Introducing the pole position winner, Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing), in second place is Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and in third place is Carlos Sainz (Ferrari).
Q: Here with the driver who secured pole position, Max Verstappen. Max, this is your 38th pole position in your career and you have secured six out of six pole positions this season in Grand Prix qualifying. It was a great start to the weekend for you. Well, not exactly the start, since you have already started! You have been performing exceptionally so far. However, in yesterday’s qualifying, you were surprised to secure pole position considering how the car was. Today, it seems like you had good grip. Max Verstappen: We made some improvements to the car, but I must say that every year, when we come here, I find it extremely challenging to maintain a consistent feel with the car and tires throughout the entire lap. It is incredibly difficult to ensure that Sector 1 and Sector 3 feel good together. Achieving that balance is difficult. Today, it was all about finding that balance. I think we did well. I can’t say it was the most enjoyable lap of my career due to the slippery conditions and lack of confidence. However, we secured pole position, and that is the most important thing.
Q: You had a controlled performance in the Sprint race, maintaining a good lead at the finish line. However, you mentioned that the car was not at its best. Did you make improvements to the car for the race? MV: The car is a bit more under control now, which is what I was aiming for. I hope this benefits us in tomorrow’s race, but we will have to wait and see.
P: The start is crucial here. Charles had a good start. Did you analyze the start of the Sprint race? Will you make any changes for tomorrow? MV: Yes, we identified our mistakes and what I personally did wrong. I believe that if I execute everything correctly and we continue with the good starts we have had recently, everything should be fine.
P: Congratulations. Good luck. Charles, you secured another front row start this weekend. It’s the same front row as the Sprint race, but your car seems very challenging to control out there. How did it feel from the driver’s seat? Did you leave anything on the track? Charles Leclerc: The car seemed to be on the limit. It was very close up to Q3, where we started to look for that last one or two tenths. However, we started to lose grip in Sector 2 and 3, causing the tires to overheat. Sector 1 was good, but we struggled in Sector 2 and 3. That’s where we lost some time. However, the race is long tomorrow, and we showed good pace this morning. So, hopefully we can put more pressure on Max tomorrow.
P: You had a great start in the Sprint race, getting alongside Max and almost passing him in the first corner. Do you think the start is your best opportunity to get ahead and control the pace from there? CL: Yes, the start and keeping the DRS if we are not passed at Turn 1. The DRS is very powerful here. If we lose it after the first lap, it becomes difficult to catch up within DRS distance. So, we must not lose it. But, first and foremost, the start is crucial. We had a good start this morning, and tomorrow I will try to have an even better one.
P: Congratulations, Carlos. You secured a position in the second row, one step ahead of the Sprint classification. How was the car out there? Carlos Sainz: Thank you. I am a little disappointed with today’s Sprint race. I couldn’t overtake Daniel, but I knew that with a clean qualifying session, I could be among the top three. Fortunately, we managed to do some clean laps. The track is tricky with the new soft tires. Every lap feels like an adventure due to the wind and unpredictable conditions. Despite that, the laps weren’t too bad.
P: The wind and high temperature are factors here. Are you concerned about tomorrow’s race in terms of cockpit conditions and tire management? CS: Yes, it’s always frustrating when you finish a lap and feel like you could have gone much faster with a cleaner lap. But it’s almost impossible to have a perfect lap here. There’s always a slide, tires overheating, or the wind affecting you differently. It’s a delicate balance and a tricky track to drive. Starting in P3 on the clean side of the track tomorrow could be advantageous.
P: The fans in Miami are cheering for you. How is it to race in front of a crowd like that? CS: It’s amazing, as always in Miami. Every time we come here, the fans have incredible energy and give us positive vibes. We really enjoy coming here.
P: Congratulations, Max. Q3 was challenging for you, with difficulties in maintaining consistency. Are you satisfied with the result? MV: It was extremely difficult to put together a perfect lap. It’s hard to explain, but the tires and the car’s performance made it unpredictable. It wasn’t a fun experience to drive like that. However, we dealt with the situation well, did our best, and the car felt better compared to yesterday.
P: Is the track more unpredictable this year compared to last year? The pole position time is slower this year. MV: The track is quite hot and also very slippery. The tires don’t seem to work well in these conditions, making everything more complicated.
P: Were you more satisfied with the car in this qualifying session than in yesterday’s Sprint qualifying? MV: Yes, the car felt more connected and predictable, which I hope will benefit me in tomorrow’s race.
P: Let’s briefly talk about the race. Both Ferraris are right behind you. Does that make the race more complicated for you? MV: Honestly, the only thing we can control is ourselves. Let’s focus on that. As long as I am satisfied with the car’s balance in the race, we should be fine. We just need to do better than today. If we can do that, we will be in a better position, and I am confident we will be fast.
