Track Interviews - Conducted by David Coulthard
Isack Hadjar, congratulations, your second podium in Formula 1 and, of course, here in Monte Carlo. That was not an easy race for you, I can see it on your face. Take us through the journey.
Isack Hadjar: Yeah, I mean, we got off to a clean start and were managing the race, and then within the first 10, 15 laps I started having massive drivability issues. And around here... If there's one track you don't want that, it's here. So yeah, it was incredibly challenging, having to cover 60 laps like that. And even towards the end, I was still lacking power on the restart.
And then having this red flag, the uncertainty as to whether it's going to be grid starts following or not, getting your head back into that. So a very tough weekend and a tough afternoon, I guess, to finally get that podium?
IH: Yeah, I mean, honestly on my restart I felt like I had a good start and then suddenly I had a hole and I lost two places. But I knew the cars ahead had penalties, but I had limited power and I never had to send it that much in my life through the corners to stay within five seconds of Pierre. But yeah, it's an outstanding weekend considering how it started in FP1, I had no confidence to get back up, but we did it. So yeah, I'm happy.
Lewis Hamilton, you have now just had your eighth podium result here in Monaco. That equals the late, great Ayrton Senna. No one more than you two guys have had more podiums. You've been on it all weekend. Tell us about that journey.
Lewis Hamilton: Yeah, well, I mean, I have to start by congratulating Kimi and to the Mercedes team, my whole family. They've done it again. They've created an amazing car and Kimi's doing an incredible job, just delivering weekend in, weekend out. So, it's great to see and I'm really happy for them. On our side, I think we've been progressing over the past months and can't quite keep up with them just yet. And it's probably going to take a lot of work for us to get to their level. But to get another second place is such a great feeling, especially in Monaco, under the trickiest conditions. It was the hardest conditions out there and we've had such a great turnout today as well. So, I'll definitely take it.
Just briefly on that, when you mentioned the difficult conditions, what particularly of all of the Grands Prix you've done here was giving you the biggest challenge?
LH: I think for me, it's really the car. The car is good, but we need more downforce ultimately. And I think just with the tyres, with the different scenarios we had out there, I ran out of tyres quite early in the first stint and then I was on that long second stint. And these tyres aren't particularly great just over a long stint, so holding on to that was going to be tough. And then once we had to slow down on the Safety Car, you lose all temperature and you saw with other drivers out there that it was really hard to stay on track. So I think just with all the different things that have been thrown at us, it was massively challenging. But really, really grateful for the day, happy, grateful to the team. Grazie to everyone back at the factory and all the guys here who worked so hard to get this result. They truly deserve this and more, and I've just got to keep working harder to try and see if I can finally take that next step for them too.
Yeah. Well, I know you know your way to the podium, so enjoy.
LH: Thank you.
Kimi Antonelli, this is your fifth straight victory, but I think in the context of right now, in Monte Carlo, you have been flawless all weekend. Congratulations.
Kimi Antonelli: Thank you so much. It's been an incredible weekend, incredible race. It was one of those days where we had so incredible pace and it was just coming all so natural. And the car was feeling incredible and it just was giving me the confidence to push. So it was a very enjoyable day.
The last time an Italian won this Grand Prix, you weren't even born. It was Jarno Trulli 22 years ago. You're not just representing your family, your team, you're representing a nation.
KA: Yeah, I mean, the job's not finished. It's still a long season and we've got to keep pushing, keep raising the bar. And the goal is to keep performing like this. The team is doing an incredible job. They've given us an incredible car and I've got so much support from the team as well, from my family. So yeah, it's a really good moment so far.
I was watching you when you were out of the car during the red flag. Nothing seems to faze you. I think when they announced a grid start, I would have thought, "I've got to do it all again," but you were just soaking it up.
KA: Yeah, I mean, to be fair, I wasn't super keen on restarting as well, because I didn't really want to restart. But then once the notification came out, I just gathered my emotions, my thoughts, and I started to focus again, looked at some data and so on, and just tried to refocus on restarting and then trying to get the tyres in the right temperature. And then once I got away, I knew I was going to make it into P1 into the first corner, and then from that point on I just enjoyed the last few laps.
Well, I think we can call this Grand Prix weekend perfection. Congratulations. Go and enjoy spraying the champagne.
KA: Thank you so much. Thank you, everyone, for supporting us this weekend.
Press Conference
Kimi, huge congratulations to you. Let's start by talking about emotions, if we could. Just how sweet does this one feel?
KA: Yeah, I'm very happy. It was a really strong weekend and the team did an incredible job, first of all with the rear wing that we brought, but as well with the turnaround that we had between Friday and Saturday. The car just changed massively and obviously gave me a lot more confidence to push around this track. And yeah, I've just really been able to enjoy.
Tell us more about the race then. Were you surprised by your level of dominance in the Grand Prix itself?
KA: Yeah, I was surprised by the pace, but today I just felt really one with the car and I was just able to set a good rhythm with high intensity and the car was responding really well. So yeah, definitely I was surprised, but it was just one of those days where everything clicks.
How frustrating was the red flag for you? What were you thinking at that moment? Where was your focus?
KA: Big time I was frustrated, because Lewis was starting next to me this time and knowing how good they start, I was like, well, I cannot say, I'm going to say a bad word, but I was like, "Oh man." But luckily, the start went OK. Also, he had a lot of wheel spin, so that also made my life a little bit easier into Turn 1. But yeah, it was not easy to refocus after the red flag.
It seems you nailed both starts today. Do you feel the issues you had earlier on in the season are now behind you?
KA: Well, definitely Canada was a big step forward on that side. There's still work to do. I think the first start today was the better one. The second start was still not amazing, but definitely a good step forward.
Final one for me. You now lead the championship by 66 points, ahead of Lewis now. How much confidence does that gap give you?
KA: Yeah, for sure it's a great moment and that's why I've got to keep maximising every opportunity, every race, every session. And going to try to be as consistent as possible. Of course, every weekend is a new challenge. It's new different tracks, so it requires different needs, but definitely we're just going to try on my side and we're just going to try to keep pushing, keep raising the bar and just trying to execute everything I can in the best way possible.
Lewis, let's come to you then. A record-equalling eighth podium for you here in Monaco. Just how pleased are you with your race today?
LH: Well, very grateful to be up here with these guys and these youngsters. Someone just told me outside that both their ages combined, I'm older than both of them two together.
KA: Oh, really?
LH: Are you 21?
KA: I'm 19.
LH: You're 19? Jeez. But the thing is I don't feel it, which is kind of crazy. So yeah
KA: You're in great shape.
LH: No, I feel good. Thank you, man. Appreciate it. No, it feels amazing to be up here and such a privilege to still be here, to be driving for Ferrari, to still be one of the 22 drivers in this sport and in front of all these people. It's such an incredible experience and something that I genuinely love, so I'm grateful to have moved forwards because we started third, and to get to second is awesome. To have two seconds, especially I think with a good race in Montreal and everyone was kind of like, "Yeah, but he's quick there." I feel like I'm in a period where I'm having to remind people of who I am, and I think my fans last year were telling me to remind me of who I am, and now I'm having to show up each weekend and try to do that. I think it's great to see that it's like a rejuvenated love in the team, and I think their belief also in me and the decision in hiring me and everything. So, I'm very happy.
Check out our Sunday gallery from Monaco here.
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