PART ONE – Lance STROLL (Aston Martin), Franco COLAPINTO (Alpine), Oscar PIASTRI (McLaren)

Q: Franco, if we could start with you please. Welcome back, good to see you again. Just how excited are you to go racing again in Formula 1?
Franco COLAPINTO: Really excited. You know, everything is new again. We start from zero. It wasn’t the nicest to be… after doing the last nine races of last year and then having to step out. It was not what I wanted, but it was a good time to reflect on what happened and to learn from it. So, happy to be back. Of course, it's never nice circumstances when it happens like this, when you step in another driver's seat, but you never really choose the moment you do it in Formula 1. I just take it, try to do my best and try to maximise it for the job.

Q: Tell us about your preparation. What have the last 10 days or so been like for you?
FC: There has been a lot of work in the background. Apart from the last couple of days, also before. I’ve been doing a lot of sim work for the team. Of course, not trackside but still helping the team to try to develop the car during race weekends. It has helped me a bit to learn the car, the tools, the different settings the team is running, because I’m not very used to it. It’s quite a big switch from one team to another, so it has been helpful. And then, of course, the prep since it got announced has been very strong. We’ve been doing a lot of things in the sim. So happy. It's been a really long time since I’ve been in a race weekend. A bit rusty maybe, but I think it’s going to come off very quickly.

Q: Franco, a long time since you’ve been at a race weekend. But when was the last time you drove a Formula 1 car? Has there been any TPC running or was it Abu Dhabi?
FC: I drove the day after it was announced, in Zandvoort. So I think it was one day before you guys were there. A lot of fans, it wasn’t really a private test.

Q: How was the neck?
FC: It was OK. Still getting kind of used to it. The body had to adjust. So it was tricky at the start, but it just takes a while. Imola is a tough track physically. It’s not like my start in Monza, which is the easiest one of the year. But it’s great to be back. It’s great that it happens in Italy as well. I have really good memories here and in Monza too. So yeah, excited about the weekend.

Q: What are your goals for this weekend?
FC: I think just try to focus on myself. It’s very tricky to have any expectations. I haven’t even driven the car yet, so lots of things to learn. But I think we are doing the right steps and if we go little by little, I think I’m going to arrive to a decent place.

Q: Thank you very much, Franco. Lance, if we could come to you now. You’ve finished in the points here at Imola for the last three visits. You were unbeatable here in Formula 3 as well. Just tell us the secrets of Imola. You clearly go very well here.
Lance STROLL: Yeah. I mean, it’s a track I just always enjoy coming back to. It's got great character. It’s one of those old-school tracks. It’s just fun to drive and somewhere I’ve always enjoyed racing, so it’s good to be back.

Q: Talk to us about the season now. There were those points finishes in the first two races. Obviously the Sprint went well in Miami last time out as well, but it’s been tougher going both for you and Aston Martin these past few races. What are the limitations of this car?
LS: We just need to find more speed, more performance. We picked up a few points in Miami, which was good, but it was just circumstance, with the rain and stuff in the Sprint, so we took advantage of that. But we’re not in a position to score points every weekend just on pure pace. We need to look for performance in all areas and just keep pushing.

Q: Performance in all areas, but if we were to compare this year’s car with last year’s car, where is it?
LS: I just don’t think it’s too different. We just haven’t made progress. It’s just kind of the same.

Q: Is it more difficult to drive, the 2024 car?
LS: No, it’s not. It’s just the same. But if you’re not putting a lot of lap time on the car every week and developing the car, then you just kind of fall backwards. I think that’s where we’ve ended up. We’re just not putting the lap time on the car that we hope to be putting and that’s why we’re in a tricky spot right now.

Q: Are all the issues track specific or can we be hopeful for Imola this weekend? We've already discussed how much you like the track.
LS: Yeah, I think naturally there are tracks that suit the car better than others. But we’ve been to a lot of different kinds of tracks this year and we haven’t been extremely competitive at any of them. So yeah, we’ll see how we go this weekend.

Q: Thank you. Oscar, we’ll come to you now. You took the scenic route to Imola yesterday. You went via Brisighella to collect your Lorenzo Bandini Award. Just tell us about that.
Oscar PIASTRI: It was very cool. Definitely an experience that I probably won’t have again. It was a special day, obviously a real honour to receive the award, but even more so than that, just seeing some of the really passionate Italian fans. Considering I don’t drive for the team in red, it was impressive to see how many people were there. Also, to meet some of my now very, very distant relatives, from where my family name originated, was very special. I’m now an honorary citizen of Licciana Nardi in Italy, which is where my great, great – maybe great – grandfather was from. So it was a special day. Another home race. Another one!

