Monitor Interviews – Carried out by Davide Valsecchi
Charles, how was your feeling? I used to be asking how was your lap? You had been on their lonesome and everybody was following you. Lower than a tenth from pole place however solely third on the grid? How is your feeling additionally about this superb crowd?Charles Leclerc: I imply, my feeling can solely be superb with the tifosi in fact. On my facet, I am a bit disillusioned. I clearly needed to be first however seeing that Carlos is P1 is nice for Ferrari. He has accomplished an unbelievable job all weekend. I have been struggling fairly a bit extra, FP1, FP2, FP3 however in Qualifying I managed to place every part collectively, so I used to be actually completely satisfied. Then sadly in Q3 I did not have a slipstream and doubtless this value us one place at the least, but it surely’s life, we needs to be completely satisfied. Particularly on my facet, I have been struggling lots… They [the tifosi] are simply unbelievable. I do not smile fairly often after I’m P3 however clearly being right here and having that a lot assist is a tremendous feeling.
So I suppose there may be the precise feeling to be on the rostrum tomorrow, proper?CL: Precisely. And we’ll attempt to do first and second with Carlos.
Max, you had been on their lonesome in opposition to the 2 Ferraris. At one second you had been on pole after which Carlos beat your lap time? How was it on the observe immediately? Max Verstappen: Yeah, it was good. I believe we made some good enhancements in comparison with yesterday and in Qualifying you may see each qualifying session was very tight, so I am completely satisfied to be second immediately.
And about tomorrow, you might be able to battle, as a result of we’ve got the 2 Ferraris and all of the followers right here. It is not going to be really easy for you, no? MV: Yeah, in fact, but it surely’s good to see, and naturally tomorrow we’ll attempt to win the race. Usually we’ve got a fast race automotive however first, you already know, simply take pleasure in immediately after which I’ll concentrate on tomorrow.
Carlos, what a tremendous lap. Inform us about your driving, as a result of within the center sector, you had been simply phenomenal? Most likely it is there the place you catch your pole place immediately.Carlos Sainz: Truthfully, it has been such an intense Qualifying particularly in Q3, you already know. All three of us went for it, we had been very, very on the restrict. And in that final lap, I knew I had some lap time to come back in Ascari and Parabolica and I went for it. And it labored properly. Why not, as a result of I actually pushed laborious, you already know, on that final lap.
And inform me about this. I imply, goosebumps generally, proper?CS: Goosebumps since I crossed the end line. The entire in-lap, watching the gang and clearly getting out of the automotive and seeing this, I have never stopped the goosebumps. It is unbelievable. However within the resort, arriving to the observe. All over the place we go, it is simply noise, assist and encouragement and it is the very best feeling you may have as a driver, as an athlete.
And about tomorrow, are you aiming for that podium up there?CS: Yeah, that is the primary goal. Tomorrow I’ll give it every part to carry on to that P1. A very good begin, a very good first stint, see if we will battle Max. Usually within the lengthy runs, he is faster however I’ll give all of it.
Press Convention
Carlos, belated completely satisfied birthday. What a sensational last lap by you. Simply how candy is that this second: pole for Ferrari at Monza? CS: It is troublesome to place into phrases, to explain the sensation. It is simply superb, you already know. Simply the entire weekend actually, since we arrived right here on Wednesday, the assist and the sensation with the gang and the vitality that they put into us, it is unbelievable. I had my birthday yesterday additionally, so I loved that and I am fairly positive it gave me additionally a very good feeling, good vibes and good vitality into immediately. I have been feeling very snug with the automotive and I put collectively, truthfully, considered one of my finest laps there in Q3, run two, to settle pole. It was tight with these two, prefer it was final 12 months, and prefer it will get to be usually and I loved lots that lap.
As you say, you have been quick all weekend. The automotive appears very attached. Simply what are its strengths round Monza?CS: Properly, I suppose our effectivity. Like we have seen in some tracks this 12 months, it is fairly good and the automotive, truthfully, since we put it on observe on FP1, it simply felt fully completely different to what it did in Zandvoort and it’s what it’s. It is what we’re getting this 12 months: we’re getting some excellent weekends and another very powerful ones, we simply want to ensure on the great ones we, we attempt to maximise, like we did immediately, and within the powerful ones, we discover ways to endure and get the very best out of it. However truthfully, the automotive immediately, I can’t fault it. It was a extremely, actually good stability. It gave me plenty of confidence by Sector 2, Ascari and Parabolica, and it is there I believe the place I may make the main distinction when it counted, taking a bit extra dangers.
