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00:00The end of the game is a game of the game.
00:30Stay focused.
00:32Give it everything.
00:34It's going to be so close.
00:35This is very tight.
00:36We're going wheel to wheel.
00:38I'm going for it.
00:39Through goes Hamilton.
00:41It's not over yet.
00:42Max Verstappen.
00:44Champion of the world.
00:49A very warm welcome, everybody, to the Drivers' Press Conference
00:52ahead of the FIA Formula One Singapore Grand Prix.
00:56Now, left of screen, we have Lando Norris.
00:58In the middle, we have Esteban Ocon.
01:00And right of screen, we have George Russell.
01:02A very warm welcome to our three Musketeers.
01:05Lando, let's start with you.
01:08After all, Singapore was a happy hunting ground for you last year.
01:13How confident are you coming into this weekend?
01:18Confident.
01:19Because, like you said, last year was a very good one here.
01:22We were very strong here last year.
01:24I had a good race.
01:26Always nice.
01:27I've always enjoyed it since my first year in 2019.
01:30So, at the minute, it looks like a little bit worse weather
01:33than what we've had over the last few years.
01:35But excited.
01:36It's one of my favorite tracks of the season.
01:38So, happy to get going.
01:39How do you see the pecking order at the moment?
01:42Because Max Verstappen has won the last two races.
01:44Do you think that was track specific to Monza and Baku?
01:48Or do you think he's genuinely a challenger at every race now?
01:52Genuinely a challenger.
01:54I think if you go back to the beginning of the season, you know,
01:57they were challenging the first six, seven races of race wins.
02:00Challenging us in the drivers.
02:02And then we brought some upgrades, improved a little bit.
02:06A couple of weeks ago they brought us some upgrades
02:08and it seems like that's kind of put them back on the same level as us.
02:11So, I think we're still expecting and, you know, we still come into every race
02:15with the ambition and with the goal of winning.
02:17And I'm wanting to dominate as a team and continue the form that we've had all season.
02:21But nevertheless, you know, it's a track where Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull
02:27certainly over the last few weekends have been closer.
02:29So, we expect battles, especially with him, yeah.
02:33Can we talk about that season long form?
02:35Just 13 more points this weekend will seal the Constructors title for McLaren.
02:41When you look back at 2025, what has stood out for you?
02:46What's been the magic source for McLaren?
02:49I mean, yeah, the drivers, cars mediocre, but I mean, without making a joke of it,
03:02I think you've got the two things.
03:03You obviously need the best car.
03:05I think we've had that for 95% of the races.
03:10I think there's been a few here and there.
03:11Like even Monza is the most recent one where I don't think,
03:14I don't think we were quick enough.
03:15Baku, I would say we probably should have been and were fast enough.
03:19We just didn't do a very good job.
03:21Monza, we weren't quick enough.
03:23So, you know, there's been a couple of races where we've not had the perfect weekends.
03:29But as a constructor, I think is the important thing.
03:32As a constructor, we've got two good drivers.
03:35And I think there are plenty of other teams with two great drivers, but I kind of hate saying it,
03:42but not ones who have delivered every weekend as often as what Oscar and myself have done.
03:48It's also easier for us to deliver because we're also ahead of the field a lot of the time, you know.
03:53So in some ways we have an easier job than some others.
03:56But a constructor, you need two drivers who deliver every weekend, who finish most races.
04:02And that's what we've been able to do.
04:04Maybe not the last couple, but until that point, we've been the best performing duo as drivers.
04:10And we've clearly had the best car and been the best team.
04:14A quick word on the Drivers' Championship.
04:16You're now within a race win of Oscar.
04:18How do you see the challenge ahead with seven races to go?
04:22I mean, you ask me this question every time and it's the same answer.
04:25So...
04:26Remind us.
04:27Can you just remind us?
04:29Yeah.
04:30Just play the clip from last time, I guess.
04:32All right.
04:33We will do that.
04:34All right, Lando.
04:35Thanks for that.
04:36Esteban, let's come to you.
04:37It's been a while since we've seen you in the press conference.
04:39Can we just start...
04:40You don't invite me anymore.
04:41Can we just start with your thoughts on the progress with the car since the summer break?
04:50I think since the summer break, obviously, we had, you know, very good sound votes as a team.
04:56The quality was definitely not great, but we were able to have very good car pace through the race and come back in very decent positions.
05:05After that, I think, you know, the tracks were quite difficult for us.
05:09There were some areas of the track where we were lacking quite a lot of pace in Baku and Monza.
05:15But yeah, I hope that here we will have more performance out of this car.
