Today's press conference with Nico Hulkenberg, Kevin Magnussen and Daniel Ricciardo.

Daniel, if we could start with you, last time you were in the press conference room you were very emotional after winning in China. Having had two weeks to reflect on it, why did that win mean so much to you?
Daniel Ricciardo: I haven't had many, I guess, so they still feel very special. The wins. I guess it had been a fairly long time since Baku. A pretty long time between drinks, the last win and the whole race, I guess the weekend in Bahrain, the kind of... I just feel that the biggest disappointment in racing is being out of the race at the beginning, y'know, before it's really started. You're out of the race on the first lap or something, it's tough - because you've worked all weekend to get to the Sunday and then it's over like that. After Bahrain, I was obviously relieved to have a race the weekend after and have a chance to back it up. Well, to try again. And then yeah, the whole weekend, Saturday, FP3, another kinda head-down moment, but then to get out for qualifying and how the race turned out. It was cool. I guess jsut a lot emotion, happy emotions for sure. Yeah. The highs and lows of the sport can do that to you.

Have you seen enough from Red Bull Racing to think about the Championship this year?
DR: Probably haven't seen enough from everyone yet! So, I'm not thinking about the Championship in that sense. Obviously, I want to think about being there. But yeah, naturally because we won everyone's asking can we fight for the championship now? It's still early - but I think we've proved, if we're there, we can do a lot with it. That's the plan: to continue to be there for the next few races.

Nico, coming on to you, you've qualifying seventh at every race since Mexico last year. You've only been out-qualified by a team-mate once in the last 27 races. It's an impressive stat, so let's start by talking about qualifying. Have you made a step in this area?
Nico Hulkenberg: I think I've just managed to... yeah... to hit it on the head each time. I quite enjoy qualifying, I like getting out there where it counts and putting a lap together. I feel also the last 20 or so races I also had a car that allows me to do that and gives me the support that a driver needs also. Since last year, with this generation of cars, when you have the downforce, you've got more grip to work with. It's just been a bit more fun and probably helps the way I drive also, a little bit.

Let's talk about where Renault are battling in the Championship. It looks, at the minute, a tight fight between yourselves, Haas and McLaren for fourth. Is this where you see yourself destined this year - or do you think you can start to challenge the guy on your left?
NH: No, I think for now it's more, like you say, about Haas and McLaren, these kind of teams, to try to keep them at bay but it's very tight. Each weekend will be a bit different depending on the tyre compounds, different tracks and layouts. What favours one car more than another one. But for sure it's a big development race in the midfield also. But yeah, we're trying to get ahead but still got a lot of areas to work on to catch all the three guys ahead.

Kevin, coming on to you. While we're talking about this battle for fourth place, perhaps we could ask you about Haas. Do you think they can maintain their current level of competitiveness, going forwards?
Kevin Magnussen: It's not going to be easy for sure. We've started with a good car and done a good job over the winter. I think we're in this situation and we haven't had a perfect start to the year so I think there's more in it if we can get through the races and clear out any mistakes. Then I think we're in good shape. Whether it will stay like that for the whole year, I think it depends a lot on how the other teams do: obviously, Renault and McLaren. Last year, consistency wasn't our biggest strength, so I think that's an area we have improved, it seems. Our car this year is a little easier to work with and seems like it has a broader window for its performance. I'm hoping that we can at least be much more competitive thought the whole season than last year - but whether we can keep up to those big guys, it's not going to be easy but we'll do our best.

You mentioned consistency, and one area where you have been very consistent is qualifying. You appear to have made a big step since last year. Can you explain how that's come about?
KM: It's only been three races but I think the car is obviously better than last year. It's performing, as I said, it has a broader window for its performance and it's easier. You can set it up for what you prefer as a driver, in your driving style and it will still work. It's just a little easier to drive. A little more forgiving, more predictable and it obviously has more grip. In terms of aero it's more consistent. I prefer a consistent car, especially on the rear, a rear that I can trust and depend on and predict. This car has a good consistency in that regard. I think that helps - but generally just being more competitive makes things easier.

Questions From The Floor

(Arjan Schouten - AD) Question for Daniel. You won in China from sixth place. Only one of the previous 72 races, there has been a driver starting outside the top five who also won. That was you, here in Baku. What is your secret? Is it patience? Can you tell me something about it?
DR: I'd like to qualify on the front row. It's not always the case. I don't know. Obviously the race is the race and qualifying is super-important in the sport but you can also have a different car on Sunday. You can take more opportunities and more opportunities can present themselves in the race - and that's ultimately what we get to the weekend for, is the Sunday. The race obviously had the mid-race safety car in China and bunched everyone up and gave me a second chance to attack. I sensed an opportunity and made sure I capitalised on that. I think that's something I really demand from myself and, I guess, expect from myself. A bit like Baku last year. Mid-race we were at the back but it was kinda just... you see a car in front and you try to pass them, you see the next car, you try to pass them, you see the next car and try to pass them. Obviously, I knew Seb was going to have the penalty, Lewis had the headrest thing. It was crazy - but again I sensed an opportunity and knew the restart was super-important to try to pass the Williams in front and in the end, for me that was the race-winning move, so I think yeah, just being aware of what's available. Because we're not winning every weekend, when you have a sniff of a victory, that's all the motivation and the hunger I need. It's enjoyable when you can see it in front of you.

