PART ONE – Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes), Oscar PIASTRI (McLaren), Carlos SAINZ (Ferrari)
 
Q: Carlos, let's kick things off with you. Your last weekend as a Ferrari driver for now. How are you going to look back on your time with the team?
Carlos SAINZ: Well, definitely, well, first of all, I think this weekend is going to be quite emotional, quite intense, not only because of it being the last weekend, but also for how much is at stake with the Constructors' title. At the same time, it's been a tough year in general with a lot going on in the background. I think I have to be quite happy, quite proud of how I handled every situation through the year and how I managed to push myself to get to the end of the year still in good shape, in good form and ready to fight for that.
 
Q: Let's talk about the Constructors' Championship. You and Ferrari are 21 points behind McLaren. How do you see the competitive order this weekend?
CS: I think it's honestly very tight between us, but not only between Ferrari, McLaren, but also Mercedes and Red Bull. I think we are all within a couple of tenths of each other. And depending on the track, depending on the tyre compound we use, depending on the track characteristics, the wind, the conditions, one car will come out on top that weekend. And last weekend looked like it was going to be the McLaren. In the end, it was Max. the other weekend, George, the other weekend, me in Mexico, or again, Max in the wet in Brazil. It's almost like it’s so tight across the top four teams that you cannot pick one before a weekend. And I think we're all waiting to practice to see who suddenly seems the strongest that weekend.
 
Q: What would it mean to you to leave Ferrari as Constructors' Champion?
CS: Would mean everything to me, honestly. It's, I think, the best way to say goodbye to my home these last four years and to the team that I've given my absolute best to for the last four years and I've enjoyed every single moment with them. And to say goodbye with a Constructors' title, I think, would be the perfect sign off, the perfect goodbye. I am also honest with you saying that it's still not a long shot, but it is a difficult one. Being 21 points behind two of the fastest drivers and one of the fastest teams and recovering those 21 points in one weekend requires perfection from our side and probably not optimal weekend or a bad weekend from their side. It's still going to be difficult, but I've seen worse things in racing happen before, and we're going to give it our best shot.
 
Q: All right. Carlos, good luck. Thank you for that. Oscar, well, let's kick off about the Constructors' Championship. What is the mood in the camp at McLaren?
Oscar PIASTRI: I think still confident. Like Carlos said, we're still in a good spot in terms of the lead we have. I think it's going to be a very tightly fought weekend between probably the top four teams, not just us and Ferrari, which means that some of the other teams can potentially play a role in deciding the championship. So let's see. We're going to focus on ourselves and try and get the most out of our game our car that we have and I guess see where we end up. But I think we're in a good spot and still confident.
 
Q: With so much at stake, does this race weekend feel different to previous ones this year?
CS: Yes and no. I think through some of the races in the second half of the season, especially when we were starting to take some points out of Max, there was kind of the urgency to make sure that was still happening for the Drivers' Championship. And I think, you know, now it's obviously a similar scenario for the Constructors. You know, Qatar didn't end exactly how we wanted as a team but I think the confidence is still there. And yes, of course, there's a lot riding on this weekend, it's obvious, but I think the best way of tackling it is just how we have done and trying to get the most out of our car, because I think it's very early now to start keeping both eyes on what Ferrari do. We need to keep at least one eye, probably both for now, on our own performance.
 
Q: Irrespective of what happens in the Constructors' Championship, how will you personally look back on 2024?
OP: I think a good improvement from my rookie season. but still room to go. I think a few races at the start of the season, a few races more recently have not gone as well as I would have liked. And I think also as a team, there's some races through the year that we would have liked to have executed a bit better. But I think, especially in the middle part of the year, I was very happy with the level I was performing at and I think I showed some pretty clear progress from last season. I think mainly in qualifying, I've made life too difficult for myself this year. But I think last year in a lot of the races, I wouldn't have had the tools to get back through. Whereas this year, I feel like I have. So I think on a personal note, it's been a good improvement. But yeah, still some room to go.
 
Q: Alright, Oscar, thank you for that. Best of luck to you this weekend. Lewis, welcome. Your last weekend as a Mercedes driver, how are the emotions?
LH: Pretty calm at the moment. Feeling positive and excited just to give it all this weekend. Every moment, like through the year, it's been, you know, every single race has been obviously the last time I'll race and be in that specific place with the team and I think today, already from like the briefings that we've had, like, you're sitting there and you're realising these are the last moments with the team, which is… It's hard to describe the feeling. It's not the greatest, of course, but I think mostly I’m just really proud of what we've achieved. And I have so much pride in this team.
 
Q: Can I ask you more about that? Because when you look back at your 12 years with Mercedes, all 246 races, what's going to be your abiding memory?
LH: I think it's the smiles, when we've had the success. I think it's those moments. Like I remember one particular engineer, for example, I remember our first win in Australia in 2014, I think it was Australia, and I just remember him being in tears when we were on the podium. It's those moments that I take with me. It's the emotions that we had in Silverstone this year. It's all the good bits. Naturally, you mostly remember the good bits. And I think it's just the... I'm just incredibly proud, but also just so grateful to every single individual, both that are here at the track, but also back at the factory that have just worked tirelessly and, you know, been supporting me for all these years from day one.
 