Q: Let’s bring it on track. You’ve won four of the opening six. Just how much are you enjoying the ride at the moment?
OP: I mean, it’s pretty hard to say that I’m not. When you’ve won four out of six, it’s been a great start. I’ve been enjoying the success we’ve been having on track, but for me what’s been very satisfying is all the work we’ve done behind the scenes to achieve that. It’s quite a different feeling when you win a race because you feel like you’ve just gotten by or had good circumstances. But to now be winning because we have an incredibly quick car and I feel like I’m driving well, that’s very satisfying. Of course, I’ve been enjoying standing on the podium as well. But more so the hard work behind the success.

Q: On the Sunday of Miami, you were 37 seconds ahead of the first non-McLaren. Can you explain to us why the gap was so big? Was that the first time this year that you’ve unleashed the true potential of the car?
OP: I think we saw a similar thing in Melbourne in the wet conditions, but Miami was potentially a circuit we were looking forward to from pretty early on. With the hotter temperatures, given some of the sessions we’d had earlier in the season, we thought that might play more to our strengths. And I think Sunday in Miami proved that. I’m not expecting that to be the case every weekend. I would love that to be the case, but in those hotter conditions and that circuit characteristic, it worked well for us. I think it’ll be difficult to repeat that consistently. We’ll see what we can do.

Q: Repeat that result here in Imola?
OP: I don’t know. We’ve got very soft tyres this weekend, so maybe that will help us. But it’s a lot cooler than it was in Miami. The track is also incredibly different – much bumpier, much higher speeds in general. I expect the competition to be closer than it was in Miami. We saw in qualifying that the competition was on our heels and ahead of us. So we still have to make sure we go out and execute everything as well as we can, because if we fall through a little bit, then we’ve got plenty of competition that can beat us.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Craig Slater – Sky Sports) Welcome back, Franco. Can you explain to us why it says it’s five races you’re back for initially? And what kind of targets or guidance have the team given you so that you can extend that to at least the end of the season?
FC: I think as a driver, I’m just trying to go step by step. I don’t really know the car, so a lot of new things coming and I just want to do the basics right and then the results are going to come. I’m not really expecting any kind of result. The performance of the teams is so tight and it changes from track to track. At the end, in FP1 and FP2 we don’t really have a clear view of where we are at. We’re still working a lot with the team. The main goal is to make the car quicker as well. We need to find a lot of performance, and I think that’s going to come with a lot of work from everyone. So that’s the main goal – to try and improve the performance and then of course, after these five races, we’ll see.

Q: (Mara Sangiorgio – Sky Sports Italy) A question to Oscar. You’ve already won four races. Do you feel you can run away with this World Championship? Do you feel you have the strength to do it?
OP: I mean, I think we have the strengths and characteristics to keep winning races, definitely. I think we’ve seen at various tracks that the competition is close. I’m not expecting every weekend to look like Sunday did in Miami. Friday and Saturday in Miami didn’t look as good as Sunday, that’s for sure. So I think there will be a lot of competition, but I feel like I’m driving well at the moment. I feel like the team’s doing a really good job helping me get the most out of myself, get the most out of the car. Clearly the car is very strong. So yeah, I think we have the potential to have a really good year, but I’m not too concerned about that at the moment — just trying to win more races.

Q: (Harry Benjamin – Sky Sports F1) Question to Oscar, and actually all of you if you want to speak on it. I’m going to bring up the update to the swearing penalty — the race ban has been removed and the fines are cut in half. Do you feel like you're being heard by the FIA? Are you pleased to see some movement around this?
OP: I think the fact that there have been changes made is good. Also, the things in fine print, the stewards have a lot more control now, which I think is a good thing because the circumstances definitely need to be taken into account. So I think it's a good step forward. That’s all I’ve got. I think one of the big things for the FIA was putting something in for abusing officials, which I think is very fair and reasonable. I think maybe some of the other areas got a bit caught up in that sentiment and felt a bit harsh. But I think there are some genuine reasons behind what they’re doing. I think they’ve listened to some of our feedback and the changes are in the right direction.

