|
PART ONE: DRIVERS – Daniel
RICCIARDO (Red Bull Racing), Fernando ALONSO (McLaren), Pierre GASLY (Toro
Rosso), Carlos SAINZ (Renault)
PRESS CONFERENCE
Q: Fernando, I’m going to start with you. I’ve just introduced all four of
you with your current teams, but all four of you will be racing elsewhere
next year. You’ve said you won’t race in Formula 1 in 2019. Can you just
tell us how you came to that decision?
Fernando ALONSO: Well, it was a decision that probably I started thinking
about last year, probably, and then this year, in 2018, there were a lot of
changes into the team, with the engine manufacturer changes and things like
that, so I thought it was worth staying one more year. I enjoy driving these
cars, with the new regulations, with the big tyres, the big downforce, I was
having fun and I think this year it was some kind of joy to keep racing and
to have another go. But at the same time I made some changes and some
priorities into this year, with the Super Season and the WEC championship
and other things also, towards this direction and yeah, this year, a couple
of months ago I decided that it was the right time, because I feel strong, I
feel I’m driving at a good level and I want to say bye-bye to this sport
when I feel strong, not when I feel not competitive or I don’t have any
place to go and then you say bye-bye. I prefer to take my own decision and
find new challenges that maybe Formula 1 cannot offer me at the moment.
Q: Thank you. Daniel, you will also have a new challenge next year, swapping
Red Bull for Renault. Tell us how you came to make that decision to move
teams next year?
Daniel RICCIARDO: Yeah, it was a long thought process, for sure. I guess
I’ve been kind of bombarded with the question already at the end of last
year. When Max announced his extension with the team then it kind of turned
a bit of spotlight onto me. I obviously took my time with it. By no means an
easy decision at all. I guess I got to a point where I felt I was ready for
a change. I guess that was the long and short of it. I’m ready for a new
challenge and I think just for me personally just some fresh motivation.
That sounds easy saying it like that but it wasn’t easy. A few sleepless
nights, for sure, trying to come up with the best conclusion for myself but
once I made that decision and pulled the trigger I felt comfortable with it
and it feels right moving forward for next year.
Q: Thank you. Carlos, coming to you, obviously you are going to replace
Fernando at McLaren in 2019, but there was a Red Bull seat available at one
stage, so can you talk us through the timeline for what happened with your
future?
Carlos SAINZ: As soon as Daniel was announced in Renault, there was
obviously a period of time where I didn’t know where I was going to go. I
had been preparing my options and McLaren has been one of them for a long
time now. I have been in touch with the McLaren management for a year or two
now. Because of that I was very calm about the situation. I just had to wait
to see what happened and take my own decision. In the end it turned out to
be good. I’m about to leave the Red Bull family in a good way. I owe pretty
much my Formula 1 career to them. Thanks to them at the moment I am going to
McLaren, because they put me into Formula 1 and I have been able to do a
career thanks to them. I think I am opening a new chapter next year; my
first two-year deal with the team and I just cannot wait.
Q: Thank you. Pierre, you probably had the least stressful break in terms of
not having a decision to make, but you will be promoted to Red Bull next
year. Twelve months ago you weren’t even racing in Formula 1. Can you
believe the progress and how quick it’s been?
Pierre GASLY: Yeah, it’s pretty amazing how quick things go in Formula 1, so
for sure super excited about this new challenge. Yeah, pretty much I was
surprised, like everyone, when I heard the news about Daniel. I had Helmut
on the phone, who told me that they would take their time to make the
decision. Difficult to disconnect when you know there is a seat available in
Red Bull but I just tried to enjoy my break. I was just waiting for a phone
call just to know if I will stay with Toro Rosso or jump into the Red Bull
seat and Helmut called me to tell me that they made the decision and they
want me to race for the team from 2019 onwards. Just super excited about it
and it’s a massive step in my career and now I need to stay focused on the
coming races, because we are talking about next year but there are still
nine races to go with Toro Rosso but for sure it’s going to be a massive
jump for me in my career.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Scott Mitchell – Autosport) Daniel, with the decision to leave Red Bull,
how much of that is down to maybe doubting the potential of that partnership
with Honda. Obviously it’s a big change for the team and they obviously
needed to do a bit of convincing for you, so how much of a factor was that
in the call?
