DRIVERS

1 – Oscar PIASTRI (McLaren)

2 – Lando NORRIS (McLaren)

3 – Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing)

PARC FERMÉ INTERVIEWS

(Conducted by James Hinchcliffe)

Q: Front row lockout for McLaren. Oscar, you said after the Sprint Race win, “If it ain't broke, don't fix it.” Did you have to fix anything on this McLaren to find the pace that you did?

Oscar PIASTRI: No, we left it pretty much the same. Very, very minor tweaks here and there, but no. Everything felt great all weekend. So yeah, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. It was really good. The team did a great job. Had a little bit of a question mark on which tyres we wanted to use because I did a quick lap on the used set in Q2, and that threw a little bit of a spanner in the works because we didn't expect it to be so good. But no, Q3 was really good on the new set, so very happy.

Q: Race pace looked solid in the Sprint, but 19 laps versus 57. This is a fast, physical racetrack. How physical do you think the Grand Prix is going to be tomorrow?

OP: Pretty tough. I think with the two stops as well, or the lap limits, we're probably going to be pushing pretty hard the whole time. I don't think it's going to be as hot as a couple of years ago, so hopefully it's not as bad as that. But I'm expecting it to be a pretty tough race. You're pulling an insane amount of G-force around here multiple times a lap. It's hard work, but incredible fun.

Q: Yeah, a couple of guys you want to beat starting right behind you as well. We'll start with Lando then. Lando, P2, incredible first lap there put you up at the top, but something happened on that second lap. Just tell us about that.

Lando NORRIS: Yeah, I don't know. I just got a bit of understeer and was going to go off, so I had to abort, which is a shame, but it’s the way it is. Oscar did a good lap and drove very well and has been driving well all weekend. So yeah, nothing to complain about. Just didn't do the lap. And yeah, still P2 for tomorrow.

Q: Race pace again with the McLarens looks pretty solid. Is it going to be a race between the two of you guys, or do you think there’s a threat from behind as well?

LN: You never know. I mean, the first couple of laps are always opportunities for everyone. But after that, I think it’s probably going to be pretty straightforward for everyone too.

Q: It was a great start, great first lap for you [in the Sprint]. Do you have any plans? Have you thought about how to maybe attack in lap one?

LN: Not yet, no. Just did qualifying. So tonight we'll review some things and see what I can do better than I did this morning. But otherwise, no. I think we're in a good position. The car's been feeling good. I was much happier today than yesterday. So, progress. But it’s a long race tomorrow.

Q: Absolutely. Max, what a turnaround for you guys. You must be so proud of this team after the struggles yesterday. Are we done with the porpoising? Are we done with the bouncing? Is that Red Bull behaving a bit better now?

Max VERSTAPPEN: Yeah, I think this Qualifying was a little bit better, even though of course we were still quite far off, let’s say it like that. But at least I felt a little bit happier. Still some limitations that don’t allow us to push harder around the lap. But at least we’re P3 and we are starting on the second row, and it creates better opportunities, let’s say it like that, because we know that it’s quite hard to pass around here. So yeah, we’ll see what we can do tomorrow. Realistically, yeah, it’s a bit tough this weekend. It has just not been what I wanted it to be so far. But we’ll see what we can do tomorrow.

Q: We heard you on the radio in Q1 talk about some issues downshifting. It was making the back of the car bounce. Did you get that fixed by Q3? Is that everything that you had or was there still maybe some pace in it?

MV: No, it's still not amazing, let’s say it like that.

Q: Fair enough. Alright, we'll head back to the pole sitter heading into tomorrow. It’s a big day. It’s a big race. Championship sits at 22 points. Is it win or bust for you at this point?

OP: Pretty much, yeah. I mean, I’ll try my best starting from the best spot. So, try and do some more of what I did today in the Sprint and see what we can do.

PRESS CONFERENCE

Q: Oscar, tremendous lap at the end of Q3 there. Many congratulations. Just how important was it for you to take pole position this evening?

OP: It obviously helps. Yeah. I mean, the next target is to try and get a good start and then, yeah, that should make life a bit easier if I can do a good job there. So far, so good. But there's obviously a long way to go. A couple of pit stops for tomorrow as well. So, there's still a lot that can happen, but everything's going well so far.

Q: How did that final lap feel behind the wheel? I mean, you were seven tenths faster than your Sprint pole this time yesterday.

OP: I mean, I said on the in-lap, I think driving an F1 car around this track in those conditions is probably the coolest thing ever. You know, having those three right-hand corners not be corners according to your right foot is pretty remarkable. Obviously, the grip level is incredibly high and much higher than last night too. So yeah, it's a lot of fun. Everything’s just felt good this week. The car has been in a nice window. I feel like I've been able to get comfortable with it pretty quickly and the results have followed.

Q: You say it's in a nice window. It looks like the car has really been able to stretch its legs here in Qatar. Just in which parts of the racetrack is it at its best?

