FIA Thursday press conference – Qatar

PART ONE – Liam LAWSON (Racing Bulls), Oliver BEARMAN (Haas), Kimi ANTONELLI (Mercedes)

Q: Kimi, can we start with you and just reflect for a moment on what happened on Saturday. In terms of your finishing position, not your best result this year, but in terms of execution, was that your best race of 2025?

Kimi ANTONELLI: I think it was, definitely, because we executed everything very well. Obviously, the strategy was pretty crazy, but we made it stick and it was good. You know, it changed the whole race and the fact that we were able to hold on to that one-stop, it allowed us to finish where we finished at the end. So definitely, it was really good execution-wise. I think also on my side, it was probably the best race of the season so far because in that stint, I was able to manage the tyres and also to put together everything I've learned during the season. It was nice because it just kept coming, and it was good fun.

Q: Can we talk about what you've learned during the season? Because if you think of Interlagos, we think of Baku, the results have been getting progressively better. What is the biggest thing you've learned in this first season?

KA: Well, there's many things that I've learned in the season, but I've definitely understood a lot better about my needs on the track and off track, and as well, on the mindset. I think having the right mindset before going to a session is crucial. Having the focus on the right things, on the important things, and not just focusing on the final result—just focusing on how to get there and that means doing everything right. And then a lot of other bits, but I think I grew up a lot during the season. I became more mature, especially overcoming the difficult moments really made me grow. Now I can handle situations better. Of course, there's room for improvement, but we're on a good trajectory so far.

Q: And, Kimi, what about this weekend here in Baku? Do you think Mercedes can mix it with McLaren and Red Bull at the front again?

KA: In Baku or Qatar?

Q: Sorry, here! I mean this weekend. Do you think Mercedes can challenge?

KA: It’s OK, I understand the jet lag can be… I mean, you never know. I think last year actually Mercedes was quite strong, especially in qualifying. So hopefully we can be strong or even better. Of course, this year has been a bit of a funny trend—in the tracks where we were meant to be good, we were not so good, but in other tracks where we were “meh”, we were actually pretty good. So we'll see tomorrow. The important thing is to start on the right foot, good rhythm, and just have a nice progression during the whole weekend. But really looking forward to it, to be fair. Obviously, last two races of the season and really aiming to finish on a high.

Q: Very good luck with it. Thank you, Kimi. Now, Ollie, let's come to you. You're on a roll—five consecutive points finishes now. Just how much confidence have you got in the car?

Ollie BEARMAN: Yeah, a lot. Basically, since we brought that upgrade in Austin, but even before that, it's been a good run of races. You know, with Mexico, P4, P6 in Brazil, Las Vegas, P12 on track and luckily managing to get up there in P10. But actually, I think Vegas was a good mark for us—that even on a bad weekend, we can be there or thereabouts. We were lucky to score points, but that was not our best weekend on paper. It didn’t turn out the best for us in terms of strategy and my feeling with the car. So, despite all of that, we finished very close to the points and were lucky to get in the points. That gives me a really good feeling heading into the last two.

Q: You referenced the upgrade in Austin. What has that allowed you to unleash in the car?

OB: Drive a bit quicker. It's given us the feeling that we've been chasing all year. Basically, it makes the car a bit more on edge on occasion, with specific wind conditions and traffic, for example, it can be a bit more challenging with this upgrade, but I think that's always the trade-off that you're playing with, especially this late into a cycle of regs. I think it's given us a few tenths—probably not even a few—even a tenth, tenth and a half. But with the way that F1 is at the moment, that's enough to put you up the order. Of course, it was a risk taking that upgrade this late into the season with the new regs next year, but I think based on our position—and every Constructors' position is incredibly valuable to a team like Haas—I think we've made the right call.

Q: And do you think the car will suit the fast sweeps of the Lusail circuit?

OB: I hope so. I mean, the team had a good race here last year, and with our car characteristics... I mean, when I was looking at the last five or six events, Vegas was the one that I was least looking forward to, and to come away from there with two cars in the points really tells me that we can fight on any track. So, it's less down to car performance and more down to execution and getting that right. We know that quali is incredibly tight, so it’s just about putting the car in the perfect window and executing.