Q: Lance, can we bring you in on that?
LS: Yeah, I agree with everything Oscar said. I think he summed it up well.

Q: Franco?
FC: I agree as well. I guess it’s good they are hearing them, because they have been in for a while.

Q: (Panagiotis Seitanidis – Ant1 TV) Question for Oscar. It seems McLaren is the team to beat and are the favourites, how important for the intra-team battle to have the edge over Lando in the standings and the results at the beginning of the season? How much does it change the dynamics within the team?
OP: I don’t think it changes very much to be honest. Obviously you want to have the edge at the end of the season — that’s where it’s most important. For me at the moment, the results have been a good confidence boost for myself, so that’s always important. If we have competition outside McLaren, there are benefits to being first — like with pit stops and strategy. If you’re ahead in anything, there are always advantages. But in terms of the mentality and feeling in the team, we’re still trying as hard as we can to beat all the other teams — and also each other. I think that’s going to remain the same for the rest of the year.

Q: (Nelson Vakenburg – ViaPlay) Question for all three of you. The circuit of Imola is a bit under pressure and maybe on the chopping block. How sad would it be to lose this track on the F1 calendar?
LS: Yeah, I mean, I enjoy coming here. There are a few tracks on the calendar that are very historical and great to drive. This is one of them. It would suck to lose it. But we have 25 races and a lot of countries want races. It’s tough to squeeze them all in. Hopefully this one stays — I like coming here.
FC: I love Imola. I love Italy. I have some great memories and great history here. I started in Monza — that was my debut in Formula 1 — and now it's Imola. Still in Italy, but with Alpine. I love Imola. It’s a great track with massive history in Formula 1. I think we all like coming here. The history this brings to the sport, it’s a great track, and especially to drive a Formula 1 car here. There are specific corners — it’s such an old-school track, it’s very enjoyable to drive. So yeah, I’m going to try to enjoy this weekend and hopefully it stays.
OP: Yeah, I mean it’s a great circuit. I’ve only raced here once, but it’s definitely towards the top end of my favourites. I think having two races in the same country, with how many bids we have from around the world, maybe doesn’t make that much sense anymore. And when you have Monza as your second race in Italy… it’s pretty hard not to go to Monza. I think there’d be some riots if we didn’t! So for me, we just need to be careful to preserve the history. Zandvoort is going, Spa is going to be on rotation, which I’m not the happiest about. We just need to be careful not to lose these historical tracks. OK, maybe it’s not the best track to race on — not the best for overtaking — but in terms of the ultimate experience of driving an F1 car, this is at the top of the list. We need to be mindful of that.

Q: (Tom Slafer – DAZN Spain) Question for Franco. From what you said earlier, it was not ideal to not start the season with the team. But it’s not a new situation for you. Last year you were quick right from the start. Has your approach changed since then, or did you learn something that you’re applying now?
FC: I don’t really think it’s such a new thing. I’m much more relaxed. I’ve had the experience of racing, I’ve had the experience of being in a race weekend with a different team. I still have that feeling — I’ve been racing in December, so it’s not that far away. It doesn’t feel the same as Monza. Monza was massive excitement, everything was new, it was the first time I was going to be part of a Formula 1 grid. Here it feels a bit different. It’s still my dream come true— so the feelings are the same — but now I want to work with the team. It’s not only about the dream of becoming an F1 driver, it’s about working towards the team’s goals. Getting good results, being consistent in the points — that’s what we want to achieve. So yeah, let’s focus on the job and see what we can do.

Q: (Fred Feret – l’Equipe) Question to Franco. As an Argentinian, how tough is it to work for a French team and how different is Williams from Alpine?
FC: For me it’s great. Look, I love Alpine. I think Renault and Alpine have a massive history, a big legacy in the sport. And yeah, I think it’s a great step in my career as well to be racing for them. It’s tricky—after the World Cup, some sparks are there, but it's more from the French towards Argentina. We are fine with them, we beat them, so we are OK. Look, I’m really happy here. I’m in a happy place and have a really good relationship with the engineers, with the mechanics. Everyone around the team has been very supportive and I’m really happy to be here. So excited to start the work. Of course, new faces, new names, everything on the set-up, on the settings, everything is new and different. So we need to adjust to it, but I’m sure we’re going to do a good job.