Q: Lewis, how different does this moment feel to when you left McLaren at the end of 2012?
LH: If I'm honest, I don't really remember the... Obviously, I remember meeting Niki. And I remember making the decision. But I don't really remember the final days, if I'm really honest. I don't really know. I've got a really bad memory, as you know. It definitely wasn't as painful and difficult as this year has been in terms of the emotions. And I think because it was at the end of the year, it was much quicker and there wasn't enough time for it to really settle in for anyone, I think, within the team. Yeah, this one is much more emotional because I've been with the team so long and we've been through so much together. 
 
QUESTIONS FROM THJE FLOOR 
 
Q: (Craig Slater – Sky Sports) A question for Lewis. You kind of alluded to it there, Lewis. It's been a long goodbye. You knew from the start of the year you'd be leaving. So did the team… I think Toto said he anticipated maybe a bumpy road. Did it get awkward at any point, now we're at the end of that road? And was it the key relationships enduring which enabled it to... It's looked on the surface as if it's been OK throughout the year in terms of keeping a kind of balance within the team and not having any kind of fallouts or friction? 
LH: I mean, the first meeting with Toto at the beginning of the year was awkward, of course. So it was awkward from the get-go, to the day after when I took some of the team paintballing. And they had just found out. So I mean, there's been loads of moments through the year… Yeah, I got lots of shots from people, yeah, loads of bruises. Yeah, people went in on me that day! I think ultimately I anticipated it would be difficult, but massively underestimated how difficult it would be. And it was straining on the relationship very early on, took time for people to get past it. And then just for my own self, it's been a very emotional year for me. And I think I've not been at my best in handling and dealing with those emotions. And I think this year, and so many of you have been here my whole career, so some of you, I think, you've all seen the worst of me and seen the best of me and I'm not going to apologise for either because I'm only human and I don't always get it right, and I would definitely would say this year's been one of the worst in terms of handling that from my side, which I'll work on trying to be better at. But I hope the good and the highs far outweigh the negatives and how I've handled it or behaved. And as I said, I just remember the good times, you know. I've built some incredible relationships. We've gone through. If you imagine, when you're going when you're going through a season together with so many people, you know, not only on those race weekends where you're riding the highs and lows together, but in their personal lives, through marriages, through divorces, through loss of family members, through cancer, through all sorts. You're going through these journeys with these people. So it's a really beautiful journey you go on together. And being that it was so long, the emotions run so deep.
 
Q: (Nelson Valkenburg – Viaplay) We started this week with the news that we're going to lose the Dutch Grand Prix after 2026. A lot of you have driven at Zandvoort a lot – I know Lewis, in particular, in 2005, winning the Masters of F3. But a question for all three of you. Should a track like Zandvoort be able to stay on the calendar or given the financial difficulties they have, is it a logical question now that they leave?
CS: I think it's a very delicate matter. You know, I don't understand fully the whole picture of why Zandvoort may or may not stay longer than the 2026 season. I think as a whole, the sport has definitely moved towards having more races outside of Europe than in Europe. Probably for economic and obviously political and economic reasons for the sport. In an ideal world, In my opinion, the Formula 1 season should have around 20 races. Out of those 20 races, I strongly believe six to eight of them should be in Europe because that's where the sport comes from. And all of the others should remain rotational. If Zandvoort cannot keep the budget to run a Formula 1 race when some other races can, it doesn't mean I think Zandvoort should completely disappear from the calendar, but maybe come back every two or three years back to a calendar to give all the Dutch fans and all the supporter of Max the opportunity to watch Max live, you know, and the same would apply to Spain, the same would apply to the UK if that's ever the case. So, yeah, find ways to, even if these old school circuits, European circuits that maybe don't have the big budgets that outside of Europe, they have these budgets, still find a way to give them the opportunity to keep coming back to a calendar now and then. I don't know if it's doable or not, but in my ideal F1 calendar scenario, I would try and fit that in.
OP: Yeah, I mean, much of the message is the same. I think we need to be careful as a sport not to get rid of all the tracks that we all grew up racing on and loving. I think if you ask most of the drivers on the grid, their favourite track, maybe apart from Suzuka, is probably guaranteed to be in Europe somewhere. And I think we need to be careful to not get rid of all of these tracks. There's some that already aren't on the calendar that I think we all would love to go back racing on. Again, I don't know the full ins and outs of why Zandvoort is not returning after 2026. It's a bit of a logistical challenge racing in Zandvoort, with the layout of the track and the kind of split paddock and stuff like that, so it is demanding and obviously we're getting another team which is going to add to that demand. But yeah I think we need to be wary as a sport that a lot of the tracks that will disappear from the calendar are probably the ones that we all love a lot. So, yeah, I think we just need to be a bit careful with which ones we get rid of.
LH: So much time to think about what to say. I mean, I agree with the comments so far. I mean, I think it's really sad to be losing Zandvoort, particularly if you look, the crowd is incredible there. There's such a huge following, obviously, mostly for Max, but in general, the fans are what make the sport what it is. And then there are several races in the calendar – I'm not going to mention which ones, but you know which ones – which don't have a lot of people that come, yet financially, obviously, they can cover, I guess, whatever the cost is. So I don't know. I think the business is doing very, very well. And I think we've got to make sure we hold on to the heritage races, which Zandvoort, for me, is one of those.
 