Q: First full season in Formula 1 almost done. Just where do you think you've improved as a driver this year?

OB: I think using my speed and taking the right, measured risk in the correct moments is something that I've improved on. Because, you know, coming from F2 where in free practice you put the car already on the limit in lap two or lap three because you have one set of tyres and the tyres are degrading a lot. So you need to find out what the car is capable of before you get into quali. But then, generally on an F1 weekend, you have so many sets of tyres and so many sessions that you have time to build up. That approach is something I haven't really taken since Formula 4, because when you're in F3 and F2, you have no time on track and no tyres. So, kind of resetting my driving, my approach, back to building up step-by-step and slowly finding out the limitations of the car—because at the end, Friday – not this weekend, but a general Friday with FP1 and FP2 – doesn't really matter that much. The main thing is that you correct the balance and get the car in the perfect window. Then on Saturday is when you start to go for it and push a bit more. So that and also structuring my weekends a bit better. It’s so much busier here in Formula 1 compared to what we've been used to. So, you know, managing even the energy levels across the full season. There’s a lot of things, but I’m also glad that it’s been going well the second half, and I want to finish now on a high.

Q: Alright. Well, good luck with that. Thank you. And, Liam, let's start with season reflections from you as well. It’s been a roller coaster of a year for you. What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned?

Liam LAWSON: Yeah. I think with how many races we have, you just don't have time to really dwell. I think it's important that you obviously reflect on each weekend and try to take the positives and try to learn from each weekend. But, yeah, to go through this many weekends and trying not to get stuck on something or caught up in emotion is very tough. So, as an example, last weekend - to have a very smooth weekend all the way up to the race and be in a great position, and then a very small mistake throws that all away—it’s extremely frustrating. But obviously, we're racing again this weekend, and you just don't have time to dwell on it too much.

Q: Let’s look at the positives from last weekend though. The quali pace was good. Just how difficult has it been to get a one-lap out of the car this year?

LL: I would say it's definitely been more of a struggle for me. I think the car has been very quick, and I think that's been what we've really worked on on our side a lot more this year—trying to extract one lap out of the car, and out of me. And I think it's got a lot better through the year. Obviously, Vegas was very specific. It was more like 12 laps than one lap with the way quali was. But I think it's been getting better through the year. And with how close it is, it’s just putting everything together. I mean, in a whole weekend, trying to execute everything is hard enough. That's been really the challenge in a season that’s this close. And it's also why when things don't go smoothly, you can lose quite a lot.

Q: Vegas, Qatar – they’re at polar opposites in terms of what you need to be quick. Do you think you can deliver this weekend here?

LL: It's kind of like what Kimi said. We've had a lot of races we expected to either be quick at not be quicker and either/or. We had a tough race last year – for us Qatar last year was one of the hardest. So I'm hoping that means, for whatever reason, we're good this year. But it's very hard to know. It’s a very different track to Vegas, but I think we're in a much better place now with the car than we've been last year. We have a better understanding. But obviously, being a sprint, it's going to be a challenge for sure. But hopefully we can have a good weekend.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports F1) Kimi, 48 laps on the hard tyre—amazing. Could you have done that in the first three or four races of this season? And if the answer is no, what changed in you over the course of the year that you could deal with being asked to do a strategy like that?

KA: Well, definitely, no. I wouldn't have been able to do it at the start of the season. I think during the season, you learn a lot. Obviously, you go through different compounds—it’s not the same compounds every race. But to be fair, the C3 has been a compound that I quite liked as well, along with the C4 and C5. So, I think just during the season, you understand—obviously track to track it’s different—but you understand the behaviour of the tyre. And you also try to explore a little bit, whether in practice or in the race, with different pushing levels and see how the tyre responds. Vegas was, I guess, the best execution of the season so far because I put all the learnings from previous races together. That allowed me to do a long stint and to react to the tyre getting older lap by lap. I was able – with the support of the team – to react and balance the car, especially in the last few laps and go until the end. But definitely, at the start of the season, I would have stopped instead of going until the end.