05:20It's a track that I really enjoy, especially since they removed that last sector that I didn't really like too much.
05:26Yeah, I've learned to like this track more and more, to feel more comfortable with it through the years.
05:33And it's a track that I now really like coming.
05:36And yeah, there's a lot of support around here also.
05:39So it's quite special.
05:40And Haas seem to like it.
05:41Hulkenberg had a very strong weekend here last year.
05:44The short 90 degree corners.
05:46Do you think it'll suit this car?
05:48I hope so.
05:49I mean, usually where we lose quite a lot of performance, it's in the straight lines.
05:55There are not many of that around here.
05:57We are pretty good in terms of like traction, getting out of corners and low speed performance is also pretty decent.
06:04So, you know, again, it's going to be very close out there.
06:08It's looking like it will be quite tough with the weather.
06:11So we need to see which session are going to be dry and if the important ones are going to be, you know, dry as well.
06:17But, you know, it's up there to take the opportunity and I hope that we can take a good one.
06:22Final one from me, a bit left field, but can we go to last week to Mugello?
06:28Haas had a family day there.
06:30We saw Romain Grosjean back in a Formula One car for the first time since his accident.
06:35Just you were there. Give us your thoughts on the day, your memories.
06:39It was awesome. It was awesome.
06:41And, you know, we had most of our employees, you know, that were there.
06:46Also, it was a big Haas family day.
06:49Everyone was there to witness Romain driving an F1 car five years after, you know, his accident in Bahrain.
06:58And, you know, it was a day full of happiness and emotions, really.
07:03And I'm glad, you know, to have been there to witness it all.
07:07Romain didn't lose anything. He was straight away on pace.
07:10He knew, you know, everything on the steering wheel and everything.
07:13Obviously, you know, it's only been five years, but yeah, definitely a great day.
07:18And, you know, this team is very special in that sense that, you know, there are emotions.
07:24You know, obviously, we are a small team, but it's really a big family.
07:28And even though it was five years ago, the team didn't forget, you know, that Romain was there from the start.
07:33And that's quite special.
07:34All right. Thank you very much for that.
07:36George, let's come to you now. Start with the usual.
07:40Have you got a contract for next year yet?
07:42Surprise. No, no dates to give you.
07:46So I told you you'd be the first to know when there's something to report.
07:51How long have we got to wait?
07:54No, I think for any driver, when you get to a certain point in your career, things have to be done right.
08:03And it's I think every time you renew a contract is the most important one of your life.
08:11And it has to be done with good care.
08:15And there's nothing to worry about.
08:20And it will get done when it will get done.
08:24Are you a tough negotiator?
08:27How many of these questions do you keep on going?
08:31No, I don't think so.
08:34I think it's just about, yeah, just something that is fair, mutually beneficial.
08:41I think that's what we all chase.
08:43It's obviously different for certain drivers who may have a bit more power, may have a bit less power.
08:50But yeah, as I said, no more updates, nothing to report.
08:53And I'll be glad to tell you all once there is.
08:57I'll leave it there.
08:58And the good news is you're sounding a lot better than when you were in the post-race press conference in Baku.
09:04Are you feeling better?
09:05Yeah, feeling better, to be honest.
09:07Baku was a tough one, just in terms of how I was feeling.
09:12I'm not 100% right now.
09:14Like I've improved substantially.
09:16But if I think it was any other race, I wouldn't have a single shred of concern.
09:23But of course, Singapore being Singapore and the obvious challenges here, I'm sure it will be fine.
09:28But Sunday won't be a breeze.
09:30And a heat hazard has been declared for the first time ever this weekend.
09:34Can you just tell us what that means for the drivers?
09:37Yeah, I mean, we've used the driver calling best a few times already this season at the hot races.
09:46But obviously, this is the first time where it's become mandatory, which I think is good news.
09:52Not everybody finds the top comfortable, but I think some find it more comfortable than others.
10:00And of course, over time, you'll be able to sort of adjust it to your own preferences.
10:05But the concept, I think, is good.
10:08And when you're racing in 90% humidity and the cockpits are getting on for 60 degrees,
10:15it's a bit of a sauna inside the car.
10:17So I think we all welcome it.
10:19And from a performance point of view, you were fourth last year.
10:23What are your hopes?
10:24Yeah, I think the last two years, we've been reasonably good.
10:28Ferrari are often very strong here.
10:31They were on pole two years ago.
10:32And last year, they were looking really strong until Q3, which sort of ruined their weekend.
10:37And of course, we know McLaren at the hot races, high-tide degradation circuits are exceptionally strong.