Q: (Mariana Becker – TV Bandeirantes) Sorry, Oscar, but I have to ask for these two guys again. I was, not surprised, but I was very touched when I saw this week again, a reward, a gala night, a reward which was given to Nelson Piquet. And he was thanking everyone, but mainly he was being very emotional when he was talking about the mechanics of his life as a driver. From all this time of you in Ferrari and you in Mercedes, the guys who are not in the spotlight, you know, who are on the background, do you remember any special moment that they saved you or they made you overcome any situation that you could mention them? Too complicated a question?
CS: I think it's a fair question. And I think you'll see a lot of the times drivers trying to give credit to the mechanics because for me, they are one of the heroes of the sport. The guys that put in longer hours, traveling in different conditions than some of the high member of the staff travel in. They spend hours and hours away from home. They all have families. They all have people to go back to and they spend even more time at the track than us. And yeah, they are in a condition that they.. It is incredible to see the effort that they put into it and the passion. If there's one thing, one of the biggest things that I'm going to miss in Ferrari is the mechanics. The passion that you see in Ferrari mechanics, no disrespect to any other team in the grid, but it's something unbelievable to see. They understand racing. They understand strategy. They follow the race. And you can tell they know exactly what's going on. They want to know what's going on. And, yeah, when they go back to Maranello, they are even a bit famous, you know, because they are a Ferrari mechanic. And this only happens in Ferrari. And I've enjoyed a lot of that time with them. And, yeah, I feel like it's a very special trait that Ferrari mechanics have that I'm definitely going to miss. But yeah, as Lewis said also before, you make friends. I'm still going to see them in the paddock a lot of the times. And I feel like sometimes it is worth giving credit to these people because they are truly a great part of the sport and a great part of the success of any Formula 1 team.
LH: I think that's not really a huge amount more for me to add, but they are the unsung heroes. And all credit goes to should go to the team because they are the soldiers that really are on the front line. They're the ones there weekend in, weekend out. And yeah, I'm not really sure what else to add. The team is everything. And the bonds between every person in the team, there's not one person in the team that's more important than the other. Everyone needs to be rowing in the same direction and pulling their weight, which they do. It's a real privilege to see people operating at their best, especially when everyone does gel together. There's certain points you don't always get it. It's not always perfect rhythm, but every now and then you get that synergy and you have this amazing performance together. It's quite special.
 
Q: (Laurent Dupin –  Canal+) A question for you, Lewis. To be honest, we need an answer from you to talk about Ferrari. So, we broadcast during the winter. So may I ask you to explain your challenge in trying to do next year what Michael did, but what other world champions did not achieve, like Alonso, Vettel, and Prost? And we will use it later. 
LH: I mean, I'm not looking at comparing myself to Michael. Not looking at that. At the moment, that's not something that I'm thinking about. Obviously, I'm trying to think about making sure that finish off the right way and the best way possible with Mercedes. These next days are going to be super emotional. It's all a big unknown for what's up ahead. Obviously, massive excitement. And yeah, I can't really add much more at the moment. I don't have anything else to say about it.
 
Q: (Samarth Kanal – The Race) Lewis, it seemed four years ago, the world was finally paying attention to the push for equality and justice for black people in particular. And you've done a lot of work on that with Mercedes. How do you reflect on your legacy in that regard and the progress that's been made by this motorsport and the world in general?
LH: I mean, I can't really say too much about the world. But I mean, it's because it's still a bit of a mess, right? But I'm really, really proud of the work, I'm incredibly proud of the work that we've done at Mercedes, for example, in terms of the steps we've taken, the investment from Mercedes, everyone stepping up and really being a part of and being open to change. The team is far more diverse than it ever has been. It's far more inclusive, very open-minded. And our hope was that in doing so, the rest of the sport would follow. And I think it has, we've just seen Formula 1 and the FIA and all the teams see the importance of it and now be on board. And so I'm really, that's one of the things I'm probably most proud of is being a part of sparking that. And I'm truly grateful for everyone that's now on board. And I feel like the sport then is moving in the right direction, so.
 