Q: (Panagiotis Seitanidis - ANT1 TV) For Kimi and Ollie. Last year you were here as teammates in F2, going to F1 with a lot of expectations. One year on, what is the biggest challenge you have faced? And what was the most pleasant surprise—maybe a situation or something that you thought might be more difficult than it was?

OB: Biggest surprise or biggest difference, I would say, is probably how busy you are compared to F2. We do almost double the races in Formula 1, but also away from the track—a lot more activations with partners, a lot more media commitments. So, for example, next year we start already in week two or three, so there’s not really breaks like we had and were used to in Formula 2. So, your energy level—it’s one thing driving the car, but the other thing is arriving at the track always 100% ready to go. And the biggest benefit is that the car is really fun to drive. I really enjoy putting the F1 car at the limit, especially in qualifying. It's always a pleasure. And probably the travel's a bit easier now—we get to fly in business class and that’s a bit more comfortable.

KA: I think, you know, the biggest surprise... well, definitely the commitments that you have during weekends, but also outside race weekends. I think this has been one of the biggest factors and one of the biggest learnings as well — trying to manage the energy the best way possible, trying to move things around just to your own benefit. So definitely that has been the biggest challenge, I'm not going to lie. There were moments in the season where I felt pretty drained, but now obviously I know what to expect much better, and I think also next year is going to be a bit easier because going through this year and experiencing all this kind of stuff will help for next year to be also more in control of the situation. But on the other side, you get to drive these amazing cars. They're extremely quick and it's a lot of fun, especially in qualifying. The limit is so high that it’s fun to go out there and try to discover how much you can push the car. I'm not going to lie also, some tracks that were not so fun maybe in F2, with the F1 car were a lot more fun to drive. So, I think it's been very special to have the opportunity to drive such a car. Obviously next year is going to be a big difference, but we still get to drive the fastest cars in the world.

Q: Kimi, which circuits come alive in a Formula 1 car?

KA: I think most of them. I was very impressed with Monaco, by how quick you could go around with an F1 car — that’s one of them. Also, Barcelona was pretty special with the F1. I mean, getting the last corner flat in qualifying is pretty incredible. You wouldn’t think to do that, and you wouldn’t want to do that in an F2 car because otherwise you end up in the grandstand — with the spectators.

OB: In the city centre.

KA: In the city centre! But it’s incredible. That’s another track. And also Budapest — I was very impressed with the F1. So all the tracks kind of become special with the F1, because it doesn’t matter how narrow they are or how short they are, with F1 you can still go really fast around, so it’s pretty special.

Q: (Mara Sangiorgio – Sky Sports Italy) A question for Kimi. Considering you are speaking about F2, there is a leading Italian driver who is fighting for that championship. Are you following his battle? Considering your experience in F2, what should be very fundamental for him in the last two rounds?

KA: Yeah, no, of course I’m following also. He’s a good friend of mine — Leo. He’s been great, doing great. I mean, since last year in F3, he’s made a massive step and I’m really happy for him to see him on top of the standings so far. He’s been very consistent this year, and that’s what made the difference compared to the others. He was always there and always getting good points. So I think the goal is to try and continue this consistency and to stay at the top. Yeah, I really wish him the best because I’ll be really happy for him in case he’s able to achieve this massive result. But I have no doubts. The speed has been incredible from him and consistency as well. So, yeah, really looking forward to the last rounds to see how he does.

Q: (Ruis Chagas – DAZN Portugal) Question for Kimi once again. First of all, congratulations on your latest results. Mid-season was a bit tough for you. Was there any time that you doubted yourself? And if yes, how did you overcome?

KA: Oh yeah, for sure, many times. Since we went on the new suspension, I struggled quite a lot, especially to adapt. George, on the other hand, despite that we lost performance with the new suspension, was able to adapt — and I struggled quite a lot more. And I just entered this negative spiral where it felt like it kept getting worse and worse, and frustration was just taking over.

I think my darkest moment was Spa, probably. I definitely doubted myself a lot, because obviously seeing the results not coming, you start to ask yourself if you’re good enough. So, it wasn’t easy, but that’s why I did a big meeting with the team after Monza. I did a big reset mentally and just tried to refocus on important stuff — on the process — and that really helped. That was a big learning as well.

