F1: FIA Thursday press conference – Mexico City

PART ONE – Sergio PÉREZ (Red Bull Racing), Nico HÜLKENBERG (Haas), Pierre GASLY (Alpine)

Q: Checo, I feel we have to start with you. Just describe the build-up to this Grand Prix for you? It seems to get bigger and bigger every year.

Sergio PÉREZ: It’s pretty impressive. You always forget when you are on the other side of the world with so many races, you really forget the amount of support you have in your own country. And yeah, it’s amazing. It’s a great opportunity. It’s a great experience every single Grand Prix. You know, it’s crazy to think that this is the ninth Grand Prix that we’ve had. I was just joking with some of my sponsors yesterday, every year we used to do a football game for the for the lead up to the grand prix and now nobody can play because everyone has issues with the knees, with the back, you know, so everyone is aging so much! It’s just great you know to look back at it and obviously this year again I think this Mexican Grand Prix, to me, I think it’s the best in the world by quite a chunk.

Q: Well, you’ve been on the podium here before. Let’s talk about performance. Just how confident are you in the car and of getting back up there this weekend?

SP: Austin wasn’t a good weekend for us. We did lack some of the upgrades. We basically thought that the new floor wasn’t as big as It turned out to be in the end with Max. We had a bit of that, and we just didn’t get a good weekend. It wasn’t a good weekend where I built a lot of confidence. But Mexico is different. It’s a different game. It’s a different track. So, yeah, let’s see. We got some changes here. So let’s see. Hopefully we can be in the mix for the win.

Q: And historically, Red Bull Racing has done very well here. Does that give you some confidence?

SP: Yeah, definitely. I think we’ve had good races in the past. We’ve always been competitive. Every year I’ve been here with Red Bull, we’ve always fought for the win, for the podium. So, yeah, I really hope that we can be at that level this weekend.

Q: Alright, well, best of luck this weekend. Get further than Turn 1 this year.

SP: Thank you.

Q: Alright, Checo, thank you. Nico, let’s come to you now. What a weekend for you and for Haas in Austin. Just give us your reflections on that, first of all.

Nico HÜLKENBERG: Yeah, it’s been very positive. Scored points twice, and with both cars in the Sprint. So, yeah, I think, you know, we feel very happy coming out of there. Also, you know, taking P6, obviously, at the moment in the championship. So we want to obviously hang on to that, repeat it as often as we can and take that momentum into this week and to next week and just keep building on that.

Q: You were running upgrades last weekend. Of course, you’ll have them here as well. Just how much of a step forward have you taken with the car?

NH: Yeah, we’ve taken… I think all throughout the year, we’ve, you know, continuously progressed. Very different to last year, where upgrades didn’t really come and often didn’t work. This year they do something to the car and they do enhance the performance. We’ve started early in the year around China with some upgrades, Miami. Silverstone was obviously a big one. That was a big step forward and last weekend again it felt quite positive. But then I think there’s more things to learn and hopefully to explore. It’s been very positive, especially when you consider and remember how we finished at the end of last year and races on Sundays, so a hell of a turnaround for us. Like I said, it’s great fun, everyone in the team obviously enjoying it, and we want to keep that rolling.

Q: The team has now finished in the points four consecutive races. How much confidence does that stat alone give you coming into this weekend?

NH: Yeah, I think it’s a good, positive atmosphere. Obviously, everyone is very upbeat and a lot of positive things happened in the past few months. And I think that’s very good. But then weekend in, weekend out, you have to do a good job. You have to earn it. You have to make no mistakes because it doesn’t take much to come out on the wrong side in midfield. If you have a little mistake here or there, you could be easily P15, 16 instead of P10. We have to convert it again. I think the performance of the package is decent, but it’s down to us now on the operations side to keep performing.

Q: And from a cooling point of view, we saw a few issues last year, particularly on Kevin’s car. Are you confident there won’t be a repeat of that this year?

NH: Very confident.

Q: Alright. Thanks, Nico. Good luck this weekend. And Pierre, let’s come to you now. Let’s get a review from you about Austin. You were running upgrades on your car. Qualifying looked great. A few issues in the race. Just talk us through it?