Q: (Adrian Huber – Agencia EFE) A question for Carlos. You said it would be a great way to finish this four years with Ferrari with the Constructors' Championship. But personally, what do you think you can achieve this weekend and what would you like to achieve here? 
CS: I would obviously love to. to contribute to that Constructors' title with a win. In the end, a win is what we need. I think we're going to need to have both cars on the podium if we want to clinch the championship, unless something very disastrous happens to McLaren. And yeah, that is my target. A different thing is now when we run the car on Friday, whether we have the capacity to win or not, and the performance this weekend to achieve that, but in the mindset of the whole team, we know we need to have both cars in the podium, ideally in a 1-2 position to have that, and to give ourselves the best possible chance to achieve that. It's going to be tough. It's a circuit that I think suits pretty much every car of the top four. And there's some long straights, with some slow speed that could help the Ferrari. There's some medium-long speed combined that could help the McLaren and the Red Bull. It's at night, which could help the Mercedes. So there's so many things, you know, and so many teams and drivers in contention for the win that it's impossible for me right now to say who can take that.
 
Q: (Vincent Sondermeijer – NRC Handelsblad) Question for all three drivers. We're here at the final race of the longest F1 season in history, and there's been some criticism about that from some of the drivers, saying 24 races is too much, this is all getting too long. But now that we're actually here, the season's almost over, how has it been for you guys? How are you feeling?
OP: I think compared to my first season in F1, it's been better, I would say, because I know what to expect this year. I think these last couple of triple headers have been tough. I mean, not just for us, but I think everyone in the room probably. Going from Vegas to Qatar with some pretty wacky time zones is very tough. But I think, for us as drivers, it's difficult, but it's more the teams and the mechanics that we were speaking about before, especially. Turning up on Tuesday or Wednesday, building the car, you know, making sure it's at the best level it can be. And reliability these days is so good that any little blip you have costs a lot. So for us, I think we find it difficult, but we have the team or our teams much more in mind with these long seasons and the amount of travelling that they do, the amount of time they spend away from their families. I think we're seeing more and more people now that, you know, the teams need to employ more people because trying to do 24 races for a lot of people with families just doesn't make sense anymore. So it has some knock-on effects. And I think, you know, I think giving F1 and the FIA credit, I think where we're going in terms of the calendar and trying to streamline it is making things better. But I think there's still some tweaking to go. And yeah, again, a lot of our concerns are about our much wider teams than for us personally.
 
Q: (Ben Hunt – Autosport) Lewis, I just wondered how important this move to Ferrari is at this stage in your career. You mentioned you struggled a little bit this year, but timing is everything. Does it give you re-motivation and fire to move forward? And Carlos, just a quick one. What can Lewis expect at Ferrari? And have you given him any tips? 
LH: Of course it really sparks motivation and it's a dream scenario for any driver to have an opportunity like this. So, don't take that for granted. Also, you know, massive respect for Carlos and everything he's done within the team. And I realise it's a steep… You know, I remember when I joined Mercedes, and it's not an easy step to ever enter into a new team. And it takes time to build new relationships and learn the tools and everything. Coming into next year with that same focus, that same might that I had when I joined Mercedes and with ultimately that leap of faith, I think is exciting and exhilarating.
 
Q: Carlos, any tips?
CS: No, honestly, I don't think a seven-time world champion that has changed teams multiple times or a few times in the past needs my advice. The only thing I can obviously recommend him or tell him is to enjoy it. It's an incredible place to be part of and an incredible place to drive and feel like a Formula 1 driver. I believe he will get an incredible treatment by the tifosi and by all the supporters, engineers, mechanics, everyone involved in Ferrari and enjoy it because there's nothing better than being a Ferrari Formula 1 driver. And yeah, I'm sure he's going to enjoy that.
 
Q: (Diletta Colombo – Automoto) A question for Carlos. What is the most unforgettable moment of your four years with Ferrari?
CS: It's very difficult to pick one of the four wins, because they are all relatively similar in ways that they are… Four very different wins, but four very emotional. Silverstone because it was the first one and the first one you never forget. Singapore because that year was quite special to win in Singapore the way we won it. Australia because I was coming back from the tough winter and the appendicitis and suddenly I won and it was emotional. And then Mexico, because at the time it could be my last win and my mom was there, my whole family, my friends were there to see me win and it felt really special. At the same time one moment that I will never forget was driving out of the pits in Fiorano for my first outing in a Ferrari. I think that's one thing that for sure will stay with me forever. And it was probably out of the success or the great moments, that one is a pretty special one.

PART TWO – Franco COLAPINTO (Williams), Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing), Nico HÜLKENBERG
 
Q: Nico, let's start with you. It's time for a bit of reflection. You're leaving Haas after this race. Just how will you look back on the last two years, first of all?
Nico HÜLKENBERG: Positive, with a lot of good emotions, with a lot of joy and fun that I had over the past two years. I think we've, you know, we've grown together and pretty strong in that time and it's been a very fun ride and journey with them. I think we, at least personally for myself, you know, really outperformed the expectations, certainly that I had personally coming into, you know, the overtime part of my career after two years out. So I reflect on it in a very positive way. and especially this year you know I think it's been very successful and I feel regardless of where we're going to end up Sunday night you know we we've had a very successful year and we kind of won already. But that doesn't mean of course that we're that we're not going to try this weekend.
 