10:44So I expect McLaren and Ferrari to be the two teams out in front.
10:48Okay.
10:49George, thank you very much for that.
10:50Let's now open this to the floor.
10:53We will start with the broadcasters.
10:55Who's first, please?
10:57Yeah.
10:58Tom Slafer, that's on Spain.
10:59Question for George.
11:00Regarding the cooling best that you were mentioning, I've heard some drivers said that it's uncomfortable while driving.
11:04I think you used it on Bahrain this season at least.
11:07How is it uncomfortable?
11:09Is it because of the moves or is it just having an extra layer?
11:13I mean, I can't talk for the other drivers.
11:15I think it's just where the tubes on your back connect to the tubes on your front and they have to go around your ribs.
11:23And when you go through high-speed corners and the G-force, you're feeling these tubes on the side of your ribs.
11:31So I think that was definitely an issue for me at the beginning.
11:35They made some changes.
11:36It has been improved.
11:37But as I said, still you have these tubes going around your ribs, which is not the perfect place for it.
11:45There's not many high speed corners here in Singapore and high lateral G-forces.
11:51So I don't think it would be a major issue.
11:54Okay.
11:55Thank you for that.
11:56Next, yeah.
11:57Hi, Vicky Piria, Sky Sports Italy.
11:59For all three drivers, if possible, if they could give me a percentage number of chance for Max Mirstappen to win the title.
12:11Lando, let's start with you, Lando.
12:14I mean, there's a chance, so more than zero.
12:26I don't know.
12:31It's probably like actual stats.
12:32So, I don't know.
12:35Yeah, there's a chance.
12:37Esteban.
12:40I mean, we all know Max and how, you know, dangerous he is when there's something to grab.
12:45So, yeah, there's a good chance, you know, that if he's got a competitive car until the end of the year, he can catch back.
12:53Yeah.
12:54George, are you going to give us a number?
12:57Go on, George.
12:58100%?
13:04Good friend.
13:05All right.
13:06Any more from the broadcasters, please?
13:10Yeah.
13:11Hello, Laurent Dupin from Canal Plus.
13:13Esteban already talked about it, but your point of view, George and Lando, about Romain Grosjean driving back an F1 car five years later, because you were there on the day of his accident?
13:22Yeah, I mean, obviously, for us who were sort of in the race and witnessing it, I still sort of remember it to this moment.
13:32I see in the flames in my rear view mirror, extremely sort of horrific to see.
13:40And I don't think anybody wants to end their career in that way.
13:44So to see him get a chance to go back out, he's obviously always been in great spirits ever since the incident.
13:52Of course, he was in, I can't remember if it was Abu Dhabi or Bahrain, the following race, but he was there on the sidelines from the following race.
14:01You know, his spirits had never dropped.
14:03So, yeah, nice for him and nice for Haas to give him the opportunity.
14:10Yeah, good for him. I thought he was doing a test in a Mercedes, no? Was he not?
14:15Yeah, I don't know.
14:16Okay, but I guess nice for him and the team. I guess they probably didn't want it to end the way it did in some ways or for those kind of things to happen.
14:26But he's been racing since, but for him to kind of get back into a Formula One car, his dream and kind of get back probably some good memories that he had was a nice thing for him.
14:38So nice to see it.
14:40Definitely.
14:41Welcome back, everybody, to our driver's press conference here in Singapore.
14:50This time we have left of screen, Charles Leclerc. In the middle, we have Isaac Hajar and right of screen, we have Alex Albon.
14:57Very good to see you all. It's all very chatty in here.
15:00Charles, don't move. We just want to keep you in the right place.
15:04Look, Charles, can we start with you? We're back at a high downforce track.
15:09Does that put a smile on your face? Do you think the car will be more competitive here than it was in Baku last time out?
15:14I don't think we can expect any miracles. I don't think we were. I mean, again, in Baku, I don't think we were not competitive.
15:23We didn't do a good job in qualifying and me the first to not put everything together and to not put a lap in Q3, obviously.
15:29But I don't think that we expect to be more competitive here. I think that it should be similar to Baku.
15:37If anything, I feel like McLaren will have even more of an advantage on a track like this.
15:44So we might be a bit further away to McLaren. However, compared to our main competitors, which are Mercedes, we should be a little bit in a better place if it stays warm, which I think it will.
15:57I think there's a caveat to this. I remember in Hungary, you said in the driver's press conference prior to the race that you weren't confident and you put the car on pole position.
16:09Well, I hope the same happens. But in Hungary, I mean, it's a session I still struggle to understand.