Q: (Ian Parkes – RacingNews365) Another question for yourself, Franco. Speaking to a number of the other drivers across the media sessions this morning, they’ve naturally described the decision taken to get rid of Jack and bring yourself in as harsh. But additionally, they’ve also said that giving you only five races is harsh. How do you feel about that—just five races? What was your reaction when you were told you only had five races? And the drivers have also said that given only five races, there might be a tendency to overdrive, to make mistakes. How do you go about trying to avoid that?
FC: I don’t know. We’ll see once I drive. But you know, I have a great opportunity ahead. I’m happy to be in F1. I don’t even think in terms of five races—I’m just in a happy place and I’m dealing with it very well. I think at the moment I just want to get back in the seat and drive. And of course, after you heard Carlos—especially Carlos—saying that he needs like 10 races to get used to a car, I think five is not enough for me. I’ve only driven nine in my life in F1. So yeah, it probably takes me a few more races, probably a couple more than five to get up to speed and maximise everything out of the car. But it is what I have and I just want to maximize it, enjoy it and try to do the best for the team.

Q: (Adam Cooper – Adamcooperf1.com) Question for Oscar. You obviously know Jack very well. You were in the academy together. Just wanted your thoughts on his situation and also maybe can you compare it with your early days at McLaren when you had a level of support that maybe was a bit lacking for him in the last few months?
OP: I mean, it’s a tough situation all round. Obviously it was a short time in F1 for Jack. Franco is coming in with these five races, which is also not an easy circumstance to come back into F1. Yeah, I think it’s a tough situation. For Jack, he can be proud of what he’s achieved. He still became an F1 driver, and no one can take that away from him. It’s a difficult situation, but it’s not really for me to comment on now.

Q: (Shana Lutgert – F1Maximaal.nl) Question for Oscar. After Miami, your car has been cleared of any tricks and allegations regarding the tyres that have been going around in the paddock, especially with the water theory. How did you feel when you read about them or heard about them? And what do you have to say now for those who are coming up with any allegations?
OP: I honestly haven’t read anything because I’ve not been concerned. Maybe next time we’ll put some little figurines in a water slide as well —I don’t know—we’ll come up with something. But clearly it’s all been passed. I had no concerns. Play on.

Q: (Alejandro Alonso Lopez – Diariomotor.com). Question to Oscar. Earlier you said that you have obviously a very quick car but also you are driving very well this year. Is there something different you are doing in your preparation, or anything from last year that has allowed you to step up your game? And also, does being in an F1 title hunt change things compared to the title hunts you had in previous years?
OP: I think the preparation is mostly the same. Through the year and especially at the end of the season, you always reflect on the things you can improve and do better. It’s just been about how you do things more efficiently. How you take the next step up in your preparation. But it’s not as simple as doing 60 laps on the simulator instead of 50 or spending one more hour somewhere. It’s mostly been the same, just we’ve been working very well. Experience naturally helps. Some of the things that you have to concentrate on become more natural, so you’re constantly learning and that experience definitely helps. But the preparation has mostly been the same. We've just been trying to find those little bits in every column. There hasn't been one big change—just trying to find little bits everywhere.

Q: (Filip Cleeren – Motorsport.com) For Franco. Welcome back. Last year, your debut was quite unexpected. Whereas now it seems like the entire country of Argentina was screaming and clamouring for you to be in the car as soon as possible. How have you dealt with the attention of the past couple of months? Did part of you enjoy all the attention and everything that was happening on social media, or have you tried to block it out and focus on getting ready?
FC: Same as last year. I think it was even worse last season. You know, the Argentinian fans and I think Latin American fans—they are very passionate, very euphoric and they love supporting their athletes and people that they feel close to them. They’ve always been there and they’ve always been very supportive. But yeah, I think we always try to keep the respect for all the drivers on the grid—that’s the main thing the fans should do and something to improve on. At the end it’s the same. I had to manage this last year. I had a bit of time to read some stuff and now I’m racing and everything is deleted again. So yeah, focus here.

Q: (Bernardo Castro – GrandePrêmio.com.br) Franco, when you raced last year, you already knew that you didn't have a seat for 2025. But now, you know it’s a different situation, and there’s the opportunity to stay on the grid in 2025 and beyond. Is there a kind of extra pressure in this situation and how do you deal with it?
FC: Last year everything was new and it was very tricky to take in all the information. I think now I’m only six races behind everyone that has been racing already—evolution-wise, tyre-related, I just don’t have the knowledge of those first six races. But I’m much closer than last year. Last year I had zero experience. I hadn’t had any testing. I just had 300k of running in an F1 car before I drove in Monza. It was much trickier. I think I felt more pressure there, just because everything was new. This year, just having that extra experience, having that knowledge of having already raced in Formula 1 is going to help me a bit. So yeah, hopefully it does. Yeah, just can’t wait to jump in the car.