Q: What's been the highlight for you of these two years?
NH: Well, I think naturally you always go back to the most successful races. But I think for me, that's too simple. It's just been, you know, the ride and the journey together. Like I said, I had a lot of fun and joy. And, you know, I've not always felt that much joy racing and working in Formula 1. So for me, that's just the best thing and obviously the overtime of the overtime that is still to come from you know next year onwards I think that's probably also the extended highlight.
 
Q: You say you've won already this year as a team but can I get you to elaborate on the battle for P6 just in terms of car performance you versus Alpine? How do you see it this weekend?
NH: I see it very tight. The whole midfield is very tight, like we saw over the last few weekends. Small things can make a big difference. I think it is going to be very difficult this weekend to turn it around after what happened last Sunday and them [Alpine] scoring a lot of points again. But our package is competitive. We're quick on merit. Personally, all I want to achieve is to maximise and optimise this final weekend together and enjoy it.
 
Q: Make sure you do that. Enjoy it. Nico, thank you very much. Max, let's come to you now. A really great victory for you and the team on Sunday in Qatar. Just how much confidence does that performance give you coming into the season finale here in Abu Dhabi?
Max VERSTAPPEN: I mean, it's a bit of a different track here, but it also shows that even when things are not going well, there's still an opportunity that you can turn things around or make it more competitive, because in Qatar, starting the weekend, we were not very quick. And then, yeah, when we went into qualifying, the proper qualifying, we were there to fight, so it shows that there was some more performance in the car and I was very happy with that. This track? It's been good to us in the past, but of course this year a lot has changed anyway. So I'm just relaxed and looking forward to it. Hopefully we learn a bit more about the car that we can also use them for next year.
 
Q: Is it important to go into the winter on the back of a victory?
MV: Well, I mean, it would be nice, but it's not something that will change the world for us in the winter. We know what we have to work on. So, yeah, we just try to be as competitive as we can be.
 
Q: Can we just reflect on 2024 for a moment? A hugely successful campaign for you, but how does this world title compare to the other three?
MV: I mean, we had this chat already in Vegas.
 
Q: You've had a bit of time to reflect.
MV: I mean, I still have the same opinion! We did a special press conference for it. I sat there. I was waiting. I wanted to go out. I wanted to have a beer. I wanted to have a drink. Now I'm answering the same question again.
 
Q: I don't think you'd waited, actually...
MV: I wanted more. I ran out. I had to sit there. I could not…
 
Q: OK. But look, just for people who weren't in Vegas in that press conference.
MV: They can watch it back! 
 
Q: OK. Well, let's talk about the Dutch Grand Prix. Final one from me. Yeah. Look, news has come that, yes, they've expanded the deal by a year, but 2026 is going to be the last one for now. Can we just get your reaction to that news?
MV: Yeah, I mean, of course, when I look at it, it's, of course, something that I'm sad about that it's not going to continue. But on the other hand, also, I'm very proud of what they have done. And I think when I started in Formula 1, I would have never imagined that we would go back to Zandvoort. And the races that we've had there, the event that they put on, I have a lot of respect for that. And I'm proud that I played a part in that as well. And seeing all the fans there was and is, of course, amazing. And I'm really looking forward to the final two years. But they can be very proud of what they have achieved. And yeah, I think the final year, 26, we have a Sprint event also. They say they're going to go out with a bang. So I'm also very excited to see that.
 
Q: Thank you for that. Franco, thanks for waiting. Let's come to you. The last three races have been frustrating for you. What goals have you set yourself here in Abu Dhabi?
Franco COLAPINTO: I want to finish the year on a high. I think the team deserves that. They have done a lot of work during all the year, especially the last couple of races, but they deserve a good result and to finish the year on a high. I think it is quite important for all of us. So, yeah, the last three runs were quite tough, but I'm sure we can bounce back stronger here and have a good weekend.
 
Q: You've raced at Yas Marina before in Formula 2. How much will that help you this weekend?
FC: Yeah, it does help. Of course, having three sessions to test, three FPs, it's already good enough, you know, to try to nail every detail. But knowing the track, it will help. It's going to be the first track that I know after Monza. So it's for sure going to be better. And yeah, let's see how it goes. Can't wait for tomorrow.
 