Q: (Leonid Kliuev – Grande Prêmio) For all three. Andrea Stella said that the FIA is looking into a potential rule change after McLaren’s disqualification. And then with the recent overall debate on the rules in general, is it time to revisit them — say, from scratch? Not only the plank thing, but overall overtaking rules, etcetera?

KA: Yeah. I mean, that’s why today we’re having a meeting about driving guidelines, especially for next year. Definitely, we’re going to give our input based on our experiences, trying to help the FIA to set a new driver guideline standard that allows better racing. I didn’t think this year was too bad. The driver guidelines — of course, you can use them in your way, in your favour — but I don’t think it needs massive change. And then about the plank — that kind of stuff — I mean, that’s the rule. With these cars, the lower you run them, the more lap time you gain. So obviously, you need to set a limit, and if you go beyond that limit, of course you're gaining an advantage, and that’s why you get a penalty. I remember Mercedes in Austin 2023 — they had the same issue with the plank and got disqualified. Of course, sometimes you have external circumstances, like McLaren might have said they had more porpoising than expected. That’s unlucky, of course, but the rule is the rule. It is what it is. I think next year we’re not going to have as much of an issue with the new regulation.

OB: Luckily, we have a meeting with the FIA. I think our main concern as drivers is, first of all, that we don’t have permanent stewards, which is quite challenging because the guidelines are guidelines, and they’re interpreted differently by different stewards. For the level of our sport, if we compare ourselves to other elite sports, we’re one of the only ones with a judging panel that changes race to race, which is challenging for us. And I think just trying to give them a bit of perspective of what it’s like to be in the car. There are some penalties given out this year where, if you ask the drivers, the majority — or all of them — would agree that it should or shouldn’t be a penalty, and sometimes the result from the stewards is different. That’s why we want to create a bit of parity. So, yeah, I think it’ll be a long night tonight with the meeting.

LL: Not much more to add, honestly. I think it’s just trying to create a way that, when these decisions are made, it’s taken into account what it’s actually like being behind the wheel and driving these cars. The current guidelines were made to try and understand what we were trying to say last year, but they’re ever-evolving. We’ll try to make things even more clear this evening and try to create a better system for next year.

Q: (Jake Boxall-Legge – Autosport) A question for all three if we possibly can. This race, we've got a 25-lap stint maximum. Obviously, we had something similar in 2023. I just wanted to get all three of your reactions to that — obviously it’s on safety grounds. Does it leave you and the teams much room for creativity with strategies, or do you feel a little bit hemmed in and perhaps the race will suffer?

KA: Yeah. I think strategy is going to be much more straightforward for everyone with the 25-lap limit. Also, tyre pressure has increased so that might impact the balance a little bit and how the tyre behaves. But you don’t want to end up with a puncture or a tyre failing during the race because it’s very painful to do a lap on three wheels. I mean, some people have done… Lewis even won a race on three wheels, but you just don’t want that to happen because it might screw your race. So, I can understand the concern — it’s better to be safe than sorry. Obviously, it’s going to change the race and how the tyre allocation works, but other than that, I think the strategy will be more straightforward. So probably it’s going to be a more flat-out race, which is not a bad thing.

Q: (Samarth Kanal – The Race) Question for Ollie and Liam. What are your best and worst performances of the season, do you think?

OB: Okay. Yeah. Best — Brazil. Worst — Australia. Pretty easy.

LL: Mexico?

OB: Brazil, I think.

LL: Really? Best, actually, maybe Brazil as well or Baku. And then Australia.

Q: (Jack Smith – Motorsport Monday) Another one for you, Kimi. After the summer break, Toto said that you’ve naturally been put under a lot of pressure by being in such a top team like Mercedes. Now you’ve been showing all the form that you’ve been showing the last couple of races, do you feel that the team have struck the right balance in mitigating that pressure and helping you grow?

KA: Well, for sure. Definitely, being in a top team straight away means you're under the spotlight a lot more and every little action or mistake you do is a lot more seen. Especially in the difficult period, it’s been tough. But together with the team — the team has never stopped supporting me. Eventually, we were able to overcome the difficult moment and start building momentum.