PART TWO: Liam LAWSON (Racing Bulls), Esteban OCON (Haas), Kimi ANTONELLI (Mercedes)

Kimi can we start with you. A good omen coming into your home race with Bologna winning the cup last night and I gather you were out celebrating last night as well?
Kimi ANTONELLI: Yeah, it was good fun. Last night there was a game and we won. The city went pretty crazy. I was out there as well, but not for long though because I still had to come to the track this morning. But like everyone was sounding the klaxons on the street, it like, going crazy. It was good fun. I enjoyed it.

Q: On track, this is the first time in four years that the Italian fans have had one of their own to cheer on at an Italian Formula 1 race. Just what does it mean to you to be driving in a home race in Formula 1?
Kimi ANTONELLI: Well, for sure it feels amazing. I think this one is my proper home race because, of course, we have Monza as well, but I live probably 30 minutes away from the track [here]. So I would say it is my proper home. I'm really excited. I really like the track as well. I think it's a really challenging track, old-school. It’s really good fun to drive around here. And yeah, of course, I feel this weekend is going to be a special one, especially racing in front of all the Italian fans, my family, and friends. So it's going to be intense as well. But yeah, really excited to hit the track tomorrow and see what we can do.

Q: Do you think we’re going to see more Kimi Antonelli flags or Ferrari flags this weekend?
KA: Well, I don't know. Hopefully more Kimi Antonelli! But yeah, Ferrari is so big that it would be a bit ambitious to see more of my flags. But I would not complain.

Q: What about on-track performance? The Sprint pole obviously in Miami — just how much confidence do you have in the car now?
KA: Well, definitely a lot more than I had in Melbourne. Just getting at east with the car and understanding the tyres as well. I think where I made a really big step was trying to extract the best out of the tyre and trying to put them in a more decent window for the lap. Miami was a really good step because Sprint qualif was great. The actual qualifying was still good because we were still up there. That definitely gave me a boost of confidence. The race didn’t go as I wanted, but it didn’t hurt my confidence. Now that we're into the European season — definitely tracks that I know much better — definitely the approach will be different. I can focus a lot on driving, but also I can focus more on trying to give the best advice about the car to the engineers in order to improve and progress even more during the weekend. So definitely really excited to start the European season.

Q: Have you dared to dream of a first Formula 1 podium at home?
KA: I should ask him, but in the family, we’re very superstitious, so we don’t really talk about this stuff. I mean, Also, Miami. I’ll make an example. I was really excited and actually thinking about the podium, and then the races went terribly wrong — both in the Sprint and the long race. So we’re a very superstitious family and we just take it step by step. Of course, sometimes it happens to think it would be amazing to get a podium, especially at the home race, and that’s for sure the goal. To step on the podium would be the ultimate goal. Of course I want to win, but looking at it in a more realistic way, I think doing a podium here would be the dream and that’s what I’m really going to push for.

Q: Esteban, we’ll come to you now. With Haas’s technical department being based in Maranello, does this feel like something of a home race for you and the team?
Esteban OCON: I mean, a little bit of course. We prepare so much in the season in the simulator and obviously in the part of the team in Maranello. We were there on Tuesday, I was there at the wind tunnel in Maranello, so in a way it is a little bit a part of the team, the Italian DNA, which is very nice. I was able to spend a couple of days in Italy. It’s always special to come here. It’s a beautiful, historical track. I’ve been coming to it for quite a long time now and yeah, it’s an enjoyable one to race on.

Q: Tell us about your journey with this year's Haas car in terms of how much performance you’re unleashing from it. Q3 last time out in Miami — do you feel now you're on top of it?
EO: I think we've improved a lot since Melbourne. We had a very difficult first race of the year where we were basically last on the grid. We've managed to turn the car around and to be a car that’s fighting for points every race. We’ve had a couple of really good ones where we managed to maximise the potential. But it is very close out there and we need to continue to maximise that potential if we want to be scoring points. We’ll have a couple of things on the car which are a little bit different this weekend, and hopefully that will help us to perform better than the other weeks. We got Q3 in Miami. Unfortunately, we came short of points, but we'll be fighting to get back into that zone again.