Q: Last race of the year, ninth race for you in Formula 1. How will you look back on these races these last three months?
FC: It was very exciting. It was my dream come true, you know. And since I started in Monza, I knew a lot of things had to happen and I had to learn a lot and I had to keep moving forward. And I think when you look at the bigger picture that not many times it happens in F1, I think it's a lot of, you know, you are as good as your last race. And I think that's how Formula 1 works. Looking at the bigger picture, I think I did a pretty good job. I tried to maximise the opportunity that Williams gave me. It was an incredible chance and I think something I respect a lot. James and Sven, everyone in the team, put the confidence and the trust to give me a seat and to give me that opportunity. Yeah, I think Vegas was quite tough. Being tough on me, I think, it was a pretty big mistake going for it in the last lap in Quali, trying to put the car in Q3. That's where I look back and I just think that some mistakes could have been avoided, but I think looking at the overall picture and the experience was my dream come true. So, yeah, very excited to see where the future departs.
 
Q: Well, what does the future hold for you?
FC: How do I know that? It's impossible. It's very hard to know. Still one race to go with Williams. Very excited to be here back in Abu Dhabi. It was where I did a couple of laps last year after the race in the Williams for the first time. So excited to be back here where everything started.
 
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR 
 
Q: (Roldan Rodriguez – DAZN, Spain) Franco, you are leaving the mix of the Formula 1. When you arrived to the big circus, you made some amazing races. Some people comparing you with Ayrton, amazing. And then the last races were not as you expected, a couple of crashes. Is the Formula 1 what you expected when you just arrived? 
FC: Yeah, I think you can never expect what is going to happen. And even though you see Formula 1 for so many years, when you're inside, it's completely different. And I think I look back and I enjoyed every single moment of it, which is the most important part. And it was a great experience, to be honest. Always, you know, you have these up and downs. It was not going to be easy. The first five rounds were really, really good. And then I think it was another challenge for Brazil with the wet, with the inters for the first time, first time in an F1 in the rain. And it was a tough experience, but, you know, I had to go through those moments, I think, as a rookie. Vegas trying to put the car in Q3, you know, I went to a limit and I went a bit over it. And, yeah, last weekend, I think it was quite tough as well for the team. We did struggle, I think, starting with the car on an old spec. It was very difficult for us on my side of the garage. We were moving forward on the weekend, and it was getting better. But I think we struggled with starting on an old spec. But it's normal, you know. It's part of the sport. And now we come here, I think, with good expectations and looking forward to do a good weekend.
 
Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports F1) A question for Max, but I'd be interested in Nico's thoughts on this as well. Let's go back to Qatar. Fabulous win after picking up that penalty on the Saturday night for an incident that happened on a cool-down lap for both you and for George Russell. You had a great meeting with the stewards going forward on the Thursday night about driving standards. Are you worried that the penalty that was given sets a precedent now for going forward that drivers could use to get other drivers into trouble when you're both on a cool down lap? because it was kind of a historical penalty and I can't remember an incident like that on a cool down lap getting a penalty before.
MV: Yeah, I'm going to go flat out on my cool app. And I'm going to act like I'm going to crash with everyone. I know. Honestly, I just didn't understand. I didn't even know why I was in there. And then, honestly, when I was in there, I was just trying to explain the story behind it. I was just trying to be nice. Lando passed me because he was a second behind me on the SC2. He was on colder tyres because he only did a build. Or he had to abort his lap or whatever. So he passed me. I was like, ‘OK, whatever, I just back out. I don't want to be in anyone's way’. We're anyway in Q3, just finding track position. Then I think Fernando came out of the pits with new tyres. And I think it was quite clear that weekend with the new tyres, you have to push quite hard on the out lap to get temp. So out of Turn 10, I see him in the mirror, flying. I'm like, ‘OK, I'll let him by, whatever, and then I’ll just sort myself out’. Then, of course, everything slowed up in front, because there were quite a few cars. And I slowed down as well, because I don't want to then speed up, try to ruin their preparation as well. And then I see someone flying in my mirror, acting like the most dangerous situation just happened and he almost killed himself or something. It was unbelievable. And we were all on the slow lap. It's not even like someone was on a fast lap. So yeah, when I got called to the Stewards, it was a big surprise to me, because I didn't really impede anyone. I think also on the slow lap, we all drive on our normal lines, because we're all trying not to pick up dirt anyway. It's not necessary when everyone is driving slow. But then, yeah, I don't know how they came, of course, to that conclusion. It was, of course, for me, very disappointing, because, by actually trying to stay out of trouble, you put yourself in trouble. And also, I think, at that point of the season, almost the end of the season, I don't want to be fighting with anyone. They come after me after qualifying, like, ‘why didn't you ruin my lap, to start my lap? What are you doing?’ So I'm like, oh, I don't want to put myself in that position. But basically, by doing that, I put myself in that position where I had to be going to the Stewards. And I felt straight away when I was in there, it was not going to go anywhere. So it was very weird.
 
Q: Nico, any comment from you, what you saw?
NH: Yeah, no, I don't understand it either. Like Max explained, in Qatar, there was a lot of different, you know, run profiles, people doing all sorts of different stuff. And, you know, it's very easy to get tangled up. But we drivers know that, too and I think we also have to build that in and, you know, leave some buffer. And, yeah, I don't understand why Max got a penalty there.
 
