very, very nice job. And even as things get hotter, as the season goes on and the title fight gets harder, with things coming towards the end of the year, he hasn’t shown any signs of pressure or weakness. So, I think it seems like he’s in his natural position. Good to see.
 
Q: And Valtteri, let’s bring it on to you now. You said after Singapore that you were going to look into your car’s lack of pace in the Grand Prix. Did you come to any conclusions?
VB: Yes, quite a bit. It was not one of the finest races, but at least we finished with both cars, which has not always been the case this year. I think my DNF rate is about 50%, so that’s why it was good to finish and get to the end. But there’s obviously a lot of management involved. A small set-up issue, probably gambled a bit with the strategy and the tyre choice in the beginning. A slow pit stop, things like that. It all adds up. But, yeah, we try again this weekend. It’s a very different track. Another home race for us as a team, so looking forward to it.
 
Q: And what are your goals both this weekend and for the remainder of 2026? Is this all about laying the foundations for a better year next year?
VB: It is. We do have an upgrade here. It’s a small one, but anything helps. The main thing is we need to make the reliability better. We obviously need to make the car faster, but we are not sacrificing ’27. So, obviously, our focus is on next year’s car. It’s a long game. We know it’s going to be a tough end to the year for us, but it’s really all about building the foundation for the future and eventually for the results.
 
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR 
 
Q: (Craig Slater – Sky Sports) A question for Kimi. You’re on the brink of the championship in round 18. I want to ask how significant round one was in Melbourne in terms of being in this position now, because you had the big crash. You managed to recover that weekend, qualify well and get a strong second place. Is that maybe the best example of how much stronger you are mentally this year, even compared to your debut season?
KA: Yeah, for sure. I think if something like that had happened to me last year, like in Melbourne, the rest of the weekend would probably have been very compromised. So, yeah, definitely, when you have one year of experience, one full year in Formula 1, you come back the next year and you just feel better. Things happen a bit more easily, let’s say, also because you’re not forcing them to happen as much. I remember in the first season, many times I would just try to force the result, also the driving, trying to get the lap time out. And this year, I kind of took a step back in that regard and just tried to focus on the important things and enjoy the process as much as possible. Not only the driving, but also growing with the team, understanding the regulations and helping the team extract a bit more performance from the car, as well as making the team understand better what I need from the car to help me out and find more performance overall. But definitely, mentally, I’ve been in a much happier place this year compared to last season. And especially when you’ve been working with the same group of people for one year, going into year two is a big difference as well, because you just know each other much better and you know what you need from each other. You also know how to move on together as a team, especially from difficult situations.
 
Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports F1) A question for you, Lewis. Good to see you. Good to see you looking fitter than you did after the race in Singapore. I hope you’re 100% now. Going back to that race, your decision to take the lead on strategy with the starting tyre and not pitting during the VSC. Can you give us an insight into your thinking before and during that race as to why you did what you did? And also, moving on, does the outcome of that race make you think twice before taking such a strong lead in the future? Or is the collaboration with Ferrari strong enough that you can still continue to lead from the cockpit as you did then?
LH: I think, well, firstly, you learn from these experiences. It’s rare that I find myself in that position. Of course, the next couple of days didn’t feel so great, but you live and you learn. I think when I was lining up on the grid, when I knew I was going to be third, I’m always looking at ways to win. I’m always looking at doing potentially something different. And I wanted to be on a different strategy, not just the same strategy as Charles, where we just follow each other. The strategy ultimately, we assumed that Max would be potentially quick and the strategy showed us finishing second and third, and that’s not enough for me. I wanted to have options and see what could be possible should the tyre last. If the medium tyre could last longer, maybe you go deeper into the race, but it wasn’t the case when I got going, and it didn’t feel great in the first stint. Then, obviously, coming out behind Charles and losing a lot of time with him on a slower tyre, which I was on at the beginning, and I had the pace on the Soft, it was a bit of a similar scenario to Zandvoort. But I think I was coming towards the pit lane entry and I didn’t know Charles was coming in, because I think he’d only recently stopped. It was a split-second decision, and I decided to stay out. As soon as I was alongside the pit lane, I realised it was probably the wrong decision. But I owned up to it, took responsibility for it, and you move on. We’ve had good conversations in the background about how we can do better together and how we can collaborate better. But I think nothing’s changed in terms of how well we work together in the background. I truly believe my job, rather than to follow suit always, is to continuously challenge the team and myself, including constantly challenging the norms. And that’s ultimately how I’ve got to where I am. I will not shy away from that. Sometimes it doesn’t go well, and that was one of those times. But you live to fight another day. And we win and lose as a team, so we carry the weight and the cost together. It definitely hurts when I lose points for the team. It’s not something I do very often, but I’ll double the efforts to make sure that doesn’t happen again.
 
