DRIVERS1 – Charles LECLERC (Ferrari) 2 – Oscar PIASTRI (McLaren)3 – Carlos SAINZ (Ferrari) TRACK INTERVIEWS(Performed by Alex Brundle) Q: Carlos, nice lap. You appear to have the automotive beneath you at Ferrari this weekend. Is that the way in which it felt to you? Actually, actually robust efficiency all through qualifying.Carlos SAINZ: Yeah, I believe we had a stable quali, a stable day usually with the 2 vehicles. And I believe we put ourselves in an excellent place for tomorrow. I’ve by no means actually been 100% connected round right here in my profession. It is a observe that I are inclined to wrestle a bit, so to be P3 is an effective place for tomorrow, as additionally my race tempo yesterday appeared robust, so all to play for tomorrow. Q: The observe was transferring round all over beneath you. How troublesome was it to maintain up with the swift evolution of the observe early on after which it tailing off in the direction of the final a part of qualifying?CS: Yeah, undoubtedly. The observe was ramping up quite a bit and we have been getting increasingly grip because the observe cools down and the solar goes down. So it was all about adapting. I discovered one thing going into Q3 that gave me a bit extra confidence. Yeah, in all probability wasn’t the very best of build-ups to do this Q3 lap, however not less than I discovered one thing that allowed me to place it into the highest three, which is a good place for tomorrow. Q: Was the Ferrari entrance row obtainable right this moment, or was Oscar a little bit bit distant from you?CS: If I’d have been a bit faster, sure, however it’s Baku the place I’ve by no means been my finest model of myself round right here. However I believe tomorrow we could be. Q: Nice job. Thanks a lot. Oscar, second on the grid. Sensible job. You appeared to seek out a little bit bit additional into Q3. The place did that come from?Oscar PIASTRI: I simply bought a bit nearer to the partitions and on the final lap bought a little bit bit too shut! However yeah, simply tried to essentially get probably the most out of it. This observe actually rewards dedication. So yeah, the final laps in Q3, I knew I had quite a bit much less to lose. So simply try to maximise the automotive. I used to be feeling good right through. Simply did not maximize it that a lot within the first a part of qualifying. However no, very pleased with Q3. Q: Taking a look at your race tempo, are you going to have the velocity to be robust and problem for the victory tomorrow?OP: I believe from the place we’re beginning, sure. However I believe following round right here goes to be actually robust. We noticed yesterday that it was fairly robust when you get behind somebody. So hopefully I can get some clear air and that will be good. However yeah, we’ll see what we are able to do. I believe our race tempo is sweet. However once more, the Ferrari is actually not sluggish. Q: And given the qualifying efficiency, it goes with out saying, you have got the inexperienced mild to go all out for victory tomorrow.OP: Positively. Q: Charles Leclerc, mesmerising lap. From an evocative win for the group at residence in Monza to persevering with your superb run of type in qualifying right here. Simply speak us by means of the problem of setting a lap like that between the partitions. It has been so low grip all weekend, however you completely nailed it.Charles LECLERC: Yeah, effectively, I imply, it is considered one of my favorite observe of the season. I actually prefer it. It hasn’t been a simple weekend as a result of clearly the crash in FP1, which did not make me lose confidence, I knew that the tempo was there, however clearly you have to construct again up to the mark. Then in FP2, we had an issue on a brand new half we introduced on the automotive and there was one thing flawed there. So we misplaced one other half an hour after which it’s laps that you do not actually get well. So I used to be not frightened, however I knew that we needed to make up a while. However the tempo was all the time there. After which in qualifying, till Q3, it was all about attempting to remain so far as potential off the partitions. After which in that final lap, I went for it a bit extra. And the lap time got here very properly. I imply, the automotive felt actually good and the whole lot felt nice. So, yeah, it is superb to be on pole. Q: You might have your self and Carlos up within the high three positions. Is {that a} profit strategically transferring into tomorrow with two Ferraris close to the entrance of the sector?CL: To illustrate it is the very best we may have hoped for. I imply usually the even aspect of the grid has a little bit bit much less grip, so first and third is the place you need to begin and hopefully we are able to play a group recreation tomorrow to win that race. However it should be a protracted race. Up to now we have been very robust in qualifying struggling a bit within the race. This 12 months now we have a stronger race automotive, so I hope that we are able to lastly make it tomorrow. Q: Extra whispering with the tyres, identical to in Monza, to take it by means of to the top of the race maybe?CL: Oh, undoubtedly. I imply, tyre administration can be a giant factor tomorrow as effectively. So we have to do a very good job. We have accomplished a very good job in Monza. However yeah, as I stated, now we have to reset each race as we do. And that is what we did. So tomorrow is one other race with different points, regardless that tyre degradation is there. It is with