Part 1: Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc and Gabriel Bortoleto

Q: Let's start with the local hero and the man in the news as of yesterday. Charles, many congratulations on the new contract. Can you tell us why you wanted to extend with Ferrari and why now?
Charles Leclerc: I mean, why now? It's not that I had a timeline in my head. But why? I mean, it was very clear. I mean, I love the team. I think that's pretty obvious from the outside. It's been eight years with the Formula 1 team, 10 years with Ferrari as a whole. They've been one of the first people to believe in me and to help me to get to where I am today, and I believe in the project most of all. I think with Fred we have a very good relationship, and I strongly believe that he is the person that will be able to bring Ferrari back to the top. It's been a good start to the season, obviously not as good as what we would want, because we want to target the World Championship, but there's been a lot of innovation on the car. I mean, we know where we are lacking and that's probably more the engine side. We've got a plan coming up and hopefully it will help us to get back to where we want to be. But why? It's because I love this team and because I believe in the project, and for these two reasons, yeah, that's why we continue together.

Q: And Charles, what about this season? You talk about the plan. Do you think you can still challenge for the World Championship in 2026?
CL: I think it's very difficult to predict because things can change and swing one way or the other very quickly, especially so early on with those regulations. So, it's probably too early to say, but I see a lot of motivation and everybody's pushing extremely hard back at the factory to try and make sure that we come back closer to Mercedes. So that's a goal, then we'll see whether we achieve it or not.

Q: Well, a win would help, and the man on your right thinks you're favourite for the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend. Do you agree with him?
CL: No. I think we are in a better place. I mean, if there's one track I would bet on us, it's probably Monaco. However, I still believe that Mercedes have had a significant advantage since the beginning of the year, so I think they will be very strong. I think McLaren will be very strong as well. I think Red Bull will be very strong. But it's true that on the other tracks so far, we've been struggling quite a bit on the straights, which should be less of a problem. We have a strong package chassis-wise and aero-wise, so I think it could help us. But Mercedes, I think, will still remain the team to beat.

Q: OK. Good luck this weekend. Congrats on the new contract. Thank you. Lando, let's come to you now. Last year's winner. Just how confident are you of repeating that feat this time?
Lando Norris: Well, I think our run into this weekend this time last year was probably a little bit better than we've had this year, so maybe not quite to the level it was last season. But I think we're optimistic. We still want to come in with hopes of trying to achieve a pole and trying to achieve a win. That's still the goals we want to set ourselves. But Ferrari and Mercedes have obviously been very strong, Mercedes even more so, so we're getting ahead of ourselves. We don't want to be too optimistic, but at the same time we want to come into our weekends at the minute, I think we've given ourselves the chance to come into weekends with the belief that it is possible. That's the way we want to stay for now.

Q: And when you look at your car's characteristics, do you think the nature of Monaco will suit it?
LN: It's just so tough to say. I think, you know, we were closer to pole this year in Montreal than we were last time in Montreal, when we had a more dominant car. We went on to win in a similar characteristic of track - slow speeds, low grip track - that we have here. So, you know, when you just think of those things, it kind of gives us confidence. When you think of various other things, like just our general performance this year, less so. But we also know where we stand comparing to the other cars, where they're fast, where they're not. It's true that the Ferraris are not the quickest on the straights, but that's also because they have a lot of downforce and a lot of drag, so it's kind of their own punishment they give themselves, which gives them some advantage. That advantage will definitely show this weekend.

Q: OK. And final one from me, Lando. It's McLaren's 1,000th race, only the second team to reach that milestone. You've done the most starts of any driver for McLaren. Just how proud are you of the part you've played in the team's history?
LN: Very. Yeah, I mean, my dream was to be in F1, in the beginning was to be with McLaren. I don't think at any point I ever thought I'd be the driver in McLaren with the most race starts for them. That's a pretty awesome stat to think of. To be honest, normally I hate stats in general and I hate when people say them, but this is one that I'm just proud of, for sure. It's not like a performance stat, it's just more like a general one, and that's something, you know, just to see my name alongside so many greats. One championship is pretty amazing, but a lot of others and a lot of the people that everyone knows and remembers achieved a lot more. I certainly want to get to the level that they did, but for my name to be amongst some incredible drivers in the past is an amazing thing. For me to play a small part in helping McLaren go from where they were a few years ago, which is where no one wants to see McLaren, to where we are now, it's been an incredible journey that I've been very lucky to be part of. Yeah, I'm a lucky boy and I'll be here for many more years at the same time, trying to keep McLaren in the position that they are now, which is winning Constructors' Championships, winning championships for drivers. Yeah, how lucky I've been to be part of that journey and I hope that it continues for many more years.