Pierre GASLY: Yeah, I mean, best qualifying of the year. So I would say definitely some good positives to take away from the weekend. You know, looking back at a couple of months ago, we started in Bahrain on the last row. Still, we kept focusing on developing the package we have and, you know, eventually got to P7 last week in quali. So very pleased to see some good evolution with the car. The other side on Sunday, it wasn’t a good race, not well executed. Unfortunately, we lost quite a bit of time with the pit stop, struggled a lot with the Hard tyre and lost the good start we had. So quite gutted not to convert this good quali into points, but at least there is definitely some hopes. you know encouraging signs that we we’re going to be able to fight slightly further up the top for the remaining races.

Q: You talk about car evolution. Just where was it better in Austin?

PG: Well, to be fair, all around the track, like just in terms of overall potential, just can carry a bit more speed, a tiny bit better on braking. It’s just to have a bit more grip available. So still I’d say the balance, got a few things to improve there and there that we got to work on. But like all the cars, you know, down the pit lane, no one’s going to get that perfect balance, but in terms of overall potential, you know, I was pleased to see, Q1, Q2, Q3, we were able to put laps good enough always for the top 10 and that was definitely encouraging.

Q: Remember the European season when you got those consecutive points finishes? Do you feel you’ve now got the car underneath you to get back somewhere close to that?

PG: It’s not going to be easy. I think at the minute, looking at the Haas, the top four is out of reach, but after that, actually a very tight battle between the Haas, AlphaTauris (sic), we saw the Williams performing very well at the moment, and I still believe we’re probably lacking a tiny bit to be consistently there, but we’re going to have our chances. It’s five more races. I’m sure there are going to be one or two tracks where we’ll be able to be in that mix. For the guys, personally, it’s important for me to get a few more points before the end of the year.

Q: Final one from me. News broke this morning regarding something that’s not Formula 1. You have a football team. You now have a padel team. Tell us more?

PG: Yeah, very exciting news. Just became a padel team owner this morning, entering the eighth team in the Hexagon Cup. So it’s a new competition that started last year in Madrid. There are big names in there, Leo Messi, you know, Andy Murray, Rafa Nadal, they’ve all got their own team and many others. And it’s going to be exciting to have my own team competing against these guys. So it’s going to be end of January next year. So for whoever is available on that weekend, they’re more than welcome to come and watch the event.

Q: Are you going to play?

PG: I’m not going to play myself. These guys are professional and it’s quite a fun format where you’ve got professional players with also like amateurs and youngsters. So you get eight players in total and it’s quite a fun tournament. But yeah, I’ll try to be there to support my team.

Q: Nico’s good with a racket. Are you going to ask him to play?

PG: I haven’t seen him yet, but why not? Try to get his focus away from F1 a bit.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Roldan Rodriguez – DAZN, Spain) A question to Checo. Checo, it’s been 10 years since gthe Hermanos Rodríguez came back to the calendar of Formula 1. I would like to know how you felt the evolution of this Grand Prix, home Grand Prix for you.

SP: Yeah, it’s been incredible. I think already since first year was very big, the event, the people were really enthusiastic. And I think it won the award for the best Grand Prix for like four or five years in a row. And I think now it’s just a lot better. So yeah, I think it’s still the best Grand Prix in the calendar.

Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports F1) Checo, I think you were hinting that your car was quite a bit different to Max’s in Austin. Can you put a figure on how much time you were losing per lap because of the difference in the cars? And also, because the Ferraris won, too, you’re now in a three-way fight for the Constructors’ Championship. How much extra pressure does that put on you this weekend on what is already a massively pressurized weekend, and how do you cope with that?

SP: Well, I think the numbers and the facts will remain internal with the team, with the engineers. We know what was the delta. And having Ferrari there, I think doesn’t change anything. You know, I think we want to win the Constructors’ finishing second or third. The end is no difference, you know, so we really want to win it. for that. We need to have both cars with the With the best possible performance and best possible package as well.

Q: (Diego Mejia – Fox Sports Mexico) Pierre, there’s been a lot of talk about the guidelines for racing following all the penalties in Austin. Are you happy with those? Are they delivering what is intended? Maybe the other drivers can comment on it.