MV: Right. Good luck. Thank you. Charles, now it’s your turn. You secured two front row starts this weekend. How happy are you with your car? CL: I’m happy. I didn’t make many changes since this morning. Just some fine-tuning, but overall, we are in a good place. However, as Max mentioned, it’s extremely challenging to put a lap together here. The tires, especially in the second sector, are inconsistent. There are corners where you don’t know what to expect, which makes it very difficult. So, it was a tough qualifying session. But starting in second is not too bad.
P: Can you tell us about your second lap in Q3? CL: I went all out, but maybe it was a bit too much. However, I noticed that, apart from Checo, most of the drivers in front did not improve on their second timed lap. I’m not sure if there was any change in the wind or other factors. But overall, I think my first timed lap was very good. There were still some corners where I wasn’t completely satisfied, but it was difficult to find the right window for the tires throughout the whole lap. I believe other drivers faced the same challenge.
P: Ferrari seems more competitive here compared to the race in China a few weeks ago. Can you explain why you think this is happening? CL: It’s partly due to the characteristics of the track. In China, we mainly struggled in slow-speed corners, but here we seem stronger in those areas. We will analyze it further, but we have two good examples now, and I am confident we will find conclusions soon.
P: Good luck. Thank you. Carlos, how was the session for you? CS: It was good. I made progress compared to yesterday and had a better feeling with the car, which allowed me to push the limits to the extreme. However, as the other drivers mentioned, it was a lottery out there. Making a clean lap was extremely difficult. It always feels like you could have gone a few tenths faster if you had done everything perfectly. But it’s challenging to get that clean lap because you make small mistakes here and there, which costs time. Overall, it was a tight session, but I am in a good position for tomorrow’s race.
P: And the race? Do you think you and Charles can keep up with Max’s performance? CS: It’s always difficult to find ways to beat Max when he starts in front. Having two cars from our team gives us the best chance to do so. We will give our best, knowing that statistically it’s challenging. But we will give it our all.
P: Considering today’s unpredictable laps, do you think the strategy for tomorrow’s race will be different from last year? CS: Unfortunately, I don’t think there will be many differences compared to last year. The tire compounds are quite conservative for this Grand Prix. It would have been interesting to have softer compounds and more strategy options. So, I don’t expect significant changes from last year.
P: Max, on your second lap in Q3, it seemed like you were doing well in the first sector, but slower after that. Was there a specific moment that cost time, or was it a combination of factors and tire performance? MV: It’s just highly unpredictable. It’s frustrating and not enjoyable to drive like that. I can’t pinpoint what went wrong, because I did the same thing, but in some corners, I suddenly lost time. It’s like having less grip, and that makes it really hard. My first sector was a bit better, but then the middle sector slipped away from me again for some reason. I was pretty even in the last corner, so I tried to brake a bit later, resulting in a slight front lock-up. That made me lose momentum on the exit of the corner. That’s what happened.
P: Charles, you seemed more optimistic about challenging Max in the race today compared to previous races this year. However, Max has won all the races he has finished this season. Can you explain your optimism? CL: In the Sprint race, we were closer to our usual performance. However, I also mentioned that Max was not happy with his car this morning in the Sprint race. So, we will see how much he improves tomorrow if he is happier with the car. On our side, we made some fine adjustments and believe we have progressed. If we can maintain a similar pace to what we showed this morning, we can apply strategic pressure. We have two cars in front, so it’s a good opportunity.
P: Both Ferrari drivers, what do you think about the first corner and the start? In China, both of you lost positions at the start. This morning’s start was also a bit confusing. Do you think the first corner is an opportunity to pressure Max, or is the race more about the total length than the start? CL: The first corner is always important, especially when Max has a strong race pace. It’s an opportunity to attack, but only if there’s a chance to do so. This morning, there was an opportunity, but I couldn’t overtake. Tomorrow, if we can do it, I’ll be happy. If not, we will be patient and preserve the tires to attack later. CS: I agree. The first corner is crucial. I almost suffered the consequences of a tough start in the Sprint race. I had a great start and almost passed Checo and Daniel, but Checo went too far in Turn 1, costing us both a position. There are possibilities, although in recent years, everyone seems to start well. It’s hard to make a difference.
© 2024
Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton won another thrilling race at the Monaco Grand Prix last Sunday. With this victory, Hamilton became the most successful driver in Formula 1 history, surpassing the previous record held by Michael Schumacher.
The race in Monaco was full of excitement, with several overtakes and breathtaking moments. Hamilton showcased his skill and determination by overtaking his opponents and crossing the finish line in first place.
With this win, Hamilton secured his seventh world title, establishing himself as one of the greatest drivers of all time. His consistent performance throughout the season has placed him at the top of the standings and positions him as a favorite to win more titles in the future.
After the race, Hamilton expressed his gratitude to the team and fans for their ongoing support. He also spoke about the importance of breaking records and inspiring the next generation of drivers.
The next race of the Formula 1 season will take place at the Canadian Grand Prix, and fans are eager to see if Hamilton can maintain his dominance and continue to make history in the sport.