Q: Lando, thank you for that. Best of luck this weekend. Gabriel, let's come to you now. Your second Monaco Grand Prix. Just what opportunities do you think the streets of the Principality will present you and Audi?
Gabriel Bortoleto: I think it can be a good weekend for us. Obviously, a lot of work to be done still, especially on driveability. That's, I think, a point we have suffered a little bit this year. But I think, you know, we have shown that chassis-wise we are not in a bad place and that we are competitive. Most of qualis we have been fighting to go inside of Q3 or have been in Q3, and then in the races, you know, it's about trying to make a good start and then staying there. So, let's see. I think Monaco can bring us some good stuff.

Q: And from a driving point of view, it's such a unique circuit. Does it require a different approach from inside the cockpit?
GB: I mean, you drive on the limit basically everywhere you go, but Monaco, obviously, it's a very tough street circuit. You know, the walls are very close, the circuit is very small, so obviously you need to drive in a different way. If you drive on a track that has a lot of escape roads and areas in case you make a mistake, here a mistake can cost you a lap or even, you know, you crash the car. So, for sure you need to drive a bit differently.

Q: OK. And looking at the year so far, Gabriel, how would you sum up Audi's progress?
GB: I mean, first of all, we need to say that they have done an amazing job on putting the car where we are now, in the sense like we are fighting for top 10s, and it's not said that could happen in the first year of a team that brings a power unit and a completely new car, and then fighting for points, fighting for good positions in qualifying. It's already an amazing thing. Obviously, we started in Australia with a very good and strong result, going to Q3, P9 in the race, and then I think all the expectations went quite high. But now we are building up and trying to, you know, put our baseline in a good place, and I think we have been able to do that. Last race both cars finished, we had everything under control, but unfortunately, we didn't have the pace to score points. So hopefully this weekend we are able to do something like that.

Questions From The Floor

Q: (David Croft - Sky Sports) Unsurprisingly, a question for you, Charles. Congrats on the new deal. We can see your loyalty to Ferrari and, sadly for you, the long-term association with the team has provided you with more winless seasons than winning seasons. So, what is it about Ferrari's project that you believe in, that you think you can be more successful in the future? What assurances have the team given you?
CL: Mostly Fred. I mean, I'm very on board with his vision and, yeah, I really believe in Fred. Obviously, it's the first car that he projected together with the team. Obviously, we are seeing lots of innovation on our car and we have a long-term vision. I mean, not too long, because obviously we all want to win as quickly as possible, but, yeah, as soon as possible to be back on top. I'm on board with this vision and I believe in this vision, so, yeah, that's what makes me believe about this project more than ever.

Q: (Rosanna Tennant - BBC Radio 5 Live) Charles, congratulations on the extension, but have you been able to add any conditions to the contract in terms of the timeline for achieving your goal of winning the World Championship? Because you talk about the love for the team. Surely that love can't sustain you forever and surely your desire to win is greater than your love for the team?
CL: My love for the team is very big, but, of course, as you said, winning is important for every driver and it's what we race for. But winning in red for me has got a very unique feeling and something that I've dedicated all the years so far in Formula 1 to try and achieve. We didn't manage to achieve that yet, at least on a full season. I cannot go too much into the detail of contract, so I cannot comment unfortunately on the main question, but surely it's part of those discussions.

Q: (Mara Sangiorgio - Sky Sports Italy) A question to Charles. You were talking about the reasons behind your renewal: love and trust. Will you end your career at Ferrari?
CL: I'm still very young. I mean, I'm 28, so I have many years ahead of me. But as I've said, at the moment this is what feels right for me and this is where I want to put all my focus, in trying to win with the team I love, that believed in me, that gave me the chance to be where I am today. And that's what felt right for me. And then for the future we'll see. Obviously, I don't know what will life look like in five or six or seven or 10 years' time, but it's not the moment either to think about it.