PG: New guidelines You say? After Austin? No. Ah, you mean the one previously to Austin. I think Austin highlighted that there is definitely something that’s got to be changed. I think there is the rule as it’s written and there is more the common sense on how you want to approach racing. I think there is this gray area at the moment which allow us drivers to benefit from the regulation in a kind of unfair way of approaching racing. And I think this is something which I guess we all agree and which will be worked on with the FIA on how to improve things because there have been a couple of incidents which got us on a split or with mixed feelings on the decision that came out of it. I think we all need some clarity and a bit better written rules to improve the racing for the future.

Q: Let’s bring in the other two. Nico, can we get your thoughts on this?

NH: I think it’s also a bit track dependent and obviously Austin is, you know, particularly Turn 12 is always, every year it’s one of the hot spots where it happens easily and a lot. Yeah, I don’t know. I mean, sometimes it works for you, sometimes it doesn’t. It’s part of racing and we’ll see going forward what we come up with.

SP: I agree with what Nico just said, I think Austin is really the worst for it in terms of track layout. Turn 1, Turn 12, even Turn 11 can be quite difficult in that regard. So yeah, it can go in your favor or against you. And I think here, for example, it won’t be an issue.

Q: (Alonso Amilcar Cabral – Televisa) Checo, last year was very disappointing for you first, of course, but for all the fans also. Do you see this year as a revenge, as a rematch for what happened last year? And what can you tell the fans about last year’s incident? What do you expect now this year to be different?

SP: Well, when you look at it, I arrived into Turn 1 and I was leading. I was in front. I obviously took a risk that it didn’t work out. I’ve been on the podium for the last two years in a row, so I really wanted to go for the win. I had the opportunity and I went for it. I think in hindsight, the easiest thing was having just to back up. and finish on the podium again. But I really wanted to go for the win. I gave it all. And I think as a racing driver, you have no regrets when you give it all. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. And as long as I give it all this weekend again and I don’t leave anything on the table, I’ll go home happy regardless of the result. So that’s my main target, to give everything to these people because the amount of support I get here, it’s pretty insane.

Q: (Gabriel Martinez – TV Azteca) Checo, you have incredible moments in the Mexican Grand Prix, but now you’ll be sharing the track alongside Pato O’Ward. So how do you think this will affect the energy of the crowd and the weekend itself?

SP: Well, I think it’s great, you know, for the fans. In the past, we had Esteban [Gutierrez] that was there also. We had two Mexican drivers at the time. And it’s really hard for a country to have one Formula 1 driver. So to have two racing at the same time, it was just a unique moment. So it’s great for the crowd. And I hope Pato can get an opportunity soon in a team to be a racing driver in Formula 1.

Q: (Dan Lawrence – Motorsport Monday) A question for Nico. Haas, obviously, last year with a team at the back of the grid and you’ve managed to improve into the midfield. Is that helpful for you going into next year, having that experience, given that Sauber will be looking to improve upon their position at the back of the grid and charge through to the midfield?

NH: I think not necessarily. You know, most of my career I spent in the midfield, you know, and I know the laws inside and out there. And it just comes down to for them to develop, to put a better package on the road, which is what Haas managed to do over the winter. That will obviously be the target and the ambition for Sauber as well, to transform it over the winter. And then that’s obviously musing on the future, but I’ll see, you know, what the car and the package is like once we start working there next year.

Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Question for Checo. The importance of this Grand Prix weekend for you, and particularly getting a result like a podium, where does that sit among your best F1 moments? Being up there and obviously your son up there as well. And going into this weekend after such a tricky run of form as well, is there an extra significance this weekend to try and break that podium drought?

SP: Yeah, definitely. I know I’ve had a terrible season, a very difficult one. It started really well, but it’s been really, really difficult. And for me, you know, if I get a strong result, it can definitely change my season massively in terms of feeling, personal feelings. So I’m really up for it. And, yeah, I think that moment will stay with me forever, you know, having my son up there with me on the podium, watching me. It’s something that I hope he remembers forever. If not, I’ll have the picture at least to show him when he’s older, you know. And those moments, I think, is the ones that really matter to me. And I hope I can repeat that one this weekend.