DR: There are a lot of unknowns with everything. Obviously even the move
where I am going to be next year. There is still a certain amount of risk or
unknowns. Nothing was really that clear cut. Sure, Honda still really need
to prove themselves at the front. But honestly there wasn’t really one key
factor other than really myself and wanting to have a change of scenery I
guess. That was probably the biggest, overpowering thing but it wasn’t
necessarily the engine deal or this or that or the financials or whatever.
It was really just me coming to a point… it’s been five years with Red Bull
Racing, or will be at the end of this year, ten years with the company and
obviously it’s been amazing and great but it just felt like now is the time
to take on something new. So that’s pretty much how my decision came.
Q: (Edd Straw – Autosport) Another question for Daniel. Was Max Verstappen’s
presence in the team part of it, in terms of obviously Red Bull have thrown
a lot behind him, he’s becoming a bit of a focal point, there were various
troubles earlier in the year. Do you feel that for your new challenge you
needed to get out of an environment where there was a team that seemed to be
building up around Max?
DR: No, is the short answer. I think externally around media and maybe some
fans’ perspective as well that might be seen as the case, but honestly,
internally, yeah in Baku and that we had an incident and a couple of
on-track things, more round ourselves, but as far as equality went within
the team, as I said, probably from the outside sometimes people thought
that, but honestly hand on heart there was never any concern with that or
any sign of that. So it wasn’t, I guess, is the answer.
Q: (Christian Menath – Motorsport-Magazin.com) Daniel, can you talk us
through the timing of your decision-making, because there has been some
confusion about that? Helmut Marko said he was quite sure you were going to
sign the contract with Red Bull but then you didn’t.
DR: Yeah, it was all tight with deadlines. It’s not something I knew for
weeks or months. It was all pretty much… when it got announced right before
the break… obviously Renault was part of my considerations for some time;
they didn’t come out of nowhere at the last hour, but yeah, I was really
torn, obviously, with what to do and that process took time. At the end,
still on the race weekend in Budapest I wasn’t sure what I was going to be
doing. Did the test on Tuesday and took some time to think about it over the
next 48 hours and then came to my decision. It wasn’t easy and there were a
lot of factors, variable that I had to try to weigh up, but I think as I
said, in my mind the key thing for me personally was that I felt it was time
to make a change. This year, particularly the first part of the year, up
until Monaco for sure, it was an amazing start to the year for me. There
were so many positives. So there was a lot of like good momentum and energy
but I guess still at times I was feeling, for whatever reason, I felt
personally a little bit frustrated – within myself, not necessarily with
things that were happening in the team – and I was just trying to understand
why and I guess when I weighed it up a change of setting, a new challenge
was probably the answer I need.
Q: (Jerome Pugmire – Associated Press) Fernando, would you at some point in
the future consider returning to Formula 1 or is this definitively goodbye?
FA: Right now, I’m thinking it’s a goodbye. But, you know, life changes very
quickly. Life has also taught me in the past how things may change, in a
couple of months’ time or in a years’ time. As I said in the press release,
when we announced the retirement, it’s to leave the door open, because I
don’t have the crystal ball to know what is going to happen in the future.
As I said, for me it’s a bye-bye, but who knows in the future.
Q: (Jacquelin Magnay – The Australian) Daniel, you’ve talked about needing a
new challenge and wanting a new challenge, what was happening in Red Bull
that made you so unloved, and in terms of the contract negotiations, did
they have a right of reply at all and did you go back to them?
DR: I never said I was unloved. That wasn’t the case. As I said, there was
no real highlight other than probably the routine sometimes if you… we don’t
have a nine-to-five job and we’re not going to the same office everyday. But
I guess many years of more or less going to the same factory or whatever,
that kind of routine, I felt like at time my enjoyment of the sport was
becoming a little bit, I don’t know, dulled down, a bit numb at times, and I
just thought part of the routine was causing that. I’m still… I think
Fernando just touched on it, I’m discovering myself in life and it’s
changing pretty rapidly. How maybe I thought 12 months ago is not how I
think now but I guess part of that process and touching a little bit on the
routine I think was something that I felt was… I don’t want to say getting
the best of me, but was having a little effect on me. I think to be clear,
and I’m probably going to get asked loads of questions about it, there was
no falling out, no bad blood or anything with anyone in the team, with the
bosses, or anyone at all. I know the contract stuff, I think people assumed
I was pretty much done with Red Bull and ready to sign, but I’m pretty sure
I always just said I was close to doing something but I never really said it
was going to be 100% with Red Bull, so there wasn’t anything that changed
overnight that caused this decision and that’s pretty much where it was. And
there was another part?
