Track Interviews - Conducted by Nico Rosberg
Checo, what a phenomenal recovery that was, and what a pace you had there. Are you happy with that?
Sergio Perez: Yeah, we got close to P2. Unfortunately, we to a lot of backmarkers. The track was unbelievably dirty off-line, so in the last laps I had some pick-up going through the backmarkers and then yeah, that meant I lost a few seconds, and then I recovered towards the end but it was just too late - but anyway, I think overall it was a great strategy by the team and we managed to have an excellent result.
Christian Horner was saying that it's so important for you now to rebuild your confidence. Is a day like this today exactly what you need for that?
SP: Yeah, definitely. I think this sort of performance, sort of days, do help. From now on I just look forward to basically be on the podium every single weekend. So, yeah, let's keep it up.
I think we're just seeing that pass you had with Piastri. Take us through that. Was that, like, really, really on the edge there?
SP: Yeah, it was, because we were on very similar age tyres, basically we pitted at the same lap. So we were on fresh tyres, I went for it around the outside. We touched into T1 and then into T2 we touched again. So it was a little bit close but hard racing, I would say.
Lando, P2 again, and what an incredible pace that was in the race today.
Lando Norris: Thanks, yeah. Thank you.
You have a lot of fans here, the grandstands are going crazy.
LN: I know, I know. I've got good fans. Thank you very much. Tough race. Not an easy one, especially with Checo catching at the end, but yeah, he didn't have enough pace to catch up so I'm happy. I had to fight for a little bit in the beginning, I got a little screwed-over in Turn 1 but another podium for us, for McLaren, it's amazing.
It's the second podium for you in succession. It's the first time you're had successive podiums. So, is the win coming next now, or what?
LN: If Max retires, or something, then maybe. At the minute, the guys are too quick. Unless they make mistakes or something happens... but at the moment, I think we're very happy with the progress we've made, to go from where we were four, five races ago, struggling to get out of Q1 sometimes, to fighting for poles, and fighting for podiums, we'll take it for now, and our time will come later on in the year.
What do you put it down to? How have you managed to make such an incredibly massive jump forward in terms of pace, like, mid-season now. I mean, with that upgrade. What was happening there? It's amazing.
LN: Just the obvious answer: a lot of hard work; great teamwork; everyone back in the factory did an amazing job. I think we knew it in the beginning: we were going to struggle and we looked pretty poor. We got a lot of abuse for McLaren, saying we weren't doing a good-enough job. I'm happy we finally proved some people wrong.
Max, congratulations, yet another win. Take us through that start from the dirty side, that was incredible.
Max Verstappen: Yeah, finally we had a really good start, so very happy with that, we've been working on that quite a bit to try really get the good bite. And then I knew, of course, that when I had the inside, that corner was mine. [Watches replay] It's close!
We can see it here, you run Lewis out a little bit wide, right? Just to make sure you hold position.
MV: Yeah, it was just late on the brakes, you know, a heavy car. Luckily, it all worked out well. And basically, from there onwards I could do my race and today the car was really, really quick.
You've been complaining about the car balance, just slippery and sliding all the time, you said, all weekend - but today you were happy?
MV: Yeah, I think over one lap this weekend it was a bit of a struggle but maybe it was probably a good thing for today. So yeah, the car was good on any tyre. We could look after the tyre wear and basically that's why we could create such a big gap.
I have to take you through the statistics. I mean it's 12 wins in a row now for Red Bull, beating historic record from McLaren, and also you, seven wins in a row, you're nearing the historic record from Sebastian Vettel eh?
MV: You have done this!
I got seven, so we're equal on that, so stop here please! Do you care about the statistics?
MV: For the team, 12 wins in a row is just incredible. What we've been going through the last three years is just unbelievable, and hopefully we can keep this momentum going for a long time, and also just to work with the whole team, it's always very enjoyable. It's always good to look into... like yesterday, for example, to keep pushing, always wanting to do better - but then a day like today, is just perfect.
Press Conference
Max, seven consecutive wins for you. A record 12-in-a-row for Red Bull Racing. History has been made. What a day for you and for the team.
MV: Yeah, I think it was a pretty perfect day. It already started with the actual start, where we had a good launch, for once, and yeah, we then could look after our tyres quite well, and every stint just eked out a bit more of a gap, and the car was honestly really enjoyable to drive today, so basically, with the balance I had yesterday actually worked very well for today.
Now, tell us a little bit more about this success you and the team are having. Just, what is it like to ride this wave that you're on at the moment?
MV: Of course, it's really enjoyable to work with the whole team and to have this kind of success. I think people probably forget how tough it is to win 12 in a row. Even when you have the fastest car. It's easy to make mistakes - or have an off weekend - but I think so far, of course, there were weekends when the gap was probably a bit smaller than we would have liked, but then also we had a few weekends where we also surprised ourselves and had a really good race, for example. So, yeah, I hope that we can just keep that momentum going, keep on trying to learn from the car, from the upgrades we're bringing to the car, towards the end of the season, and also going into next year.
Have you experienced anything like this before, in your career?
MV: They are very rare, days like this, I think, that it's that good. I think last year, Spa, for example, was probably pretty similar - but then of course I had to start from the back, so yeah, very rare. Normally, it's not that easy or straightforward.
And Max, this is your 24th win since the start of last season. Where's this going to end? What more can you achieve together the team?
MV: Hopefully, I don't stay on 44. That would be terrible. Yeah, I need to get 45 quickly.
Just a quick word on the race itself and that run to the first corner with Lewis alongside you.
MV: Yeah, I think as soon as I released the clutch, immediately I felt like I had good bite, no wheelspin like in Silverstone. Good run, then I knew of course I had the inside and that was going to be my corner in Turn 1. We braked quite late but then yeah, did my thing through Turn 2 as well, and from then onwards, I could just build up the pace slowly.
Lando, coming to you next. First up. Max's trophy. What happened there on the podium.
LN: I'm not sure. Yeah. I'm not sure. Max just placed it too close to the edge!
MV: I'm going to take it off next time.
LN: Yeah, just hold it. I don't know. It fell over, I guess. Not my problem. It's his!
Lando, don't want to take anything away from you, because you've had a tremendous day, the first time you've taken consecutive podiums in your Formula 1 career. Just how different are the emotions here, compared to Silverstone last time out?
LN: It's very different. I guess we're very happy because it's my first time I've had consecutive podiums. To be P2, I guess is a fantastic result in a car that probably shouldn't be P2 - but I don't know, I guess it's not my race. I don't have the fans there - but the fans here were also pretty good, also there's all the papaya fans dressed in papaya here, supporting us as usual.
MV: I struggle to understand what papaya colour is...
LN: Well, when they're shouting 'Lando' I think it makes sense! Yeah, it's great. I'm just enjoying every podium. It's still... I don't quite have, what, 44? Is it 44 podiums or 44 wins? Damn! OK. Shit! I've got a long way to go. They're all still fresh for me, and my trainer is still learning how to bring me a fresh set of clothes, and things like that. So yes, I'm still enjoying all of them. It's not quite Silverstone - I don't think anything ever quite will be Silverstone - but it's another podium in a place we probably weren't expecting a podium, which probably makes it even more special again.
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