Now, also with the experience I’m gaining, I’m telling them my needs with the car and everything, and they’re helping me on that side too. We’re building momentum and there’s a really good dynamic in the team between me and George. We’ve been working together really well and that’s why I’m really looking forward to the next races and next season.

Q: (Diletta Colombo – AutoMoto) A question for Ollie. You’ve become more and more consistent as the season progressed, but do you think you would be ready for a chance with a top team — namely Ferrari — if that happens sooner than later?

OB: Well, you know, I’m in F1 and you have to back yourself. So yes, I believe I’m ready, but I have to continue to prove that. It’s not that I had five or six good races that suddenly everything changes.

But I think it’s also easy to forget that in the middle of the season, I had a run of four or five eleventh places in a row. So that was also consistent — just not quite good enough. And we’ve gained a bit of car performance since then. So that 11th place turns into a 10th, a ninth, an eighth, and that’s better received by everyone. So yeah, I’ve definitely improved, particularly since the summer break. I found a really good rhythm and momentum, and of course, I would say that I’m ready.

PART TWO – Nico HÜLKENBERG (Kick Sauber), Carlos SAINZ (Williams), Lewis HAMILTON (Ferrari)

Q: Nico, can we start with you, and can we start with a clarification? When are the celebrations? The statisticians don't agree when your 250th race is going to be. Is it this weekend? Is it next weekend?

Nico HÜLKENBERG: You tell me. Whenever you want! When do you want it to be?

Q: I've asked you the question. So, should we say it's this weekend? When are you celebrating?

NH: I think celebrating on a race weekend is tough. Maybe Sunday night—hopefully Sunday night next weekend. But looks like it's next weekend.

Carlos SAINZ: Why is there a doubt?

NH: It's just, you know, a few races I did but didn’t start the race. So, it's three or four.

Q: Wind the clock back, Nico, to 2010. When you started out on this journey, could you have imagined 250 races?

NH: Yes and no. I think it's something, you know, as a driver, you don't really think about so much. You just race, you live in the present, you do your best, you keep grinding, you keep showing up. And, you know, it was good fun. I would do it all over again. Obviously good days and bad days, but all in all, a great industry to be in. Worked with a lot of great people, made friends, and still enjoying myself.

Q: Best season?

NH: This one, of course.

Q: Can we elaborate on that? Let’s talk about 2025 and the way the team has ramped up as the season's gone on. How satisfying has that been?

NH: Yeah, it's been also, you know, with ups and downs obviously, as is usual for every kind of midfield team—you have those swings. We started on the back foot, not in the best position, then recovered from Barcelona onwards, turned things around, got a grip on the season. Obviously put in a few nice highlights, few big results for us. All in all, I think good progress. You feel like something is growing and cooking in the background. As a team, I think we've really connected and improved on many areas, many things. Obviously always more to improve, more to work on, but it's been enjoyable and I look forward to the next 12 months.

Q: How has that progress you talk about changed the vibe inside the team?

NH: The vibe’s good. Obviously, when you have results, when you're racing for points, you're battling, it's a different feeling. Everyone is happy and engaged, and it brings a certain vibe and environment. I think you shouldn't forget where the team came from last year, which was obviously a very difficult season for them. And we kind of worked our way out of that a little bit, dug ourselves out, it rewarded us with many strong races this year and with a car that's competitive in the midfield for most of the season. So, yeah, we've come a long way and need to keep doing what we're doing.

Q: Carlos, another really strong weekend for you in Vegas. Given where you started that race, were you hoping for a little bit more come Saturday night?

Carlos SAINZ: No, not really. I think starting from P3 from a crazy qualifying, the moment you know the race is going to be dry, the normal thing is to go backwards—especially if the top cars are starting next to you, which was the case. I think in Baku I was starting P2, but the McLarens, the Mercedes and the Ferraris were not even in Q3, or they were towards the back end of Q3. Some crashed, some had their issues, and in Baku I could hold on to the podium. But in Vegas, they were starting too close to me. They had two to four tenths pace advantage, and over 50 laps that’s a lot of seconds of race time that they’re going to catch at some point. So, no, I was quite happy with the race. I think the second midfield car was quite far behind, so I think we did everything we could to get the maximum points for the team that race.