Q: (Jacquelin Magnay – The Australian) The right of reply?
DR: There was like back and forth over the last few months. In the end, the
deal and that, I think we had all come to a happy place with and it was then
just up to me. I knew what was in front of me so…
Q: (Livio Oricchio – Globoesporte.com) Carlos, are you disappointed that Red
Bull chose Pierre instead of you. Pierre, how do you think you will be in
battle with Max next year ?
CS: Yeah, I think it’s impossible to be disappointed to be leaving a team to
go to McLaren. It’s one of the dreams I had as a kid and to be joining
McLaren in the future, it’s impossible to be unhappy. Yes, I’ve been part of
the Red Bull family for a very long time and I always said that Red Bull was
one of my main objectives but as a racing driver, the McLaren family pushes
you a lot to that and it is impossible to be disappointed with that and I
think that pretty much covers it.
And Pierre, going up against Max next year?
PG: I think it’s pretty exciting. I think Max is one of the best drivers on
the grid at the moment. Of course I am only in my first season in Formula 1
and I’m still taking experience, but I think there is a great opportunity
ahead of me. I have a really good relationship with Max. I know him a really
long time; we raced together in karting. I think as a team we have the
potential to do great things together and yeah, I’ve worked with the team
for a couple of years now. For sure, I will have things to learn in the
first few races and the first months, because I’m still quite new in Formula
1. But my long-term target is to be the best in the sport and if I want to
be the best I will have to fight against the best. I think Max is one of the
best drivers on the grid at the moment, so I take it as an amazing
opportunity to drive next to him.
Q: (Abhishek Takle – Mid-day) A question for Daniel again. You were talking
about the routine and about needing a change in environment. You were
obviously earlier in the season linked to drives at either Mercedes or
Ferrari so you had begun to think about life beyond Red Bull. Then when that
didn’t happen… when you think about life outside the environment you are in,
does that make the environment you are in a little less appealing and you
want that change more?
DR: I don’t know. I feel like… I don’t feel my presence in the team this
year has changed. I think it’s probably shown particularly on Sundays. The
desire and everything is still 100% there. The desire to race and be the
best – that certainly hasn’t diminished. I don’t think so. I don’t think
anything changed, really, over the process. It was more me, when I was away
from the track, away from the sport, just laying in bed at night, more
things were running through my head. I think just asking myself more
questions; what I want and where I see myself… something like that!
Q: (Marco Conseco - Marca) Question for Fernando. What kind of car are you
going to leave for Carlos at the end of the season?
FA: Well, I think he will drive next year’s car so I guess that hopefully
there is going to be more performance in it and a better car to achieve
better results. That’s our aim at the moment in the remaining nine races
with the team; prepare the 2019 car the best way we can and so I don’t know
exactly how the car will be or what performance Carlos will find – but what
is 100 per cent sure is the team is an amazing team, as Carlos touched on
before. McLaren is an amazing organisation, the second-best team in the
history of the sport. This is something you will feel immediately when you
come to the factory, when you enter the MTC, you meet the people, the
engineers, the design office, the mechanics. Everyone is committed and
determined to put McLaren back on the top. That’s something that, you know,
if quite special when you join this kind of organisation. That will be the
first feeling; the first moment of joy and hopefully the second will be in
the Barcelona test.
Q: (Andrew Benson – BBC Sport) Question for Fernando. Fernando, you talk
about new challenges that Formula One can’t offer you. Do you mean winning?
Winning one particular race? Would you have stayed if you could have had a
competitive car, and what do you feel about the fact you’ve not been able to
get a competitive car despite your obvious abilities?
FA: I think the challenges are, year, probably bigger than the challenge
that I can find here for next year. The triple crown is something that I’ve
been saying for a couple of months now – or years – that to be the best
driver in the world there are two possibilities: winning eight World
Championships in Formula One – quite unlikely now for me – or the second is
to master different series and different cars. The sportscars, I think I’m
doing quite OK at the moment; so I’m happy with the performance we’re seeing
there, and in the Indy 500 I felt competitive also last year, and there are
other series that can put you in a different level in motorsport if you can
win with different cars and in different series. The possibilities for next
year here. They’ve been a few, or a lot. It depends on how you look at it. I
did not stay because, as I said also last week, winning now, there are
probably only two teams which they can win. They continue with their drivers
for the following years. And the Formula One we are seeing now maybe is not
the Formula One I dream of when I was a kid, or when I joined in 2001.