Q: (Albert Fabrega – ESPN) A question for Franco. A lot of rumours and conversations regarding your future. Are you trying to stay away of everything or are you asking very often or you just focus on the car and not worry about that? 
FC: I am trying to stay away. I try to enjoy the moment. At the moment it's my last race, so I'm trying to give the best I can for the team. They have done a great job and they deserve that and I still have one weekend with Williams. I'm just trying to enjoy the moment. And then we will see later after the race what happens next year.
 
Q: (Diego Mejia – Fox Sports Mexico) Question to Max. At the beginning of the year, Max, Checo was able to be close to you somehow. Since the European season, he has struggled more. From your view, why has he struggled more? What has been his contribution to your success this year? And is all the criticism against him unfair? 
MV: Yeah, it's very difficult to pinpoint that. I mean, our car from the start, of course, has not been the easiest to drive. We were still, of course, dominant in the beginning, but then I think, yeah, with some upgrades on the car, it made it even more difficult to drive. Of course, also for me, but I think even more for Checo for his driving style. And yeah, when others are closing up, every little detail makes a massive difference in results or where you qualify. Because if you then don't qualify well, you're in the middle of the pack, things can go wrong. And yeah, from my side, it's very difficult to comment for him, why things have gone the way they have gone. But I can tell you that, of course, in the middle of the season, especially, our car has been a bit all over the shop, sometimes quite positive. And again, very difficult. And even for us, it was just very hard to find the direction. And for sure, that also didn't help Checo in general. I mean, I have to say he's always been a great team player, and I've always enjoyed working with him every single Grand Prix, even when we had tough times. I think he was always there to try and get the best possible result out of it. So for me, there's nothing negative at all to say about him. We get on super well. And of course, when I see sometimes he's struggling with the results, it's not nice to see, also for the team. But I think also the team has always given their very best and always tried to support him in the best possible way, you know, to get the best out of it. But unfortunately, that didn't always happen.
 
Q: (Nelson Valkenburg – Viaplay) For all three, if possible, given this is the last race of the season, what's the single thing you're the most proud of? And what's the thing you go into the winter in thinking, that's the thing I'm going to improve for next year?
NH: I would like to do less mistakes next year, but it's a tight midfield, and it's always a very small, fine, narrow window because we're so tight. Sometimes you have to leave the comfort zone. You have to take risks, and mistakes do happen very easily. And with these cars, if you lose it, you lose it in a big way often. That's maybe one thing. And I'm just very happy and proud of the season, what we've done this year, how we've picked ourselves up from last year and where we started this year and how we've come through. A couple of really strong performances from everyone in the team. And that's been a happy, proud moment.
MV: Of course, I'm proud of winning the championship. But besides that, I think how we have worked as a team and how I've also kept myself together throughout a tough period in the season where it was easy to be demotivated and give up on a lot of things. Actually working harder with the team, you know, trying to find solutions and getting on top of it or at least understanding our trouble and again bounce back and still achieve some great results at the end of the year. Plus, I think the race in Brazil. The emotions went from being super upset in the morning, looking like you were going to lose a lot of points in the championship and it actually becoming a proper fight, to then, of course, winning the race from P17. For me, that is definitely a race that I'm very proud of in how we've handled everything. I think all those things together.
FC: I think becoming an F1 driver for these nine races was definitely the proudest. Still a lot of things to improve and a lot of things to learn. Of course, nine races is not enough to arrive to my peak, and I keep understanding things every time. And every time I jump in the car, I'm learning stuff with engineers, with the mechanics. Luckily, everyone in the team has been very supportive to help me and understand quick most of the things, but still a long way to go.
 
Q: (Diletta Colombo – Automoto) A question for Max. Before, you were talking about the behaviour of your car in the middle of the season, that it was a bit erratic. How difficult was it to keep frustration at bay and extract the maximum out of your car? 
MV: Yeah, I mean, I think it helped that a lot came out in Hungary. And after that, yeah, we had some good chats within the team. And it never works, you know, when you're frustrated all the time because you're not going to move forward. So I think from there onwards, you know, we really worked well together and actually tried to really actively look for improvements and solutions. And it was hard to understand at times, but I think at one point we found a direction that we had to look into, and that's what we continue to do.
 
Q: (Adam Cooper – Adam Cooper F1) I think you made a fairly strong comment to George coming out of the Stewards’ hearing on Saturday night. And obviously you were then very critical of him to us. Do you have any regrets about anything you said to him directly or anything you said about him to us? Are you going to make any effort to talk to him this weekend or are you just going to let this go into the winter? 
MV: No. No regrets at all, because I meant everything I said. And it's still the same. If I had to do it again, maybe I would have said even more, knowing the outcome of the race result. I still can't believe that someone can be like that in a Stewards’ room. For me, that was so unacceptable, because I mean, we're all racing drivers. We all have a lot of respect for each other. We even play sports together. You travel together. And of course, you have moments where you get together, you crash or whatever. You're not happy. In my whole career, I've never experienced what I have experienced in the Stewards’ room in Qatar. And for me, that was really unacceptable.
 