Q: You’ve spoken in the past about Qatar being potentially a difficult weekend. Why?

CS: Well, it’s just at the speed range where every track we go to, we’re the slowest on those sorts of corners. It’s 150 to 200 km/h, medium-speed, high-speed corners—fourth, fifth, sixth gear. Every track we go to, we see the GPS data, and we tend to be one of the slowest cars or one of the slowest teams. And in Qatar, you only have those corners. So, unless we come up with something magical in terms of setup that switches the car on for this kind of corners—which we cannot switch on in other tracks—I’m afraid it’s going to be the most or one of the most difficult weekends of the season. Having said that, I think it’s a great opportunity for the team and for myself to learn why we are weak in this kind of corners, why our car doesn’t like this kind of corners, and still try to execute a good weekend in a difficult track.

Q: Last one from me. Can we just get your reflections on year one at Williams? Have you exceeded your pre-season expectations?

CS: It’s a difficult question. I think expectations are always high but going into this year I tried to get them in check, knowing it was going to be a difficult year for me—coming obviously from a top team, getting back into the midfield and not knowing exactly what kind of car Williams was going to deliver for this year. But honestly speaking, I think if you would have told me when I signed my Williams contract back in the summer of 2024 that this year there would be a podium, fifth in the Constructors’—which we’re trying to seal soon—only a couple of tenths off the top teams in a lot of tracks, another podium in a Sprint, plenty of points for both Alex and me… I think I would have signed even quicker. So, I think it’s a good first year—not perfect because we’ve gone through, like every midfield team, a lot of ups and downs. I’ve had to readapt myself back to racing a bit more in the midfield. And for sure, it hasn’t been a perfect year, but we’ve had a lot of good highlights and good moments, better moments than I would have probably even dreamed or wished for.

Q: Thank you, Carlos. And, Lewis, can we continue this theme with you? How do you look back on your first season with Ferrari?

Lewis HAMILTON: I don’t. Just look forwards.

Q: Just talk about it a little bit…

LH: There’s not really much to say. The results have shown. There are some positives to take from it, and you just move forwards.

Q: What positives can you take from this season?

LH: Gelled with the team and there’s amazing passion within the team. And just going to focus on next year.

Q: What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned in the last 12 months or so?

LH: Probably just rebounding. Just getting back up.

Q: Can we reflect very quickly on something you said after the race on Saturday evening in Vegas about not looking forward to next season. You’ve had a few days to reflect, the adrenaline is no longer in your body—do you still feel the same way now?

LH: I think probably I’d be surprised if the other drivers are excited about next year at the end of a season, because usually you don’t have a lot of energy at the end of a season. You’re looking forward to time with family and stuff. That’s really it. But, I mean, look—that was just in the heat of frustration. Often, there’s a lot of frustration at the end of the races, particularly when they haven’t gone well. So, no, I’m excited to see what the team build next year and to continue to build on with them.

Q: If the car performs better at these final couple of race weekends, will that change your outlook?

LH: No.

Q: What’s possible, do you think, in Qatar this weekend?

LH: I don’t know. I think the car should be pretty decent in the areas that Carlos was mentioning, in terms of speed profile. I think our car should be pretty good in those areas. Might be hard to keep up with the Red Bull, but I’m hoping for a better weekend.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports F1) There is a drivers' meeting tonight discussing driving standards guidelines. As we have three hugely experienced drivers with us, one of whom celebrates his 250th grand prix next week, what would you like to see change in those driving standards guidelines that isn't quite right at the moment?

CS: I’ll go…. GPDA! I think first, we need to sit together, analyse quite a few of the incidents. I think there's been quite a lot of division in opinion between drivers, FIA, Stewards—just different ways to judge different incidents. This year, there's been quite a bit of confusion regarding a few of them. We need to sit together and go through them and analyse them calmly, out of the heat of the moment, like we are now on a Thursday before a race and try to hopefully come up with a better solution for the future. My personal opinion – and here I’m not talking from a GPDA perspective, just as Carlos Sainz – is that there's potential to do better and that the guidelines themselves have created more problems than solutions in a lot of issues that have happened this year in the way we judge incidents. There's been barely any room for racing incidents this year. It’s always been either white or black because we've been supported by the guidelines, and the guidelines haven't allowed racing incidents to be judged as racing incidents because there was always a tyre in front or behind a mirror or a front or rear tyre—whatever the guidelines say, I don't know them by heart. It’s been, in that sense, not a successful implementation of those guidelines. But that’s what we need to discuss that’s why we need to sit together and see if there’s any other solution.