completely different tyres. So you have to adapt to that. And we’ll do our homework tonight to prepare for tomorrow. PRESS CONFERENCE Q: Sensible job, Charles. Each of your laps in Q3 have been ok for pole. The automotive appeared very connected. Simply speak us by means of that last lap.CL: Properly, it was a very good lap. I simply took a little bit bit extra threat in comparison with the primary try in Q3. It was vital to only have a lap on the board, after which within the second lap, you simply take extra threat and see what occurs. Fortunately, I completed each of the laps, and so they have been good laps. The automotive felt actually good since FP1. Actually, we barely modified the automotive from FP1 to now. Immediately, I felt glad and the steadiness remained actually good. We needed to counter a little bit bit the observe evolution as a result of there’s plenty of observe evolution right here, however the feeling was there immediately in FP1, regardless that there weren’t many laps in FP1 and FP2. That did not cease us to get well after that and to be relaxed for all of the weekend. Q: What’s it about you and this racetrack, 4 pole positions, the place do you discover the time?CL: This I do not know. I have been fascinated by it. And clearly, every time you have got a very good weekend, you attempt to analyse. However I do not actually have a powerful reply to it. I assume it simply goes with my driving type very naturally, as a result of more often than not, you need to work quite a bit to try to acquire lap time. However there, I simply really feel good with the rhythm of this observe for some purpose. And yeah, that makes it a very good observe for me. Q: You stated you have not needed to change the automotive a lot this weekend. So what about your race tempo? Let’s throw it ahead to tomorrow. How assured are you?CL: I imply, I did not do a lap with excessive gasoline, however it’s been a fairly robust level of the automotive this 12 months. So I’m not frightened going into tomorrow’s race, however clearly we have to do issues proper. So I am going to must do a little bit of homework tonight with the intention to prepare for tomorrow, however I am not too frightened that we’ll do the very best job with our package deal after which we’ll see whether or not it is ok to win the race tomorrow or not. Q: And in any case these pole positions at this racetrack, what wouldn’t it imply to lastly win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix?CL: It might be good. I imply, in ‘21 and… No. Yeah, ‘21 and ‘20, I believe, it was fairly sudden, the pole place. So we did not have the tempo within the automotive to win. No, sorry, ‘21 and ‘23. In 22, we had a very good automotive, after which the engine blew up. So, hopefully tomorrow the tempo is there, and we do not have something that stops us to win it. However once more, earlier than fascinated by the ultimate end result, there are nonetheless numerous laps round this observe, and it is a very troublesome observe. So we’ll see tomorrow. However within the meantime, I am going to simply ensure that I’m doing the very best preparation potential. Q: Alright. Very effectively accomplished right this moment. Thanks, Oscar. Let’s come to you now. Entrance row begin. However you stated over the radio that that second lap of Q3 was the messiest one you have ever accomplished. Actually?OP: Perhaps not the messiest ever, however it actually wasn’t the cleanest. A number of large moments in there and a few love faucets with the wall. So, yeah, I imply, I pushed to get the whole lot out of it that I may. And, yeah, perhaps a little bit bit an excessive amount of in some locations, however I do not suppose I had sufficient to get polled right this moment, so… I am fairly pleased with the entrance row. And yeah, hopefully we are able to try to put up a struggle tomorrow. Q: You solely had the one set of latest tyres for Q3. How a lot did that maintain you again?OP: I do not suppose that a lot in the long run. I believe the used tyres I did, I did roughly half a lap on it. So it wasn’t fully used. And round right here, the tyres have been a little bit bit unusual, I’d say. And simply with the observe evolution, it is extra about doing a very good lap fairly than having the proper set of tyres. So I used to be fairly pleased with P3 after the primary set. After which I discovered a little bit bit extra on the second set of tyres. So yeah, I used to be fairly pleased with that. Q: You’ve got talked about the observe evolution. Charles talked about it. How a lot did it ramp up through the session? And did you get to a degree the place it stabilised?OP: No. It was simply getting quicker and quicker. I believe from the beginning of FP1 to now… Usually we go perhaps three seconds quicker or perhaps 4 in some locations, however right here it has been, I do not know what the quantity is, however it’s like seven or eight. So, you actually needed to adapt quite a bit by means of the weekend and attempt to adapt your driving to the observe you have bought and adapt the automotive to what the observe goes to be, which all the time makes life a little bit bit tougher for the engineers and for us. However, yeah, it is by no means stabilized. And I believe on a road circuit, it by no means will. It should simply proceed to get higher and higher. Q: So it seems like one other good battle with Ferrari, because it was final outing at Monza. Who do you suppose’s bought the quicker race automotive right here?OP: Most likely whoever finishes in entrance