Half 1: Kevin Magnussen, George Russell and Esteban Ocon.
Esteban, let’s begin with you, and good to see you. Let’s mirror again only a few weeks, to start with. Sensational end result, each for you and the group at Interlagos. Would you say that’s one among your finest races in System 1?Esteban Ocon: Thanks. Yeah, it has been a enjoyable race, undoubtedly. An sudden one, that is for positive. Taking a look at our dry tempo, that is not the place we have been in any respect. However when the rain got here, it undoubtedly opened up alternatives. Yeah, I imply, I felt good in these circumstances. It jogged my memory slightly little bit of 2016, you already know, on the time the place I used to be combating for some extent with the Manor. And yeah, we have been main the race for some time, which felt good, undoubtedly. And yeah, I believe it has been a really good one as a result of it spiced issues up for our finish of season. Now that we will be, you already know, combating close to the opposite groups. groups, you already know, within the Constructors’ Championship. So it should be an enormous battle, which is much more entertaining for us. And yeah, it brings up, you already know, enjoyable and pleasure for all of the individuals across the manufacturing unit.
It most likely will not be moist right here in Las Vegas this weekend, however it is going to be chilly. Does the efficiency in Brazil offer you some hope coming into the weekend?EO: Effectively, I believe we have to hold the foot to the bottom. That is going to be essential. I do not suppose we’re going to have the ability to battle for podiums and nearly wins like in Brazil. However final 12 months right here, we completed fourth, which was additionally a really robust race. However yeah, this 12 months can be rather more tough with the automotive tempo we now have within the dry. So, yeah, we have to do the very best we will, take all of the alternatives that there’s, and hopefully it is going to be a constructive one for us.
Now, you alluded to the battle within the Constructors’ Championship. You are sitting in sixth in the intervening time. The battle for the remainder of the season is partly with the group you are transferring to subsequent 12 months. What is the temper within the camp? How assured is the group of retaining sixth?EO: I can solely speak for myself right here. I am not very assured, to be truthful, in the intervening time. Taking a look at you already know our dry tempo, we have improved lately, getting some updates to the automotive. It has been getting higher, however as I stated it may well flip fully from one aspect to a different, having an honest end result and these races are normally when the alternatives arrive. So we should be on prime of that if one thing occurs to have the ability to rating some factors and shut the season that method.
Esteban, thanks very a lot. Kevin, can I come to you now and begin by speaking about that battle within the Constructors’ Championship? What is the temper at Haas? How assured are you guys?Kevin Magnussen: Effectively, you may’t be assured in any respect. You already know, we weren’t even serious about Alpine, actually, in that battle, after which out of the blue they’re forward of us. So I believe we really feel like we’re in an excellent place with the automotive. And lately we have form of persistently been within the run for factors. Now that Aston Martin are struggling, there’s really some factors accessible at every race. So, it is thrilling. I imply, we’re now three groups for that P6, which, for the groups imply lots. You already know, whether or not you end eighth or sixth, it is a massive factor. And yeah, for a driver, in fact, it is not like one thing you set in your CV, however it simply means a lot for everybody that it is price combating for.
Can we speak concerning the efficiency of the automotive? As a result of the improve that the group dropped at Austin appears to have reworked your season. What’s modified?KM: I simply suppose the upgrades that we have had this 12 months have been good in all areas. It is simply made the automotive barely sooner over one lap, slightly bit simpler to drive, and higher on the tyres. It is simply form of given the automotive a little bit of a broader window each time we put one thing on. In order that’s been a extremely good job from the group. It has been form of the headline for this 12 months, I believe. In the event you take a look at what we have improved probably the most it is how we have been capable of develop the automotive by way of the season, whereas most different years or principally all different years, we have not been ready to try this. We have, I believe, had an excellent automotive to start with as a result of when the entire group is form of accessible over the winter. They have been doing an excellent job, however over the season, not a lot. In order that’s actually an enormous step ahead to see the enhancements we have been capable of make.
You say the automotive is less complicated to drive, however the place has it come alive for you particularly?KM: I believe it is… Clearly you set extra downforce, you go faster, but in addition I believe whenever you make the automotive extra predictable, that offers lots of lap time too, and particularly on the tyres, it helps lots when, you already know, you are not, it is not as straightforward to overdrive the automotive when the window and, you already know, the stability is extra constant. In order that’s simply been a assist and one thing that is been good to see.
And Kevin, how hungry are you to get again within the automotive this weekend after lacking Interlagos, your second miss in solely 5 races?KM: You make it sound like that is not lots! It is lots. I imply, yeah, it has been unusual to… I’ve watched System 1 on tv an excessive amount of lately, and yeah, it should be good to be again, hopefully, within the race.