Q: (Raphael Sampf – Servus TV) A question for Lewis. Lewis, you’ve been with Mercedes for so long. You’ve been so close to the team, so close with Toto as well. The big question after you left was: who is going to replace Lewis Hamilton? The man who did can become world champion this weekend. How does all that make you feel?
LH: I mean, when I was there, I knew who was going to be replacing me. Kimi was around the team, following us a lot, particularly in the last year that I was there. And I think it was the right decision to create an opportunity for a young and up-and-coming driver. Kimi had shown his abilities in the lower categories and his enthusiasm, his charm and his good approach to everything. He was always fitting really well into the environment. Getting to work alongside Bono is such an amazing experience. But they’ve got so many great people in that team, and that’s the reason why they are where they are. I honestly have such admiration for what they do. And to see them back at the top is no surprise to me because I got to experience it for many, many years there. I think in his first year, it’s tough for anybody going into a seat like that, into a team like that, and getting up and running with all the expectations on your shoulders, the things you have, the commitment you have, all those sorts of things. But I think he’s really taken it in his stride. It’s been really great to see his performances this year. It’s massively impressive, and he deserves to be the champion.
 
Q: (Margot Laffite – Canal+) A question for Lewis. It’s official now. We know that Formula 1 is going to Africa. Can you talk us through how enthusiastic you are? I don’t know if you will be racing there in 2030, but just talk us through the feeling. 
KA: You got to do at least the first one!
LH: Well, I mean, I’ve been advocating for a race in Africa for many, many years. Countless meetings with the stakeholders, so many meetings with Stefano at his office in London, but also on race weekends, countless calls: “What’s happening? Where are we going? Who are you meeting with?” Many meetings with different presidents from different countries. Lots of phone calls with different presidents from different countries within Africa. I think for me, it’s a place that deserves to have a Grand Prix. It’s about more than just one country. It’s about the continent itself, and there are so many beautiful countries within it. The people are so lovely. The culture is so rich, and I think it’s important that we get to show that to the world. We get to do that with our sport. We get to go to all these different countries, and people see some of these countries they didn’t really know too much about. All of a sudden, it becomes something that’s on the screen, and kids are talking about it. They go to school talking about it. So, I’m really, really hopeful for that Grand Prix. Of course, I don’t get to choose where we go. Naturally, there are problems all over the world today, so I’ve seen many of the stories. But I think we really have to approach it with humility. There’s a lot that we don’t know. Growing up in England, they never taught us anything about Africa. It needs to be on the curriculum. A lot of the problems they have there are still results of colonialism and the West intervening. But if you go and see the people, you see so many designs that are out there today from top brands that come from Africa. It’s got all the richest resources. I really hope, and I still have hope, that Africa unites. I know there are many people who don’t want that to happen because they would be so powerful if they did. But I’m still hopeful that at some stage they will. And, yeah, of course, going there doesn’t mean that you neglect the things that are happening there. So hopefully many people start to educate themselves a little bit more about what is happening there and what has happened there for hundreds of years. I hope that does spark the conversation. And then I guess I’ll finish it off with this: I think we need to make sure we’re pushing to free Congo, free Sudan, free Syria, free Palestine. I think there’s a lot of peace that I’m hoping we get to at some stage.
 
