30/08/2023
NEWS STORY
Yuki Tsunoda: "The weather made life difficult for all the teams in Zandvoort, including ourselves. In terms of our performance on track, there were some highs and lows: I was happy with my pace, showing good speed during practice and the race, but on Sunday, we didn't get the strategy calls right, as the gamble to stay out on the used soft tyres didn't pay off and in the end, I struggled for grip on the intermediate compound. But now, let's turn another page and move on to the next one, our home Grand Prix.
"I like Monza, because it's a really exciting track to drive. It's very quick, and everyone runs the lowest downforce of the season, so braking for the chicanes, and especially hard into Turn 1, is tricky. Qualifying always produces its own story depending on how you get on with slipstreaming other cars to gain an advantage. Our car has worked quite well in the high-speed corners, so this track could suit our car. In Spa, just before the break, we ran low downforce, and the car balance seemed quite good, although it's hard to say where we will be in terms of actual performance.
"Apart from the technical aspects, it's a very important event for the team, especially as Imola - the nearest home race for us - had to be cancelled earlier this year. I know that all the team members are excited about Monza, especially the Italian ones, so we're definitely hoping for a good result there."
Liam Lawson: "In Monza, it's going to be nice to have the full build-up to the weekend preparation-wise, being able to drive in all the practice sessions. For Zandvoort, I flew in from Japan on Thursday night after racing there the previous weekend. Obviously, you're always prepared as much as you can be for these things, but it's so unlikely that you never really expect it to happen, and then it did! The support from the team was amazing. They did everything possible to prepare me as much as possible in the limited time we had. Even during the race, Pierre (Hamelin, Race Engineer) was super supportive with so much information, basically walking me through it, and that really made my life a lot easier, but obviously, there are always things you can improve on. In the race, we had every condition thrown at us, so that was difficult at the time, but also a good and positive experience, which has helped me get ready for Monza.
"Apart from that, I was in the simulator this week, and even though we didn't need to do much playing around with the seat to make me comfortable in the car, there are a few things we have looked at for this weekend. Monza is a lot lower downforce, so I'll have to get used to that. Having not driven a Formula 1 car there, it will still be quite a big challenge, but it is more of a straightforward circuit, and it's one I've driven a few times already. Regardless, there'll be a lot more to learn, a lot more to improve on, and a lot from Zandvoort to reflect on to use for this week.
"Going to Monza with an Italian team is also going to be special. If I think back to last weekend, Formula 1 is just such a different world - the difference between walking into the circuit on Friday compared to walking into the circuit on Saturday, I've never experienced anything like that, specifically that level of attention. Being a home race in Monza, I imagine it's going to be even more significant there. It's amazing to be doing this. It's been my dream since before I can even remember, so it's very cool to have this opportunity, and I'm just going to try to make the most of it."