OP: It's hard to pick a place where it's bad, to be honest. But I think the high-speed corners are the ones that feel the most impressive — you know, 13, 14, just getting flat out towards the end of qualifying. It's always pretty impressive there. But, I mean, the car's been good. On paper, it should suit us nicely — a lot of medium- and high-speed corners — and the results have followed that.

Q: And looking ahead to the race tomorrow, what's the biggest stress for you overnight?

OP: I think the start is probably the biggest thing I need to get right tomorrow. I think we saw today with clean air, it's a massive advantage around here. And with the stint lengths, I think it's going to be a pretty fast-paced race. So that's probably the biggest thing to get right. But yeah, still a lot that can happen.

Q: Thank you for that, Oscar. Lando, let's come to you now. Great first lap of Q3, then you aborted. Talk us through what happened next. What did you think about pushing to beat the clock to get another lap in?

LN: I had no fuel, so can't do that.

Q: Had you had the chance, how much do you think you could have improved on that first lap you did?

LN: No idea. Don't care now. It's too late. Oscar did a very good job today, has done the whole weekend. I certainly felt a bit more comfortable in the car today, that I could push it a bit more in the way I wanted. So, I felt better. I felt like I did a good first lap. I felt like there were plenty of places I thought I could go quicker. I think Turn 2 wasn't necessarily one of them, but it was one where I just caught a bit of understeer for some reason, and that was it. So yeah, frustrating because I certainly think I could have done a better job and improved on my lap a good amount — but I didn’t. So, second on the grid for us tomorrow.

Q: And how much happier are you with the car tonight than you were after the Sprint?

LN: A lot, yeah. Obviously, it's not made me do much better, but I still felt a lot better. I felt like I could at least challenge for pole today. I also had a lot of damage on the car at the end of Q3 yesterday, so I think that certainly helps as well. But yeah, it's second. Obviously, like Oscar said, long run down to Turn 1 is a good opportunity for anyone to gain or lose positions. Apart from that, I think it's going to be a pretty boring and straightforward race.

Q: Well, Lando, if you win the Grand Prix tomorrow, you will be world champion irrespective of what Oscar and Max do. How are you approaching the Grand Prix?

LN: Same as every day. I'm second, so not a whole chance for me to win at the minute. But yeah, I just focus on trying to get a good start. That's all.

Q: Thank you. And Max, very well done to you. An unbelievable turnaround this evening. Just how pleased are you with the performance of the car?

MV: It was better. Just trying to cancel out a bit the issues that we had yesterday, which felt a little bit nicer, but still there. Plus, just not really having enough front grip still, which is then limiting you a bit around the lap around here, especially with all these long medium-speed corners. And yeah, that basically doesn’t allow you to push harder. That is basically what happened also in qualifying. We tried to make the best out of it in terms of prep, making sure that we’re on top of everything with what we can change still. So, it was alright. I mean, the final lap was good but just limited with the issues that I’m experiencing at the moment.

Q: How much have you changed the car between the Sprint and qualifying?

MV: A few bits that we thought about that would help the car — which it did. Unfortunately, still some limitations. They stay in there, but they’ve been in the car for a while now. It’s not like it suddenly just arrived here and we don’t know how to solve it or whatever. It's been a weakness for us this season, especially in these long medium-speed corners.

Q: Just to clarify, what is the biggest limitation for you?

MV: Understeer.

Q: It’s a long race tomorrow — 57 laps. Can we just get your approach to the race tomorrow with the championship in the back of your mind as well?

MV: We'll try everything we can. Start, Turn 1, all the laps.

Q: How vital is it that you pass Lando, at least, going into Turn 1?

MV: Well, if I don't pass him, then he scores more points than me.

Q: At the start, or do you think there'll be options later on in the race?

MV: It will be tough. I mean, in the Sprint as well, I tried, but then we just fall into that window where we just struggle a lot on the tyres and we don't seem to really be able to keep up. And also, the final laps of Oscar in the Sprint, I need to cut a corner to do that. So, it will be maybe a little bit better, but yeah, it will be tough, I think. But let's see. It’s a long race. Anything can happen.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Christian Menath – Motorsport-magazin.com) Question to all three of you. Maybe Max, you can start. You touched on it a little bit — how static the race was and how difficult it is to overtake. So, will this be one of the most important starts of your career for the three of you?

MV: Yeah, maybe. But maybe not. I mean, you never know what happens in the race. Today, the Sprint was pretty boring, I would say, because you just can't follow — tyres overheat. Plus, with all these high-speed corners and high grip as well, it’s just super tough to get close. Tomorrow, you know, there's a lot more fuel in the car. The start for sure is important, but then, yeah, I mean, you never know. It can also be influenced by other cars in the race that might ruin your own race. It's impossible to say now already that it's going to be boring tomorrow.