(Scott Mitchell - Autosport) Question for you Daniel, you have a big decision to make at some point over what you do for next season, which team you'll be driving for. Red Bull is an environment you know extremely well, it will be a big change of scenery if you did go to another team. Lewis was in a similar situation a few years ago, left McLaren for Mercedes. How curious are you to find out if the grass is greener somewhere else?
DR: It's a good way of putting it. I don't know. The curiosity will not overcome the facts, I guess, in terms of what options I will have, I guess and then which car is ultimately the fastest I can be with. Obviously that's really top of my list. So yeah, I wouldn't just... to answer that differently, I wouldn't just go somewhere else just for a change. If I did move on obviously I'd want to make sure it was something I feel would potentially be better. That's all really.

As a follow-up to that, do you feel a loyalty to Red Bull?
DR: There will always be a bit of that, for sure. It's kind of like, the start of it, 2008, it's ten years since I was in the Red Bull Junior Team. So it's a long time and they really set it up for me, to make all this happen. There will always be that. At some point you've got to weigh-up what does what but regardless, there will always be something and I'd always show love, I think, nonetheless.

(Livio Oricchio - Globoesporte.com) Daniel, you said you can go to one place potentially better. After watching the last race, we saw Kimi competing for Sebastian, not for himself, and he was faster than Sebastian all the weekend, except in qualifying. Aren't you worried that eventually, if you consider the possibility of Ferrari, that people you ask the same function as Kimi, to work just for another driver and not for himself, being a world champion like him?
DR: These are certainly things that I would... wherever I may be, or go, I would always make sure that there was some clarity. I wouldn't want to go somewhere where I didn't feel I had a chance. At the moment that's what I'm chasing is to try and be world champion. That's my goal, my dream, something I really believe I'm capable of, so yeah, if someone said 'we'll let here but you can't do this', that's not an attraction option to me. Is that the case somewhere? I don't know. I honestly don't know what's going on with other teams. At Red Bull there's always been really good clarity and I would say fairness, since 2014, since I've been there. That's been certainly a nice environment and I would expect that environment everywhere.

(Louis Dekker - NOS) A question for Nico, Kevin and Daniel. How surprised are you that Mercedes didn't win yet and do you think it might change this weekend? Is it good for the sport?
NH: I think there have always been some circumstances that stopped them from winning. In Melbourne it was a safety car, in Shanghai as well, in Bahrain I don't remember. I tend not to look at their race so much. I think they will get a shot at it pretty soon. Again, I think they have one of the best packages, so it's just a matter of time.

Kevin?
KM: Nothing to add to that.

Are you surprised?
KM: Oh yeah, very surprised.

Daniel?
DR: They're still very competitive and probably for circumstances and maybe not executing the perfect race yet are perhaps why. I think it is a matter of time. It is good for the sport, I think, to have that little bit of a change for now, but I don't think it's going to be necessarily a trend. As Nico said, I think it is a matter of time. They do have a fast car. They do have certainly a good package. We'll try to keep holding them out as long as we can. But for sure, I expect them to be strong every weekend.

(John McEvoy - Daily Mail) Daniel, to what extent have you had any talks with Ferrari or Mercedes or Red Bull about next year, and how would you feel going side by side with Lewis?
DR: So, I've only had talks with Red Bull. Even already last year, we've been pretty open with each other, and through the media as well, I think everyone is aware they're interested in keeping me. We've had some talks regarding that obviously. I'm aware of other reports, but there hasn't been anything else. They're not true, at least up until now certainly not. Lewis: I would love to be challenged against the best and Lewis is arguably up there, so for sure that would be a good challenge. I've got a good challenge now obviously with Max and I had Seb, so I don't want to say it's just Lewis I'm looking for, but that would be a good challenge.

(Dieter Rencken - Racing Lines, Racefans.net) Daniel, to date Red Bull have managed your career, so you've driven for them and they've also been your managers. Now at the end of this year you're on your own. What sort of infrastructure do you have? Do you honestly believe you could negotiate a crucial contract for your future and concentrate on delivering your best on track this year? Do you have a manager? Do you have some advisers? What do you have?
DR: Yeah, I've got a small little group, a network, around me and as far as the real negotiations go. I've got a guy doing that for me. Look, I'm obviously super aware and invested in what I want and where I see myself I guess, but as far as the real in-depth talks and all that, I think it's best for me not to really focus on that too much. I've been getting asked the same questions since Austin, since Max re-signed. I think it was in Austin. So, it's been probably been more than six months now, and it hasn't got me. I don't overcomplicate it. I guess with the people around me I keep it pretty small and I'm happy with that.

Check out our Thursday gallery from Baku, here.