16:17There was swings of seven tenths from Q1 to Q2 to Q2 to Q3 and nobody really understood that session.
16:24And to be on pole on such a difficult session was nice, but I don't expect the conditions to be the same this weekend.
16:30So it's unlikely, but I'll do everything in order to reproduce that. That will be obviously amazing, but it's unlikely.
16:38Charles, can we throw it forward? You're in a tight battle with Mercedes in the Constructors' Championship.
16:43Of these last seven races, where do you think the car might be strong?
16:48I mean, you won in Austin last year, Carlos won in Mexico. Will you go to those two races with a bit of confidence?
16:55I think we are in a very different place to last year. However, I think to resume it in the most simplest way, I feel like Mercedes is very strong whenever it's cold.
17:05And we seem to be stronger whenever it's warm. So looking at the next few races, I hope it's as warm as it possibly get.
17:13And so like that, we have an advantage. But I feel like this is what is going to swing the performance one way or another more than any other track characteristics.
17:23So yeah, this is where we stand and we'll see how it goes. But this weekend should be warm and we need to take that as an opportunity for us to close a little bit the gap to them.
17:33OK, thank you very much for that. Isaac, can we come to you now? Belated happy birthday. You had a big birthday, I think, on Sunday.
17:42Did you get up to anything that you can tell us about? I think you were in Tokyo. How was the birthday?
17:50I was lucky enough, you know, to have actually have my sister was free. She brought her friends and my high school friends in Japan.
18:01So surprisingly, there was like we were like a group of 10 people in Tokyo. So, yeah, I just got lucky that it was around my birthday as well.
18:11I got free time and I just made the most of it. So I had a very good time.
18:16And you're in the time zone for Singapore, importantly. This is your first Grand Prix here. What do you expect to be the biggest challenges for you?
18:25I mean, obviously, everyone's talking about how hot it is inside the car. So I guess it's going to be it's going to be a tough race.
18:35But honestly, so far this year, I've always felt comfortable in the car. So let's see. I'm quite excited to see how hard it's going to be.
18:46How have you prepared for the heat? Have you done anything different to other races?
18:53Let's see. Apart from the sauna, there's not much you can do. Japan is quite humid. So I've spent a week already there.
18:59So maybe maybe this is going to help me. But I just have to push through, I guess.
19:05And what about performance? The car is going really well at the minute. Look at your performance at Zandvoort. Look at Liam last time out in Baku.
19:15You've been on the sim. How hopeful are you coming into this weekend?
19:19I think it's again, it's going to be a track where obviously the car is working pretty much everywhere. It's a healthy car.
19:27Now it's just slow speed corners, just like Baku. But honestly, I'd rather be in a track with a bit more high speed.
19:37I think this matches more our car characteristic. But again, the car will work again this weekend.
19:45There's no hazard. And I can't tell you if it's a podium car, but it's definitely a car that can aim for Q3.
19:54Well, and talking about slow speed corners, it was a double points finish for the team in Monaco a few months back.
20:01Yeah. Yeah, the car worked well there. But I know the Williams was also very fast.
20:06I know Alex was very fast in Monaco. I remember. But, you know, we as a team, we did a good job putting it together and just maximizing the results.
20:15So, yeah, the car will definitely be up there.
20:19All right. Thank you for that. Best of luck. And it's a really interesting battle, Alex, between Racing Bulls and Williams in the Constructors Championship.
20:28Isaac says you were quick in Monaco. Are you going to be quick here?
20:33I would say it's not normally a track that we've gone too well at, but we've proven a lot this year that it doesn't really carry over from previous years.
20:42So we'll be interested to see where we fall out. We generally don't like high downforce circuits, but we've noticed we are quite good on ride.
20:51And obviously this track's quite bumpy. So maybe it kind of one weakness is one strength and we can do a good job here.
20:59And were there any pointers in Baku last time out? I know it was a slightly tougher weekend for you, but a great one for your teammate.
21:05It was. I mean, realistically, over the weekend in Baku, we were strong the whole weekend. It was literally just qualifying.
21:14A bit frustrating in hindsight, obviously Carlos proved how quick the car was and it was a bit of an uphill battle for me starting at the back after the crash.
21:24So it is a very different track, even though maybe you would think it's quite similar to Baku.
21:30The demands and the track temperature and the way the bumps are around this track, it does offer a different need, let's say.
21:39So I would say I'm maybe a bit more pessimistic going into this weekend, but still still think we can score points.
21:46And Alex, what did Carlos Sainz's podium in Baku do for the team? Because you've been there throughout the rebuild process.
21:55Have you sensed any difference at the factory, even at the racetrack here?