Q: Lewis? Nico?

LH: He answered it well.

NH: (no response)

Q: (Rui Chagas – DAZN Portugal) Question for Nico. We had three rookies here just before you, and I think it’s unanimous that they always say they learn with their teammate and so on. Have you learned anything with Gabi, as he’s a rookie as well, or has he helped push you throughout the season?

NH: Absolutely. I mean, being a rookie doesn’t mean you can’t perform or you don’t know how to drive. I mean, we all were rookies at one point. You’ve got to start at one point in F1. And for sure, Gabi’s been very impressive on the driving side—driving inputs, driving techniques as well—it’s something that he's really strong at. So to be honest, there have been many points this year where I learned from him. We bounce off each other, looking at each other’s data. Just, yeah, absolutely, yes.

Q: (Tom Slafer – DAZN Spain) Question for Carlos. This weekend we have this limit of tyre usage which basically makes it a two-stopper, which is something that Formula 1 is investigating to put in the future for all the races. You can give me your opinion or GPDA’s—whatever you prefer. What do you make of this system?

CS: I think it’s a temporary thing, this 25-lap limit here only for Qatar. I don’t think it would work in the future to put a forced two-stop limit. I’ve seen some comments saying that. I think the races are the best when you have a variety of strategy and it’s between a one and a two, or between a two and a three. But it’s never good when it’s a forced two-stop like we saw in Monaco or here a few years ago, when it was almost like a three-stopper or a four-stopper mandated. Because if in the end, everyone has the same deg, same tyres, it’s not like you can do much with flexibility. And I think the future solution of F1 is having more of a variety of strategies that can work, rather than a mandated number of stops. But I think for here it’s just purely reliability, and we will see.

Q: (Mara Sangiorgio – Sky Sports Italy) A question for Lewis. I was looking at the standings and you and Kimi are very close. You know him, you work with him. How do you see his progress as an opponent this year?

LH: Kimi? I mean, I haven’t worked with Kimi, but I’m enjoying watching him grow as a man and as a driver. I think he’s done an amazing job this year. Particularly in the second half of the season, he’s really stepped it up. So, I’m really happy to see that, and we have a great relationship.

Q: (Panagiotis Seitanidis – ANT1 TV) A question for all three. We have, in two turns ahead, a new era for Formula One. I know you don’t have crystal balls, but what is your gut feeling about where your teams will be next year?

LH: I don’t have a gut feeling. I don’t know. No one knows.

CS: No one knows. I have a good feeling. But no one knows.

NH: Gut feelings are not worth that much. Hopefully a bit stronger than what we are now, but we’ll see.

Q: (Ian Parkes – Racing News 365) Question for you, Lewis. When you had pen in hand about to sign your Ferrari contract, if you'd known then what you know now and the year that you’ve gone through, would you have still gone for it? And if so, why?

LH: Well, firstly, that’s a hypothetical question, so I wouldn’t really go into that. But I would, absolutely. I don’t regret the decision I made joining the team. I know it takes time to build and grow within an organisation, and I expected that. So, yes.

Q: (Jake Boxall-Legge – Autosport) Question for Carlos. You spoke about the driving standards meeting. Slightly existential question: do we really need racing guidelines, and has there been something that you could pinpoint that necessitated the implementation of them?