Effectively, good luck this weekend. Thanks, Kevin. George, let’s come to you now. Brazil final outing appeared like a missed alternative for you and Mercedes. What classes have been realized?George Russell: Yeah, it undoubtedly felt like a missed alternative. I believe having reviewed the race, you recognise how shortly issues can change. We made the pit cease, which with the proper advantage of hindsight, that was incorrect. However had that Digital Security Automotive stayed for 10 seconds longer or 15 seconds longer, it could have been completely the proper factor to do. So it simply reveals how shortly an exterior resolution can change your race and the way it’s worthwhile to be very fast to adapt to that. And we form of have been slightly bit too targeted on that pit cease and never really seeing {that a} automotive that was beached on the highway was being pushed off and the VSC was ending.
And the way a lot encouragement do you’re taking from the tempo of the automotive in Brazil, the front-row begin? I imply, you have had a stack of factors finishes for the reason that summer season break, however how shut are you to having a race-winning automotive once more?GR: Brazil was undoubtedly a little bit of a one-off, I believe. When it rains, it presents alternatives. And for ourself, it was a chance. For everybody at Alpine, it was an enormous alternative, which they capitalised. And I believe we have to look again to the Dash qualifying and the Dash race for a little bit of a fairer image of the place we’re. And that was behind the entrance 4 groups.
George, closing one. Whenever you take a look at this season as an entire, take a look at the races you have gained, however take a look at additionally the frustrations as nicely. How will you overview the season?GR: I believe now we have accomplished nearly a full season, we completely perceive why the automotive is so up and down. It has simply such a slender window and once we can set the automotive up in a method that we exploit that window, we now have a race-winning automotive. However whenever you go to totally different circuits and it’s important to change the place you place the set-up, we completely fall outdoors of our working window. So It is clearly irritating when you already know the automotive has that potential. However I believe for everybody, you might have these fluctuations in efficiency. We have accomplished an excellent job to capitalise on races that we did, had the pole positions when the automotive was able to pole positions. And in the end, we simply have to make a extra constant automotive over the course of 24 races.
Questions From The Ground
(David Croft – Sky Sports activities F1) George, to you and together with your GPDA hat on, please. In between the final race and this, the FIA have disbursed with the companies of Niels Wittich, the Race Director. Is that this one thing that the GPDA have been conscious of earlier than it occurred? Are you involved that there are three races to go and we now have a brand new Race Director, particularly coming in to a road race like Las Vegas, which we noticed final 12 months, can have an entire load of unexpected issues? GR: Yeah, we undoubtedly weren’t conscious. It was a little bit of a shock, I believe, for everyone. And, you already know, it is a hell of lots of stress now onto the brand new race director. Simply three races left. So I believe for us… Usually as drivers, we most likely really feel like we are the final to seek out out this form of data. And when it entails us form of immediately, it could be good to be stored within the loop and simply have an understanding of what choices are being made. So, yeah, time will inform. I am positive the brand new man will deal with the place simply tremendous, however undoubtedly not a simple race for a brand new race director.
(Nelson Valkenburg – Viaplay) Additionally for George, however I would love for you each to chime in as nicely. Final week, a pointed assertion from the GPDA in direction of the FIA and particularly in direction of the President. The tone appeared stronger than I anticipated. Does that mirror the temper within the area of drivers as nicely?GR: I imply, speaking as a fellow driver versus form of my position with the GPDA, I believe everyone felt with sure issues which have occurred over the course of this 12 months that we needed to form of stand united. On the finish of the day, we simply need to be clear with the FIA and have this dialogue that’s taking place, and I believe the departure of Niels can be a major instance of not being part of these conversations. And in the end, we solely we need to work with the FIA to make the very best for the game that all of us love. So, I believe it is form of us now placing the stress again on them to work with us and work with everybody, together with F1 as nicely, simply to maximise this chance, which System 1 is in in the intervening time, which is, you already know, a tremendous time to be part of.
(Roldan Rodriguez – DAZN Spain) A query to Kevin. This 12 months is arriving to the tip and likely you are not going to be subsequent season in System 1. Are you having particular emotions at this second of the 12 months?KM: No, I do not suppose so. I imply, for myself, I have been on this scenario twice earlier than, so it is form of the third time that I really feel like that is going to be the final race. So I simply know that you just by no means know. So, it is form of tremendous in a method. I do not actually give it some thought. Subsequent 12 months I am not going to be in System 1, that is fairly clear, however I’ve realized over time and with my experiences from one that each race you do, you simply should get pleasure from it. And, you already know, yeah, nicely, so long as it lasts, get pleasure from it. In order that’s my plan.
Kevin, you and the group have been quoted as saying, you already know what you need to occur for 2025. Are you able to shed any mild on what you may be doing with reference to Haas?KM: I do not know. I am unable to bear in mind saying precisely that, however I believe we now have been clear that we need to work collectively in some capability and I believe that is… We’re speaking about how we might do this, in fact. A bit of bit it is come from Ayao and I am open to listen to what he’s pondering and see if I will be useful in any method.