Q: (Guilherme Pinto – TV Globo) A question for Kimi and Lewis about Rafa Câmara, the new Brazilian driver in Formula 1. Kimi, you had great battles with Rafa at the beginning of your career. So how is it to have Rafa in Formula One with you? And, Lewis, do you have any special relationship with Brazil? Rafa is a Ferrari Academy driver as well, so how is that for you?
KA: Yes, I’m very happy for him. I think he fully deserves it. He’s an incredibly fast driver, and we’re good friends. We’ve been racing together in karting and until FRECA. So definitely, it’s been great to race with him, and I’m really happy to have him on the grid next year. Of course, he fully deserves it, obviously. I sent him a message right after the announcement because we kind of support each other, and also seeing him doing so well in Formula 2 this year, obviously fighting for the championship. So, yeah, I’m happy for him and looking forward to having him on the grid next year.
LH: I honestly don’t know a huge amount. I’ve not been in touch with what’s happening. Brazil produces amazing drivers, another one coming through. It’s a place that I love a huge amount, and I’m still so blown away and honoured to be able to be a citizen of Brazil. It’s one of the races I just look forward to. It couldn’t come sooner, that Grand Prix. I wish we could do more there. And, yeah, I think it’s going to be cool to see more Brazilian flags on the grid.
 
Q: (Fréd Ferret – L’Equipe) A question to Lewis. Isack Hadjar told us earlier that he thinks the quickest car on the grid now is the Ferrari, not the Red Bull, saying that Max won last week because of pole, only pole, and the great Q3. Would you agree with him? And would you say that with the upgrades you’re having this weekend, you can find further victories?
LH: Firstly, I think Isack is an amazing driver. We’re going to have different opinions there. Ultimately, they’ve done an amazing job. Red Bull have done an amazing job for many, many years. You’ve seen how they continuously surprise me. I’m full of admiration for them. I put my hand up many, many years ago when I was younger and was like, “There’s no way they’re going to be able to do what these other teams, like McLaren with all that heritage and Ferrari with all that heritage, can do.” But they have, and they’ve proved me wrong. They’ve continued to have amazing success over the years. But this one is where the engine… I was like, “There’s no way that anyone’s going to build a better engine than what Mercedes, for example, or Ferrari are capable of doing with the resources and experience they have, and the IP.” And yet again, they proved us all wrong again. They built the best engine. They’ve had the best engine this year. Obviously, they had a little bit of a wobbly start. But, like you saw last year, they’ve got an amazing car. They’ve got great drivers. They’ve clearly got great leadership. And I think they will be very, very hard to… They’re just as quick through all the corners as us in the last race, and that’s been our strength. So, they’ve matched us now through the corners, and they’re three or four tenths quicker down the straights. We have a very, very small upgrade this weekend. It’s less than a tenth. It’s like half a tenth. So, I don’t think that propels us forward enough to necessarily challenge that deficit. But maybe the track suits our car, and maybe they’ll have a one-off weekend. Maybe Mercedes will have an off weekend again, and we’ll be right there to take it.
 
Q: (Rodrigo França – Car Magazine Brazil) Kimi, your father is also a racing driver. Even though he didn’t race in formulas, how much has his experience helped you to develop your career? And is it true that he didn’t want a son to be racing at first?
KA: Yes. I mean, my dad is kind of… He’s like my rock. He’s the one, of course, along with my mum and the rest of the family, who knows me best, and he knows how to handle me in certain situations. And, yeah, growing up, he’s been teaching me everything he knew, first of all about racing, but now he kind of teaches me more about life. And, of course, it’s really important for me to have someone like him during races, especially in such a big year. So, yeah, he’s been making an incredible effort trying to balance his work, his racing team and coming to my races. I really appreciate that from him. But, yeah, when I was little, before everything even started, he didn’t want me to race because the sport can be very cruel at times. And especially financially, it’s a very difficult sport when you don’t have the right support. I’d always be very grateful to Mercedes because they were the ones gambling on me when I was very little. Mainly without them, I wouldn’t be here today because they were the ones who supported me all the way from karting to now. They were the ones who gave me the opportunities because otherwise I probably wouldn’t be here. So that’s why my dad didn’t want me to race because, unfortunately, when he was racing himself, he had to face this reality. He didn’t have any financial support, and he couldn’t keep going with his racing career. So then he started his own racing team. That’s why he didn’t want me to race as well, because he didn’t want me to face the same kind of disappointments he had faced back then. It was very hard for him to accept it. He just wanted to protect me. But then he saw I had passion, so he decided to give it a go.
 