Now, there was one potential hiccup in Q1 when, and I am quoting: “You had been reported to the stewards for disobeying the Race Director’s directions regarding the most lap time.” What occurred there?CS: Yeah, I am not very nervous about that, as a result of I needed to decelerate a lot to not impede different vehicles that had been on quickest laps that it was nearly unimaginable to respect the delta that the Race Director put us, as a result of if I might have revered it, I might have impeded my rivals. So I simply performed it protected, most well-liked to not impede anybody. And even when I used to be, I believe, one or two seconds off the Delta, I believe that is safer than really impeding somebody.
And that’s the reason there isn’t any additional motion. However let’s stay up for the race tomorrow… CS: Yeah, thanks. Do not scare me!
Sorry! Let’s stay up for the race tomorrow. Have you ever received the automotive to do it to win round right here?CS: Properly, we have the motivation and the vitality to do it. The automotive, it has been excellent all weekend, particularly over one lap. From what I’ve seen by the lengthy runs, I am not going to lie, it is trickier. It is not the identical image as in Quali. That Pink Bull, as quickly as you set 5 or 6 laps on the tyre, and every part begins to degrade a bit, it is the place they arrive, their strengths, and the race tempo that we have seen all 12 months. However hopefully I can get a very good begin after which I could make Max and Checo behind and Charles’ life, clearly, as troublesome as doable. However I believe we might want to work properly as a workforce and provides it our greatest shot. I believe it is a good alternative tomorrow, but in addition being practical, the Pink Bull needs to be faster. We’re simply going to attempt to make their life as sophisticated as doable and attempt to take the win.
Max, coming to you now. So inform us about Qualifying for you. After eight consecutive pole positions, it is P2 for you right here at Monza.MV: So now you do rely my Spa pole! OK [laughs]. Yeah, I believe it was simply very tight. You understand, you may see Q1, Q2, Q3. Yeah, it was… each run, you may see that we had been very intently matched. And I believe this weekend, particularly from my facet, I believe Friday was a bit of bit extra difficult, however I believe we won’t actually complain. So many weekends in a row the place we put the automotive on the observe and it has been simple going, it has been very well set-up and it appeared like right here it was just a bit tougher to search out the precise trade-off of downforce for us. However I used to be very completely satisfied this morning. I assumed the automotive’s working properly on one lap and on the long term as properly. So, yeah, I am proud of second, to be trustworthy. Right here in Monza it is all the time very tight. Typically you may bounce forward, generally you are simply behind however I am assured for tomorrow.
How good was that last lap in Q3?MV: It was good. Simply pushing as laborious as I may. On a observe like this, with low downforce, it isn’t all the time the simplest, but it surely was satisfying on the market.
And do you agree with Carlos that you’ve a greater race automotive than him?MV: I imply, thus far this 12 months, sure. So hopefully it will likely be the identical tomorrow.
Charles, coming to you, very properly accomplished as properly. Wonderful second to have two Ferraris within the prime three. Simply discuss us by Q3 to start with, out of your perspective.CL: Properly, our Q3 was actually on the restrict. I imply, the 2 laps I’ve accomplished, I used to be actually proud of my laps. However we had been very shut with Max and Carlos. To be trustworthy, it isn’t one thing that I anticipated. Till now it has been such a troublesome weekend for me. Yesterday, I went right into a course that was fully unsuitable with the automotive set-up and I actually struggled to place a lap collectively. This morning in FP3 was all about adapting to that new automotive, following the course of Carlos’ set-up. After which in Quali, I managed to place every part collectively and I am actually proud of the efficiency we have proven immediately. Sure, it is solely P3 and I am by no means fully proud of third place however contemplating the place we began the weekend, it isn’t a foul place to be.
Charles, what took you in that completely different course set-up smart, yesterday?CL: I had a sense that this was the precise course to go. However clearly after FP2, I realised that it wasn’t. It is so simple as that. And yeah, then it was all about re-adapting to every part in FP3 as shortly as doable, but in addition there I’ve been fairly inconsistent. After which, coming into Qualifying, I put every part collectively. And the final lap in Q3 was actually good. I imply, Carlos has accomplished an unbelievable job since FP1, he is been on it, and in Q3 as properly, his lap was actually, actually good. However yeah, happier to be that shut.
And with the ATA this weekend. We have seen all three tyre compounds utilized in that Qualifying session. How did the automotive carry out on every tyre?CL: Properly, I believe it wasn’t too unhealthy. In comparison with the others, I really feel we in all probability struggled a bit extra on the Laborious, particularly on the primary lap, straight out the field. We appear to battle a bit extra to place them into temperature however, aside from that, it was good on all three compounds.