That’s a bigger reason. As Daniel said before, when you come to the same
place for many years and you repeat the same thing, see the same people,
there is one day that maybe you don’t get so emotional about the challenges.
That’s the reason why.
Q: (Oliver Brown – The Telegraph) Question for Daniel. Daniel, this week,
Helmut Marko’s quotes seemed to indicate that the team felt rather
blindsided in the negotiations. That you had indicated to him and Mr
Mateschitz that you would sign on the Tuesday after Hungary, and you called
on the Thursday. I just wondered if you could convey how difficult a
conversation that was in the circumstances – and how he took the news?
DR: Yeah. I wasn’t laughing, trust me. It wasn’t like that. It’s tough. I
mean they’re not calls that… I don’t like letting anyone down, you know what
I mean? So, it’s like… not many people get satisfaction, I guess, out of
letting others down. It was OK. It was a call I had to make. One which for
sure made me a little nervous. It went OK. When speaking to Helmut he was
understanding, I think, in many ways of course. He’s known me for ten years
and I think he’d sensed at times some frustration or maybe something
changing in me, so I don’t think it completely surprised him, but sure, he
was a little bit disappointed that I was moving on. From my side, of course,
it makes me sad to move on but it was nice to know that I was wanted there
and they wanted to keep me – but it was all very calm and respectful. So it
was all I could ask for.
Q: (Dieter Rencken – Racing Lines, Racefans.net) Question for Fernando.
Fernando, you say the fact that only two teams currently really have a
chance of winning influenced your decision, and that Formula One today isn’t
what it was in 2001 when you joined – but if you have a look at the record
books, your first six years in Formula One, there were only two teams
capable of winning, namely Ferrari and then after that Renault with yourself
– so how much of a factor was it that you aren’t in a winning team? How much
of a role did that play in your decision?
FA: Well, I think definitely it plays a part of it. If you are in one of
those two teams, probably you keep going, even if you don’t enjoy or if you
enjoy the races or the trips or the amount of years you’ve been doing the
same thing, that’s for sure. Yeah, Formula One has always been a sport that
dominates with one team or two teams and the package is way more important –
but yeah, there have been different seasons and different years where we had
a little bit more freedom of strategy, of choices, or tyres. Even if one
team was clearly dominant that season and World Champion at whatever part of
the year, there have always been some races with heat, with cold, with wet,
with Inters, it provides some action. Same with strategy. In 2004 I think I
won zero grand prix but I was in a couple of pole positions, or podiums of
whatever because we chose to run light fuel on Saturday, so a gamble for the
race. There has been always a little bit of action. Maybe now it’s not the
same. It’s nothing to compare. All my comments are not to compare those
seasons against these years recently, or other series compared to this
series because normally my words have been taken to compare different
series, or different seasons and say that I’m wrong. Probably I’m wrong.
It’s my decision and I’m happy with that.
Q: (Inaudible) Question for Daniel, and also a bit for Pierre. Daniel, Max
called you a lot of times the best team-mate he ever had. I think you two
were very happy together – at least in the Red Bull movies – are you going
to miss him next year and do you have any advice for your neighbour how to
treat the Dutch boy?
DR: Well, if he starts calling Pierre the best team-mate he’s ever had then
my heart will be broken. I’ve said it a few times, for how competitive we
are as people, I think we managed very well this team-mate rivalry. I guess
out of X amount of races we came together twice, so not perfect but also not
bad. It’s been good. I’ve enjoyed certainly having a strong team-mate and
everyone here who knows racing knows that I’ve got also a strong team-mate
next year with Nico. And with Pierre, I think firstly he owes Helmut a drink
– but he also owes me a drink. Even two. But look, it’s a similar position
to where I was in 2014, coming from Toro Rosso into the big team. It’s
exciting, it’s fun. I know what he’s feeling and it’s an awesome feeling, so
just role with it. He’s been doing very well this year. The boys are quite
mature at young ages these days, so I think he’s going to be fine.
Q: (Inaudible) Question for everyone but Fernando. To touch on the
predictability to leave Formula One as well. I was wondering if you three
agree with him on some level and if it would ever be a reason for you to
quit the sport?