Q: (Diletta Colombo – AutoMoto.it) A question for Lewis. Is there anything that surprised you about the way Kimi has been handling his first title battle? 
LH: Lots of questions on Kimi. Surprised me particularly? I don’t think so. I think, as I said, we had these conversations before we got there. I’ve worked in that environment. I know how amazing it is to work in that environment in the office back at the factory, with all the people, how hard everybody works and how much talent there is within that team. So, I already knew the support structure they would bring around him. Also, as I said, with Bono, he’s amazing at really putting his arm around you and supporting you, as are Shov and Simon and everyone in the team. I guess you never know how anyone’s going to do under pressure until you see them. I could assume that he was going to be fine with the burden — sorry, the weight — you have on you when you have to do all these appearances and all these things pulled left, right and centre. But I think he’s taken it in his stride, and he’s a relatively old soul in that young body, I would say. So, yeah, I’m looking forward to racing with him longer, and we’ll see. I mean, I’m now forced to stay a lot longer because we have a race in Africa, and that’s been my dream, to be able to race in Africa. So you’ve got to come. You’ve got to race. So, yes, I have to keep fighting to try and stay fit. If I can still punch out good results over the next year, we’ll keep it going.
 
Q: (Jack Smith – Motorsport Monday) Lewis, another question about Kimi, I’m afraid. There was a point last season where Kimi did face a little bit of scrutiny about whether it was too early to be in a team like Mercedes in his first season. Of course, you know the set-up of the team so well. So I guess you’re not surprised to see the fact that he’s thrived so much. Do you put a lot of that down to the way the team is set up, particularly with the way Toto is able to handle him?
LH: Yeah, I think I kind of covered that in what I was saying. But definitely, great leadership. Toto is exceptional at what he does and the environment he creates and the people he puts around him. I also had a similar sort of experience when I got to Mercedes, and the same at McLaren. I know that was a question people were asking, whether or not I would be able to deliver, especially alongside a double world champion. And I see similarities between how my first year and first couple of years went and how Kimi has approached this year. But it’s not something just one individual randomly does. You also have to have those pieces of the puzzle around you, supporting you. I was very lucky to have that at McLaren, and it’s great that he has it there.
 
Q: (Sahil Kapur – NBC) A question for Kimi. I believe you were four years old when Sebastian Vettel captured the record to become the youngest-ever F1 champion. Do you have any memory at all of that moment and what you were feeling? And when did it start to dawn on you that you might be able to break that record?
KA: I don’t remember that, when I was four years old. Yeah, I’m sorry. I remember I was playing with Hot Wheels, but I don’t remember him clinching it. Later on, when I grew up, I saw the race, which was crazy as well, the way it happened, because it was a very close title fight between all of you guys.
 
Q: When did it start to dawn upon you that you could break that record?
KA: I mean, recently, I would say. But, obviously, I’m in an incredible position. This year, with how things went and how I felt in the car during the weekends, and also with the momentum going, I thought I might have had a chance this year to fight. Luckily, I’m in a very good position right now. But, of course, I still have to keep going, and the mindset is always the same: whenever I go on track, I want to be at the top and try to win as much as possible, whether I win the championship this weekend, next weekend or in Brazil. Let’s see. But it’s not over until it’s over. That’s why the mindset is always going to be the same: to win whenever I go on track. You want to finish the season on a high as well, and then go with high hopes into next year. But, of course, this year, with the car we’ve got, we’ve had such a strong car, and the team is doing an incredible job developing and understanding this new package. The team has done everything in their power to give us, first of all, a great car and the opportunity to fight.
 
ENDS