Q: Checo, do you believe in momentum? And if you do, how much momentum was lost in Baku when you were so close to getting that great result? and of course it didn’t happen?

SP: I think momentum in Formula 1 is very important, when you just put the car on track and you know that everything is working and you are so further ahead of the people that put the car on track and have a lot of problems. I think it’s the same for everyone, but I also know how this sport works and it’s all about your last race. So if I get a good one here… I got a good one in Baku, but it didn’t work out. If I get a good one here, then my season can definitely take a U-turn. The most important is that we are able to feel comfortable with the car, which at the moment we are just not able to unlock the full potential. of the car and we come to the weekends trying a lot of things different things every weekend and so that so it makes just the the whole Grand Prix a lot more difficult.

Q: (Jenna Fryer – Associated Press) Checo, you just said it’s been a terrible season, and I know you signed an extension, but yet people still speculate that your job is in danger. How do you mentally go through that each week, knowing that you’re not happy with your season and all this speculation about you?

SP: Well, I feel that I’m in the same boat as the team. We’re working towards solving it. We found a big issue in Monza. So after Monza, we thought we were finding directions. We’re heading in the right direction. I think this is Formula 1. Sometimes the results are not coming, and you just have to make sure you keep your head down, you focus on the stuff that you can control, and the rest is something that you cannot get bothered with.

Q: (Stuart Codling – GP Racing) A question to all the drivers. Just circling back to the issue of driver standards, George Russell, I think, suggested permanent stewards might be a solution to some of the inconsistencies. I wonder what you guys thought about that, or whether there is a better solution. Nico, you said it’s track-dependent, this issue, so perhaps some sort of discussion with the powers that be ahead of each race weekend might set out some common-sense guidelines.
SP: I think with 24 races, there is no steward in the world that will be up for the job, first of all. And secondly, I think it’s just a very difficult one because sometimes at the end of the day, the stewards, the two stewards you have can have a different opinion. So you always feel like the decision works against you. What goes around comes around. So it’s always very difficult in these things to have the best decisions. I think ultimately it’s best not to get in trouble.
NH: Actually, what was the actual question in the end?

Q: Can I ask you just to elaborate on Turn 12 at Austin? Do you think a solution like we saw at the final corner in Austria, would you like to see more of that? Would that change the way you go racing?

NH: Last corner in Austria, put some deterrent…

Q: Gravel on the outside.

NH: Of course, if you put a natural deterrent there, it will change the dynamic of the corner. In street circuits, if there’s a wall, it changes things. And yeah, I mean, in most sports there are these grey areas. And like I said earlier, I think it’s track dependent. And Austin is always one that brings out that grey area quite a lot. So yeah, maybe that’s one thing, one area we can look into to try and help, particularly that corner, I think Turns 12, 15. But yeah, I didn’t, I obviously saw the replay, but I didn’t spend a great deal looking at, you know, everybody else’s race and analyze the situation I was celebrating our weekend.

PG: Well, I was impacted by it in the race, so I did look at the replay and yeah, I mean, the way I see it is I think there’s one rule which needs to be changed. It’s that front axle at the apex, whoever has got their front axle first at the apex has got the priority, but then how much of a car control you got at that point? because otherwise ultimately you’re just going to end up having situations where you can just divebomb, not committing to the corner, just to make sure you’ve got your front axle at the apex. even if you can’t make the corner that’s going to be your corner. But then you might create other problems that you end up having all cars off the racetrack. And whoever gets the priority doesn’t get penalised, et cetera. So I just think that specific rule, the way it’s written, I get it. That’s the way it is. And at the moment, we’ve got to respect it. Moving forward, this needs a change to allow us to have more fairness in the way we fight. So I think there is this really clear point in the regulation that needs updating.

Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Pierre, on paddle, I know it’s become quite a thing in Formula 1 over the last few years among the drivers. Who would you say is the best Formula 1 driver at paddle? And if you’re going to make a team, who would be on it?

PG: I would organise a tournament for that. Race drivers, we all like to claim we are the best at everything. You’re never going to get a fair answer. I can’t answer that.