CS: yeah, well, I think at my age and with the motivation I have, it’s
extremely unlikely. I feel at home in Formula One. It’s a dream come true to
be racing in Formula One, first in a team like Renault and then moving to
McLaren. About the predictability, I think it is predictable, Formula One,
probably too predictable, as Fernando has said. I truly believe the new
bosses, Liberty Media, are going to make an effort to change that. I think
it should be more down to the driver and what the driver can make as a
difference. I’m not here to compare to any other sport but I think that
would make Formula One a lot more attractive and a lot more fair also on the
sportsmen that we are sitting down here. I’m going to put a vote of
confidence in Liberty because I really believe they are going to do an
effort on that and maybe one day that might attract Fernando back. I’m going
to trust that.
Pierre, your thoughts on Formula One at the moment?
PG: Pretty similar to Carlos. I mean I’m still really young, exciting and
super happy to be in Formula One – but it’s true at the moment it’s a bit
too predictable. Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull, top six most of the time and
then after we battle for the seventh place and that’s the best we can do
every weekend. I think definitely for all drivers will like to fight all
with each other and also for the show, I think people at home like to see 20
cars. I think it’s probably impossible but at least ten cars fighting for
the podium or the win. As Carlos said, I think Liberty Media knows there is
something to do there and they are trying whatever they can to improve it. I
think it’s quite a long process, so we need to give them time – but on my
side I’m just super excited. I’m just starting my career in Formula One and
I’m living an amazing moment at the moment, and amazing time at the moment.
Yeah. Bit different to Fernando but definitely if they can do something to
close a bit the pack altogether, that will be great.
Daniel, you’re clearly further into your career than either of those guys.
What are your thoughts?
DR: They said it well, for sure. We’d all love more cars to be fighting up
at the front. That’s the truth. I think as well, if you’re in a winning car
now it makes it harder to win but it also gives you more satisfaction to
win. If you’re overcoming eight opponents as opposed to two or three, I
think the joy and all that would be emphasised. It would be welcome, and I
know it’s easier said than done but for sure if we’re asking for what we’d
like, then if all of us could battle it out, because we all got here with
talent and whatever and we’re all, I’m sure, pretty close so it would just
be nice to see really who is the best.
Q: (Jerome Bourret - L'Équipe) Question for Pierre. As you mentioned,
switching to Red Bull is a massive step in your career. What is the biggest
challenge you will face there next year and how are you going to prepare for
it?
PG: Well, for sure next year I’ll be in a top team, so fighting for much
better positions that I am at the moment. It means more pressure from the
team, more responsibilities, and I think that will be the main thing. I will
have a really strong team-mate also next to me – but yeah, you know I’m
always excited with challenges. As I said, I think all of us in Formula One,
we all want to be the best in the sport and to be the best you need to fight
against the best. So, I’m happy to take the challenge. It’s a fantastic
opportunity for me and I think the most important thing. As I said, I’m
still in my first season in Formula One so I still need to take experience,
still need to learn a few things and I know I can improve myself in a couple
of areas so I just need to focus on myself, keep developing myself and after
just be fast on track. That’s the most important thing. As long as you’re
fast and competitive and delivering what the team expects you to do on track
then everything is fine. I know my goals and I don’t really need anyone to
tell me what I need to do. I know I need to deliver on track, and I’m a
competitive guy, I’m not satisfied if I don’t perform well, so I just need
to focus on myself and deliver next year.
Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports F1) To Daniel – because you’ve been left out
for a while – you said in an FIA press conference a couple of years ago that
it was about championships for you, you were ready to win championships.
What have Renault sold you and said to you that make you feel that you’re
still a man that can win championships in Formula One?
DR: I know exactly the interview that was. I think it was after Monaco 2016.
I remember it clearly and it’s still the case. Look. Obviously next year,
begin realistic, it’s unlikely. Unlikely, I think, is a fair word. Mercedes
and Ferrari are the ones doing it consistently, obviously we’ve been able to
win some races this year but in terms of really fighting for a championship
it’s hard to deny Mercedes and Ferrari looking at next year. So, yeah, their
short to medium-term plan looked really encouraging. I think what they’ve
done in the last two years, the progress they’ve made, it encouraged me and
developments they’re making at the factory, and yeah, I think what they’re
doing with their finances, where they’re spending basically, and the way
they’re doing it, showed me that they want to win and they want to try to
get there as soon as possible. Obviously, every team wants to win, or try to
make it happen – but I saw some really good signs with what they showed me
in their presentation and the way they… also their honesty as well. Not
telling me we’re going to win in Melbourne next year – as much as I’d like
that – but the reality of that, it’s still going to be a bit of a process
but a process which is moving forwards pretty rapidly. |