Q: Can we just get your thoughts as well on Pirelli bringing the C6 compound tyre this weekend?
EO: Yeah, it will be the second time for me running that tyre. We ran it for the first time in Abu Dhabi testing, which is a very different track. I think this is going to open much more unknowns and uncertainty on a track we know quite well, which should be interesting. I’m looking forward to driving that and seeing how the degradation evolves — if it opens up opportunities.

Q: Liam, thank you for waiting. You’ve been back at Racing Bulls for four races now. How are you bedding in? How happy are you with the car?
Liam LAWSON: Yeah, pretty happy. I think every weekend you get more comfortable and also coming to tracks that we’ve been to before helps. Miami was a tricky one. But to be honest, I felt pretty comfortable in the car. I think we had good speed in the car, but there are a lot of variables in Formula 1. Just getting a whole weekend together has been quite tough recently. We’ll try to do the best we can this week at a home race for the team.

Q: Are you back driving with your old confidence and freedom behind the wheel?
LL: I think so. Honestly, I would say I never stopped doing that. It’s been a tricky year so far and there have been some really tough weekends, but personally I’ve always felt comfortable driving the car. I feel as much as I’m still learning for sure, that hasn’t really changed. For this weekend, I’ve been fortunate to test here in the past. It is a very intense track, quite hard, very old-school — which for us drivers, we’re quite excited by.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Mara Sangirogio – Sky Sports Italy) A question to Kimi. You were just talking about victory and podium, but what are you missing as a team to win this year?
KA: Well, I don't feel like I'm in the position to just… because I’ve so much to learn still on my side. I feel like as a team we're doing a great job. The car has been consistent every weekend and that allows us to build the confidence. Of course, the gap to McLaren is still big. I mean, Miami was the real picture of the situation. McLaren were flying during the race and it was impossible to catch for anyone else. So I think as a team, we're really trying to work hard to improve on our limitations. Again this weekend we will have a few updates on the car and hopefully that will help us to make a step forward and to keep working. I’ve been at the factory as well in the past few days and it’s really exciting to see how much the team is motivated and how hard they're working. So we're all aligned on where we need to improve and that's what we're trying to do.

Q: (Craig Slater – Sky Sports) Another one for Kimi. It’s your home race — I’m sure there’s a lot of attention on you, family and friends attending. How are you protecting your energy levels and keeping a clear head for the action on track?
KA: Yeah, I mean that's a good question actually. This weekend is going to be emotionally and mentally draining — home race in front of the Italian fans, and as I said, my family and friends will be attending. So it’s going to be really important to manage the energy, especially in those moments where I can, and not waste energy on things that are not useful. It's going to be important to stay on top of that because it's really easy to hit the bottom of the pack before the end of the weekend. Already a normal weekend is very tiring and draining, so this is like double. Of course I'm going to try to protect myself. The fact that I’ve got really good people around me really helps. We're all aligned that this weekend is going to be tough. We're preparing and I think we're quite well prepared. At the end of the day, it’s another race weekend, but because of the circumstances it's going to be different. At the same time, it's going to be really exciting. I think the energy is going to be amazing and that can be used to do even better on track. Really looking forward to see how we go this weekend.

Q: (Harry Benjamin – Sky Sports F1) A question for Kimi. I believe this is the first weekend you’ve had a proper chance to read the note that Lewis Hamilton left for you last year in the drivers’ room. I know you don’t want to go into the specifics, but what was the feeling reading it, and how much does it mean to you that Lewis took the time to leave you a message?
KA: Well, I think — you know, maybe you guys cannot see — but I think it says a lot about how Lewis is as a person. I could see a lot of the human side of Lewis, not only the driver. Reading the message, it fulfilled my heart to receive such a message from such a figure in the sport. He has done so much and he’s still right there giving his best. He’s one of the best in history. To receive such a message is amazing. It also contained some advice, and I use it as motivation as well to go out there and do my best — because it doesn't happen every day.

Q: Will you keep the letter?
KA: Yeah, it's actually on my wall. I'll keep it there. The message is so nice that I just want to leave it there. Every time I enter the room, I can see it. It's a really good reminder.