Q: (Shanna Lutgert – F1 Maximaal) I have a question for Max. You were coming on the radio during the Qatar race to ask for the yellow flag situation with Lando and you were asking for a couple of updates as well. Were you pushing for the stewards to look at that because you were hesitant about if they would do something about it? 
MV: It was just a normal question. I mean, I knew that I lifted, and I suddenly look in the mirror, and I saw that the gap closed up a lot. So I just asked, did he lift or not, just to double check. Of course, sometimes with yellow flags, some people lift more than others. And yeah, you can gain some tens here or there. I luckily tried to play it safe, and then just asked and see the outcome of it.
 
Q: (Velimir Veljko – Avto Fokus) I have a question for Max. You have an excellent start to the season. Then after this series of victories, you had a bunch of problems with cars, with team, with driving in the midfield. How do you overcome all that? Where did you find the power, techniques, style to overcome this and to be back on top on the end of season like it was a couple of races before? 
MV: Yeah, I mean, we had a tough time. And the problem was that we didn't really understand, I think, fully what was the reason behind it, because all the numbers that we saw were actually promising. So it's just trying to find it, trying to understand what is going wrong, trying to improve that balance in the car. And that's what we have done. And it took, of course, a few races to get on top of. And then, of course, you have to make changes. And in a season with a budget gap, it's very tough sometimes also to calculate what you can do and what you cannot do. Some things you cannot change in the season. This is for next year. But I'm proud of how we have found solutions and how we have become, again, more competitive.
 
Q: (Ronald Vording – Motorsport.com) It's another one to Max. You said in Singapore that the worst of the season was behind you back then, which turned out to be right. How much confidence does the Qatar win give you for the direction Red Bull is heading in for ‘25? Because Technical Director Pierre Wache told us, ‘I'm not very confident about the ‘25 car yet, because if you're confident in F1, you are dead’ – that was his quote. Is that the mindset you have as well, that you're not really confident yet about the new year's car?
MV: For me, it's more about just always trying to find more performance. You always want to do better. And of course, there are always limitations with the car that you work on. And I think this year we found a few more limitations than last year. So at least it gives us more directions to work on for next year. And time will tell where we are.
 
Q: (Alex Kalinauckas – Autosport) Another question to Max, please. Max, I just wondered if you could discuss the work that you put in at the factory this year. The team quite open in saying that you were there more than in previous years. I just wondered, what were you doing? How important did you find it? And also, how proud of you? How proud you are of that work?
MV: Yeah, I think in ‘23, everything almost went by itself. Of course, I did my work. I went to drive on the simulator. But when the car is in a very nice window, sometimes when you try to overstress things, it also doesn't work when you try to look into too many details. That's anyway how I never operated, trying to look into too many details, because it can also work against you. This year was a lot more difficult. Everyone was struggling to understand, of course, for me as well, I didn't understand why we were where we were. So just asking questions, working together, looking at data, looking at analysis that came up after every single race we can. And of course, I'm not the engineer, I'm not going to tell them how to design a floor or whatever, a suspension. But I can ask questions, and then we discuss, and we go through what we can see from the data of the track, wind tunnels, CFD, all these things, simulator. And with all the smart heads in the team, you sit together and you just have an open discussion about things. And I explain my difficulties with the car. Of course, we do it here as well. We're talking and we're talking back to the factory. But it's not eye to eye with everyone. And that's why I think sometimes it's very important to have everyone together in the same room.
 
Q: (Ben Hunt – Autosport) Sorry, another one for Max. I've got to ask, but what is it that George did in that meeting that angered you so much? And is it slightly conflicting the fact that he's director of the GPDA as well?
MV: No, it has nothing to do with him being the director of the GPDA. I just never expected someone to really try and actively get someone a penalty that badly and lying about why I was doing what I was doing. But clearly, it had an influence to them. Yeah, it was just really not nice and actually very shocking what was going on there.
 
Q: (Rodrigo França – Car Magazine Brazil) Question to Max, but Franco and Nico can comment as well. Regarding to 2025, the rules won't change a little much more. But for 2026, there will be a little revolution on F1 rules. As a driver, the driver's point of view, do you like what F1 is doing for the new car? 
MV: I'm in the middle. I mean, time will tell. I don't know if it's going to be nice. I don't know if it's going to be bad. I just, it's impossible to say now that, you know, the outcome of it. I just wait and see until we have the real car. And then, you know, you can judge a bit better if it's positive or not.
NH: Yeah, it's impossible to tell now. You know, you have to drive the car to understand it, to feel it, to really know what's going on. So just from paper, it's impossible to tell for us right now.
FC: Yeah, same. There is, I think, so many things and factors still to be developed and the teams have to understand many things. So, yeah, a long time to know yet.
 
ENDS