OP: I mean, yes, it's obviously important. But whether it's more important or not — not really. There are still 25 points on offer tomorrow. Obviously, there's a championship picture, but it's got the same importance as every other race.

Q: Lando, is the grip level very different from one side to the other?

LN: I think it is. I think it's a lot worse on the right side, but yeah, that’s normal.

Q: (Scott Mitchell-Malm – The Race) A question to all three. You've been used to you three pretty much being the benchmark for most of the season. Just in terms of your own personal performances this year, how often do you feel you've been getting the most out of yourself and the car this season? Do you feel that you've had the best season so far in Formula 1 that you've had?

OP: I think on the whole, yes, it's been my best season by some margin. Maybe I wouldn't say the last four races or so have been the best, but I think when you look at the picture as a whole, it’s been a very strong season so far. So yeah, it's nice to be back on form this weekend as well. I feel like this has been the most complete season I've had. Clearly, there's still a fair bit of headroom, which is frustrating at times but encouraging at times. So yeah, I think it's been a good season, but still two more races to go.

LN: In some ways similar — just different parts of the season have been good and bad. Let’s say the most important part of the season, the last two months, have probably been some of my best laps in quali, best races when I needed it the most, which is a good thing. But I certainly had my fair share of mistakes and/or just getting my head around this year’s car, which is clearly a huge step better than last year’s but it didn’t come without its difficulties. I explained that over the first third of the season also. So yeah, there’s been times — I wouldn’t say plenty — but there’s been times when I wish, like in Montreal, where I could’ve made a different decision. But I think on the whole, between us two as drivers, we’ve pushed each other a lot. We’ve done a very good job as a team. Still have areas to improve. But otherwise, yeah, it’s certainly been my best season, especially the last couple of months — but still two to go.

MV: Yeah, I mean, I've had a few good seasons. But I think after every season, you always try to analyse stuff that you can do better or grow. Generally, with experience, I think you become a little bit more all-round. I think that’s normal from your first season until now. You become a bit older, hopefully also a bit wiser at times. And yeah, I think this season, sometimes it’s a bit hard to judge because the first half of the season, sometimes we seemed a bit lost and we had some races where it was just very, very tough for us. But in most scenarios, I think we always maximised what we had. Of course, after some weekends we realised we did something wrong — with set-up or in general the car — but we still maximised what we had in that race. That is something very positive. I’m happy. After the summer break and especially after Zandvoort, when you're over 100 points behind, you realise, like, well, there is no championship fight anymore. And here I am, we're still in it — which I think is nice. But I hoped to be a little bit more competitive over the whole season, naturally, especially now when you really need it. But I'm happy. I will never be fully happy with myself. I don't think you should be. So, you always look for improvements. But at this stage of your career, it’s very marginal what you're going to improve at.

Q: (Matt Coch – PlanetF1.com) Oscar, just fleshing out that last question a little bit, if I may. You mentioned you’ve still got headroom. What do you mean by that? I know previously you spoke about sort of building consistency at the end of last year or the year before. Do you feel you've done that? What more is there to come from you?

OP: I think there's just been some races, obviously more recently, where things just haven't clicked. Austin and Mexico in particular, there were still some opportunities to become a better driver all-round in terms of my driving style and how I adapt to different conditions and different needs from the car. So, I think that's really it, to be honest. I think for probably 90% of the season, what I’ve done has worked very well, and I think this weekend’s been one of those. But there’ve been certain moments through the year where I’ve realized there are still things to improve on and still ways I can get better.

Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Another one for Oscar. You mentioned the fun you've had around this track on the cooldown lap. When was the last time you had that kind of fun this season? Do you have to go back to Zandvoort?

OP: Well, I mean, winning is a lot more fun than whatever the hell happened the last four or five races — that’s for sure. I mean, you always try and enjoy it. When you look at the bigger picture, even in the last few weeks that have been tough, I’m still driving probably the fastest car or one of the fastest cars that's ever been in the world and doing something I love and all of that. But yeah, in terms of purely when I’m on track — yes. The last time was probably Zandvoort because things just haven’t clicked, haven’t gone well since then. I think this track as well just lends itself to the full potential of what an F1 car — and especially one of this generation — can do. So yeah, obviously if I wasn’t on pole it probably wouldn’t be quite as much fun, but it still would’ve been a pretty cool experience either way.

Q: (Scott Mitchell-Malm – The Race) A question for Max. Given the long medium-speed corners here, does that deficit in qualifying match pre-weekend expectations, and does it make tomorrow more about being opportunistic than thinking you can take them on just on pure pace?

MV: It’s quite hard to know exactly what is going to happen. I was hoping, of course, for it to be better, but unfortunately it still stands out a bit. And, of course, when you have that kind of limitation — plus in general, in race pace, tyres overheating and stuff — we’re not the best. So that will make it a bit more difficult. But like I said, anything can happen tomorrow.

ENDS