tomorrow, I’d say! I do not know. I believe it’s totally, very even. By all of observe it appeared very tight between us, Ferrari, Mercedes and Purple Bull. To be sincere, I used to be a bit stunned Purple Bull weren’t a bit additional up on the finish of Q3, however I believe our race tempo appeared good yesterday, however these days the highest 4 groups are so shut in race tempo that qualifying typically makes an enormous distinction. So I’ve bought confidence that our automotive can be fast. However yeah, I believe there’s undoubtedly seven different vehicles out on the observe which can be actually not any slower. Q: Oscar, very effectively accomplished to you. Carlos, if we are able to come to you now. Nice to see you again within the high three. Can I begin with this query as to who’s bought the quicker race automotive, Ferrari or McLaren? What’s your opinion on that?CS: I believe it is extraordinarily tight. I believe it is clearly considered one of… Charles was mentioning it’s considered one of his finest tracks and he tends to all the time discover a few tenths on the Ferrari round right here and that in all probability makes us appear like the quickest automotive, however I believe it is actually inside two tenths between the highest 4 vehicles and it makes it an thrilling battle and an thrilling race for tomorrow. Q: Properly, let’s carry it again to right this moment for you. Simply speak us by means of the quali out of your standpoint and Q3 particularly.CS: Yeah, however I managed to seek out a few issues in Q3 that gave me a bit extra tempo than what I used to be displaying in Q1 and Q2. Most likely discovered it a bit too lat. By the point I discovered them, I want I’d have had extra laps earlier than to get used to driving the automotive a bit like that. And I felt like I used to be extra aggressive. However, you recognize, it is all the time been a observe that I wrestle quite a bit at. It is the very best observe for Charles and one of many worst ones for me, and I am glad to be P3 and have a very good place going into tomorrow, though it is one thing that I hold engaged on round right here as a result of from FP1 I all the time are inclined to lack a little bit of rhythm and I have to construct it up. Q: Are you able to inform us a little bit bit extra about what you discovered in the midst of the session?CS: Nothing that I can reveal clearly in a press convention, as a result of I’d be revealing a bit an excessive amount of, however simply little issues. Little issues that you are able to do in quali to get the automotive to cease a bit higher within the lengthy braking zones, that provides you a bit extra confidence to brake these three to 5 metres later that round right here is key. It is fascinating as a result of I usually really feel very snug in metropolis tracks like Singapore, Monaco or any, however Baku has by no means been, in my 10 years in Components 1, a kind of. However yearly I come again right here attempting to enhance myself, looking for extra of an edge in my driving, however it simply would not come very pure to me. Q: Carlos, if you have a look at the info, Charles’ information, is there one specific space, given how good you’re at road tracks, is there one specific space that you simply have a look at Charles and go, OK, it is there?CS: Yeah, for positive. I imply, the braking, no. It is all about braking right here in Baku and having the boldness to cease the automotive as late as potential, trusting that the automotive then goes to show in into the nook. And yeah, that is the place he excels round right here and the place he is notably snug from the start of FP1. From my aspect, I do not know why I haven’t got precisely that very same feeling that I’ve in Singapore, perhaps on the upper downforce, or in Monaco with larger downforce, however it’s what it’s. I nonetheless suppose I made some good progress. I am going into tomorrow into the highest three. So, yeah, I nonetheless suppose we’re within the combine. QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR Q: (Jake Boxall-Legge – Autosport) A query for Charles and Carlos please. Charles, we heard you type of complaining a little bit bit on the radio concerning the tow, I believe in Q2. Are you able to guys simply type of clarify in the event you had any particular plan for that whether or not it was lacking the tow with one another or was it timing it with different vehicles? Are you able to simply type of like go into the techniques there, please? CL: Oh, no, no, it was nothing all the way down to Carlos. It was simply because I used to be the primary automotive of the group, so I had no person in entrance, however there was no… Yeah, we did not plan something between the vehicles. I simply want there was perhaps one other group in entrance and I did not need to be the primary automotive. And on a observe like this it makes a little bit of a distinction and I additionally noticed Max’s lap in Q2 who had an enormous tow within the final sector, so I simply did not need to be shedding out to pole in Q3 due to one thing like that, so I used to be simply ensuring that the group knew that it was going to be vital for Q3.CS: It was, I believe, a matter of… I believe we each went in the midst of the session in Q2 whereas each different group waited till the observe evolution. We prioritised placing a lap in the midst of Q2 to be secure going into Q3, and that left us uncovered to no tow. And yeah, we have been simply ensuring that for Q3 we have been having one. That’s when it counts. Q: (Aytan