22:00Truthfully, I would say the whole attitude this year has shifted and I don't I don't I don't feel like the podium has necessarily invigorated the team more because I can tell you that growth.
22:15Everyone is super, super motivated that the culture and the energy in it is addictive and you don't really feel like there's much more that the podium gave more than, if anything, proving a point.
22:28I feel like it's almost a bit of a taste, I hope, for for the future of the team and for us.
22:33And it's a sign of things to come and maybe came a little bit earlier than we thought it would.
22:38But it shows that we're working in the right direction.
22:40Brilliant. Alex, thank you very much for that.
22:42OK, let's open this to the floor as ever.
22:45We're going to start with the broadcasters.
22:47Hi, Wikipedia, Sky Sports Italy.
22:50Same question I asked the other drivers, if you could give me numbers, percentage numbers, chance of Max Verstappen winning the title this year.
22:58Who'd like to start? Come on, Sean.
23:03I think I'll say 20.
23:12Yeah, 20.
23:14Do you want should we have an explanation for each number? Why do you think 20 percent?
23:18I think I think the gap is substantial.
23:22And I feel like we've been on tracks, low downfalls, Monza, Baku.
23:29I feel the Red Bull was was very, very strong.
23:32I expect the McLaren to come back at the pace we've seen on most of for most of the season here and some of the future tracks.
23:40So I I see it very unlikely.
23:43But we never know. Obviously, they brought an upgrade in Monza, which seems to be working very much.
23:50But whether it will work on high downforce track, I don't think enough to to beat the McLaren.
23:55OK, Isaac, please.
23:57Well, well explained.
24:00No, I definitely agree with what he said.
24:0320 percent as well.
24:05I think 20 is a lot.
24:07I would say 10.
24:0810 is still a good number.
24:09But it's I don't know how many points is like probably 60 points behind Oscar.
24:1369.
24:14Oh, yeah.
24:1569.
24:19All right.
24:2010 percent from Isaac, Alex.
24:22I'll go 15.
24:27I don't know.
24:28You have one one one crash between Lando and Oscar and it's all game on.
24:32So.
24:35Yeah, I don't know what the odds are at the bookies, but I'll go 15.
24:39All right.
24:40Thanks all.
24:41Or again, next one.
24:42Hello.
24:43Pablo Lorente.
24:44That's on Spain.
24:45Question for Alex.
24:46I would like to know, Alex, if you consider Carlos podium a good news for you, because it's
24:50the proof that the car has the race space to surprise some races and catch the podium.
24:56Maybe one day just is your turn.
24:58Yeah.
24:59I mean, I would say it was coming at some points and I don't think the race itself proved that
25:05we could do it.
25:06We've had a few P5s already this year.
25:08And if anything, it's more just a validation, a validation to to Grove and to everyone that
25:16we're on the up.
25:17I think you look at this year with the most improved midfield team by far, I would say.
25:23And it feels like every year we've made a big step.
25:26And this year is clearly the bigger one of all the four years that I've been in the team
25:30with.
25:31So maybe it's naive, but I've always been confident in the team and the journey that we're on,
25:38that I always knew there was going to be a podium coming soon.
25:41And, you know, we'll keep keep trying to make it more consistent and have more opportunities
25:47to do it.
25:48But I never I always thought it was it was going to be a thing.
25:53So.
25:54So, yeah.
25:55Okay.
25:56Thanks for that.
25:57Any more from the broadcasters?
25:58Yes.
25:59Another one.
26:00Tom Slafer has on Spain.
26:03Question for Charles.
26:04Charles, you were mentioning before in what tracks or in which conditions maybe your car is
26:08better or Mercedes is better.
26:09Seeing the seven races that we have left this season.
26:12Do you think we can see a Ferrari win still in 2025?
26:16I think it's very unlikely.
26:18Again, just because unfortunately, the McLaren is also very strong when it's warm.
26:24So compared to our main competitors, we might be stronger.
26:27So against Mercedes, I think we have chances to be stronger on those races.
26:33And I think we'll be stronger on those races.
26:35However, compared to a McLaren, I don't think we'll ever have the upper hand compared to
26:40them.
26:41But again, never say never.
26:44I mean, I'm looking forward to see where we are this weekend.
26:49And I think maybe another chance might be Vegas, where things are so strange on this
26:54track.
26:55Time management, et cetera, can be a big thing in the race.
26:57So maybe there will be an opportunity as well, but very little opportunity, less than
27:03the number I said for Max earlier for the championship.
27:06So quite unlikely.
27:07Sky Sports F1.
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