Q: (Margot Laffite – Canal+) A question for Kimi. How do you manage your life as an F1 driver while still studying? Do you physically go to school? What exams are you preparing for?
KA: Well, I'm not able to attend school, but I'm trying to study as much as I can, especially in those little moments I have free. I'm getting help from the school as well to try and catch up because I’ve definitely missed a lot of work during this time. But it’s not easy, because that also takes energy and effort. Especially ahead of such an important weekend, it’s really important to manage that side, not to do too much in order to save energy. But yeah, whenever I'm home or have a bit of time off, I try to do a little bit just to keep active and catch up as much as possible.

Q: (Panagiotis Seitanidis – Ant1 TV) A question for Esteban. We saw a few days ago that maybe with a little help from Toyota Gazoo Racing, you have a new member in your diverse garage collection. What can you tell us about the cars you have, and are you regretting not doing a WRC car outing or test?
EO: No, no, no. I have the road version of the GR Yaris. Toyota is our partner with the team, and we got welcomed into their facility when we were in Japan. We were able to drive on the "little Nürburgring", as they call it, and test all their cars: the Supra Final Edition, the Yaris GR, Seb Ogier edition, Kalle Rovanpera – the Corolla of Emperor... They were all there. We got to drive on gravel as well, which was mega. They have such a passion for motorsport and are very involved with us. I received the car recently at home, and it’s a car I’ve always wanted to try. Now I’ve got it at home, which is a dream come true. There are only 200 units in the world, and I got one, which is super special. I’m happy to share these things on my YouTube channel — a project I’ve wanted to do for a long time. There’s more stuff coming in the future.

Q: (Nelson Valkenburg – ViaPlay) A follow-up for Kimi. Circling back to school — did I see your entire class earlier in the paddock today? Is that the best way to be the favourite student? Also, how important is it for you that this race stays on the calendar as a home race?
KA: Yeah, I organised this — thanks also to some people at Mercedes. Rosa [Herrera Venegas], who’s in the room as well, helped. We were able to organise this for the school. I think it’s a good way for them to see with their own eyes this world. They used to watch the races on TV, but didn’t actually know what’s going on behind it. I think it’s a really good experience and I really hope they enjoy it. We’ve organised some activities — later on I’ll show them the car and explain a bit, without going too much into detail. It’s a good way to keep the relationship because I don’t spend much time at home, so I don’t see them often. These little things can make the difference. About the race — yeah, I would love for it to stay on the calendar. It's such a unique track. As I said before, it’s technical, it not easy, especially over one lap, to put everything together. It’s old school, quite bumpy. All things that make it special. The history of this track is incredible. Definitely I would love if there were the chance for the track to stay on the calendar next year and for the next few years of course.

Q: (Alejandro Alonso Lopez – Diariomotor.com) Question to Kimi. Earlier you said that you were working to extract the best out of the tyres. At this point of the season, what would you say are your strengths and weaknesses, or the things that you still need to work on more?
KA: Well, that’s an interesting question. I think Miami was good because, for the first time this season, I felt like I could get up to speed with the track much quicker than I did in previous races. That’s something I’m looking to do more in the next few races, even at tracks I know. Being able to start off with the right pace and close to the limit can really help the rest of the weekend. One of my strengths in Miami was the fact that I could adapt well to the track, quickly. Weaknesses — I wouldn’t really call it a weak point — but something I’ve been struggling with is being able to put the whole weekend together. As Liam said before, there are so many variables in F1, so many things you need to take into account. It’s really hard to put together the whole weekend consistently – from FP1 all the way to the race. Every little detail can make such a difference, especially on the tyres. A few degrees in qualifying can be the difference between a good lap and not. Even in the race, if you push too much at the beginning, you can get massively penalised at the end of the sprint.
So something I’m trying to work on is having a better understanding and being able to put the whole weekend together. This year, so far, when I was doing a bad quali, the race was going well. But when I did a good quali, like in Miami, the race wasn’t as good. So that is the main point to work on at the moment.

Q: (Ian Parkes – Racing News 365) Question for Esteban. Given your previous links with Alpine, were you surprised by what happened in the days following Miami? And I can imagine you must have some sympathy for Jack’s situation, given your time together at the team.
EO: Unfortunately, not really any surprise from some of the decisions that have been taken recently by the team. I don’t have much to say. Obviously, sad for Jack. I’m sure he’ll be back in F1 at some point. He showed some really strong moments this year where he qualified super well and he’s also been super quick in the car — which was good to see. On the other hand, Franco also deserves to be in F1. Last year he showed some great things with the Williams car. Unfortunately, there are not enough cars on the grid to fit all the talents that are out there. But yeah, not much more to say. I’m happy where I am.