Asgarli – Nargiz Journal) I wish to ask you, Carlos, Baku has produced some unpredictable races previously. What’s probably the most uncommon or sudden factor? How do you put together mentally earlier than the race tomorrow?CS: I believe the largest problem of Baku usually is when there are crimson flags as a result of that breaks the rhythm of the race. I bear in mind one 12 months there was two or three crimson flags on the identical race and that basically breaks the rhythm of the race. after which you need to wait whereas they clear the observe, and clearly that’s the largest factor. Then the Security Vehicles. Right here it’s totally troublesome to maintain temperature within the tyres, so every time there is a Security Automotive restart, it’s totally simple to entrance lock, very simple to go large into the primary three corners. So yeah, all these features make Baku an unpredictable race, as a result of as quickly as there’s one curve ball, like a Security Automotive or a crimson flag, it really generates much more chaos after, as a snowball impact. Q: (Jake Boxall-Legge – Autosport) A query for Oscar this time, please. Oscar, we heard Lando sound fairly downbeat yesterday concerning the automotive. Have been you type of feeling the identical factor about it or have been you much more glad after FP1, FP2? Was there something you needed to change in a single day to be sitting right here right this moment? OP: Actually, I used to be fairly pleased with it. We had a bit to seek out for positive. However yeah, I believe I stated yesterday I felt like we have been within the ball park. And yeah, I am not massively stunned to be sat right here. However, yeah, I undoubtedly did not really feel like we have been the quickest yesterday. However, once more, I really feel prefer it’s so shut between the highest 4 groups that you simply by no means fairly know who’s going to return out on high. Purple Bull have been wanting very fast at sure factors. Ferrari clearly wanting very fast. Even Mercedes at factors as effectively. So, yeah, I all the time thought we have been in a fairly good place. So, yeah, not that stunned to be right here. Q: (Lewis Larkham – Crash.web) Charles, your fourth pole in Baku. The place does this one rank in comparison with the remaining, and do you are feeling it was your finest but, and in that case, why?CL: No, it is not the very best. I believe the ‘21 one was in all probability the very best as we have been in a really, very troublesome 12 months. I believe we have been combating for P9, P10, that championship and to be on pole right here was very particular. Nonetheless, it was a very good lap. I imply, it was a very good lap. Once more, there’s not… For some purpose, there’s not that a lot scatter between my laps on this observe. It seems like I am very constant. However once more, I do not actually have the magic reply. However I identical to the rhythm of this observe. And each lap I used to be doing was fairly aggressive from FP1. And the steadiness was feeling actually good. So the lap was good. It was actually good. However yeah, it is also very troublesome to match it to different years. Q: (Aytan Asgarli – Nargiz Journal) I wish to ask a query to all three of you. And it is really fairly a simple one, however extra like enjoyable associated. What anthem tune do you hearken to earlier than a race to get into the zone, contemplating how onerous it should be tomorrow on town circuit?CL: I like instrumental, motivational music. It is just like the film music. That provides me plenty of power earlier than moving into the automotive. But when I’m too tense, which does not occur fairly often, however it did on a couple of events, like Monaco perhaps, earlier than the beginning this 12 months, then it is extra calming music, and it’s totally calm, simply to launch the strain a little bit bit. However yeah, in any other case, instrumental, motivational music. Q: Do you ever hearken to your individual music?CL: Earlier than Monaco, I did, as a result of that is much more calming than the opposite kind of songs I usually hearken to. Q: Oscar? CL: Do you hearken to my songs?OP: No! Perhaps I ought to. I actually do not hearken to something. Once we’re in Europe, I usually find yourself listening to no matter Lando listens to as a result of it is at a quantity loud sufficient for each of us. After which, I imply, no matter they play on the grid, you possibly can type of hearken to no matter you need, however particularly once we go to love the Netherlands, yeah… I do not know the way your calming music works in Zandvoort, however usually no matter they play on the grid, which to be sincere is generally my type of music anyway, however in a couple of locations it is a bit a lot and also you simply type of… It’s a must to shout typically to talk to your engineers, which is a little bit bit irritating, however it’s all for the environment. Q: Carlos? CS: I’ll sound boring, however I do not want any music. I am already pumped up and nervous sufficient, having the goosebumps earlier than the race to even put one thing on my ear to pump me up much more. I really simply talked a bit with myself. Typically I have to, if I pump myself up, I do a stronger heat up. If I have to relax, I’ve a bit extra time to sit back. I let you know one factor that pumps me up right here is the Azerbaijan anthem. It is fairly robust right here. It is a good one. And it is an anthem that once we’re standing on the grid could be very highly effective, really, and it is good enjoyable. ENDS