Q: (Frederik Hackbarth– Motorsport–Total.com) Question on the same topic, but to Liam. Have you spoken to Jack or shared a message with him? Because I think we all thought Red Bull were harsh on you with the decision after two races. Now we see the decision at Alpine and Jack is completely out. Also, how do you reflect on it from your own point of view — because you got a second chance, maybe others don’t.
LL: Yeah, I spoke to Jack. Obviously for him, it’s very tough. I think he showed enough to stay in Formula 1, for sure. He showed enough to be in Formula 1. But also, it’s hard — how can you be expected in five races to show everything you have, especially in your rookie season? Unfortunately, it’s very cutthroat. But as Esteban said, I think he did enough — even before F1, he did enough to deserve to be there. And he’s done enough in F1 to deserve to come back. But with 20 seats, it’s very, very tough. Every team makes their own decisions, so there’s not really much more to say.

Q: (Adam Cooper – Adamcooperf1.com) Question for Kimi. I’m sure most of us in this room have seen your Netflix documentary. What do you think of the final version? Is it an accurate portrayal of your story and who you are? And what sort of reaction have you had from it?
KA: Yeah, I’m happy with how it came out in the end. I think it was a good experience to do, also because I could see with my own eyes a completely new world — to see what goes on behind producing a movie. Of course, it was not a proper movie, but we could see how much work there was behind every scene. It was fascinating and a good experience. I’m super happy that people liked it. At the end of the day, it’s just to show how motorsport is, how tough it can be, and how much work it takes to get to the top level. For people who don’t really know the journey it takes to get to F1, I think it’s a good opportunity to have a better understanding. You start from very little in karting, then move up, and it doesn’t always work out — for many reasons. You also have to be lucky, like in my case, to get such an opportunity. To get into an Academy first and then to drive in F1. I feel very lucky and very privileged to have had the opportunity back in 2018 when I was 11 and I got into the Academy, and then to get the seat for this year — it shows you also need to be lucky, of course. But at the same time, results speak for themselves and performance does everything.

Q: (Leovid Kliuev – GrandePrêmio.com.br) Question for everyone: wouldn’t it be cool to have a LEGO race before each main race each weekend? What do you think?
KA: I think it would be cool, but I don’t know how much it would cost to the Lego guys.
LL: I felt really bad actually. Did you see how much time it took to build those cars? 22,000 hours.
KA: Oh my God, yeah!
EO: I don’t think the repair is going to take too long. You just need to stick a few bits on the back.
LL: That’s true. Front wing and some wheels maybe!
EO: I asked the technical people, and they said they have in the pipeline to make a quicker version of it. This would be very interesting.
KA: It was so funny — they told us we couldn’t bang wheels or anything, and of course, first corner...
LL: I don’t know what they were expecting!
KA: …And the thing was just going 20 kph — if they actually make some faster ones...
EO: That would be funny.
KA: That would be interesting.
EO: We might need to wear helmets and seatbelts — becomes an F1 race then!
KA: Yeah, especially for the guy standing at the top — it’d be quite a thing for him.
LL: I thought it was awesome, honestly.
EO: Honestly, it was the most fun I’ve had in any driver’s parade. And I think for the fans it was awesome. Imagine that in Mexico, for example — in the stadium. That would be epic.

Q: (Diletta Colombo – AutoMoto) Question for Kimi. You said before that your schoolmates are here — your friends, your family. Does it still feel surreal to race as a Formula 1 driver in a race so close to your hometown?
KA: Yeah, I mean it does feel real, definitely. It took me a little bit to realise this moment — that for the first time, I will be racing in F1 at my home race. At the same time, it’s super exciting. As I said, the energy is going to be incredible, especially to see so many Italian fans. At the end of the session I’ll have a proper look around and probably give a little wave to everyone because it’s so important to have such support. It can really help and motivate you to go on track and do even better. I could already feel, from the beginning of the year, so much support from Italians. It’s just growing even more. I’m super happy about that. I definitely couldn’t have asked for more. I think it would be really good to do a strong result also for all of them — for everyone coming to the weekend and taking time out of their day to attend the race. It would be a good thing to do a strong weekend — for myself, for the team, but also for them.