CS: Again, I’m going to speak as Carlos Sainz, not as GPDA here. I’m going to give you as honest an answer as possible. I think recently after races I’ve seen some analysis done of quite a lot of the incidents. Some of them by Karun Chandhok, some of them by Jolyon Palmer, some of them by Anthony Davidson. And every time I see this analysis that they do and the verdict that they give—from racing drivers that have been recently racing—I think they do a very good analysis and they put the blame correctly most of the time on who actually has the blame or if it’s actually just a racing incident. My future ideal is no guidelines and people that are able to judge these sorts of incidents as well as these three people do after the races. Again, this is just my opinion, but I’m quite impressed at the job some of the broadcasters do after a race with this in-depth analysis of each of the incidents and how they apply blame or no blame into certain scenarios. I think that’s a level of analysis and a level of ‘stewardness’, if you want to call it that way, that I think is very high level. Probably doesn’t mean we’ll agree 100% on the cases that these three ex-drivers give, but I think a lot of times, they are very close—90%, let’s say, correct. And if I had to go and see Formula 1 in the future on the stewarding level, this is more or less the level that I would appreciate.

Q: Carlos, if there were no guidelines, would it change your approach—you being drivers, I mean?

CS: This is where I get lost. Like, I don’t know if we need guidelines or not. I just say that when I see these people taking the time to analyse this sort of incident as a driver—when I see how they do it, the language they speak, how they explain it, and obviously the background they have to make this analysis—I really feel like they understood what happened in that incident, and the judgement they take. This doesn’t mean that the stewards don’t do a good job. It just means that what I see after the race from these people is actually a very high level that I think, without guidelines, they would be able to judge each decision correctly. And there wouldn’t be a bias or anything like that.

Q: (Samarth Kanal – The Race) A question for all three of you. This ground effect era is getting to an end. It’s got some inherent traits like understeer in low-speed corners and things like that. So have you enjoyed driving this era of cars? And are you ready to say good riddance, or is it a sad farewell?

LH: Yeah, I think we’re all excited to see the back end of these ones for sure.

CS: Same. I had a struggle with them in 2022 adapting to this generation, and I’ve had a bit more success later on adapting to it, but it’s not in my nature to drive these cars the way I have to drive them. I actually had to relearn a couple of different skills that I didn’t know I would need to drive a Formula 1 car. And I’m glad it’s over, and hopefully next year I can go back to a more natural driving style.

NH: I think a bit more neutral for me. I don’t mind it. I think just the following, particularly this year, has really become very, very bad. But otherwise—I mean, bit heavy, yes—but in quali, they’re pretty quick. So, I don’t mind it.

Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Lewis, picking up on your mention of the passion you felt within the team this year. Is that one of the brightest points, do you think, through your first season with Ferrari? And the connection with the Tifosi as well—have you found that experience, even through quite a tough year on track?

LH: Yeah. The passion is the most special thing about the brand and the people that work for it. And then the Tifosi—as we travel around the world, the amazing support that we get. I think that probably makes it even harder when we have the more difficult weekends because you can see how passionate, how dedicated, and how hard every single person is working back at the factory, and the results are not reflecting or rewarding them. So, you feel it more. It’s a big emotional bubble that’s quite precious.

Q: (Diletta Colombo – AutoMoto) A question for Lewis. 2026 is full of unknowns, as you said before. But do you think that Ferrari could turn a new leaf as far as the execution and cohesion within the team are concerned?

LH: I definitely think there's… We have a lot of work to do, for sure, over winter. We'll analyse the season. There are lots of improvements we need to make collectively, but I think no one's under any illusion in the team that we all have to play our part. And I believe that we can. So, yeah, I’m hoping we implement and make those changes, along with hopefully a better package next year.

Q: (Leonid Kliuev – Grande Prêmio) One more for Lewis. Are you concerned about the difference in results with Charles? Let's imagine the car is much stronger next year. How confident are you that you can outperform Charles in that much more rewarding scenario?

LH: I’m not concerned about it. No. Of course, I’ve just been focusing on my side during this period. Obviously, Charles has done a great job. He’s been there for seven years. He’s got a team around him that he’s worked with for many years. So, it’s a well-oiled machine. On my side, it’s a new group of people. For me, it’s a new environment that I’m still getting used to working with. Then I had another new member halfway through the year. So, we’re all working as hard as we can, but getting that to work as well as someone that’s had it for several years is not—you don’t just do it like that. It takes a bit of time.

Q: (Dzhastina Golopolosova – F1Maximaal.nl) One more for Nico. Helmut Marko once said that you could have been Max Verstappen’s teammate, but Perez’s victory in Bahrain changed everything. Have you ever imagined what Formula 1 would look like with Verstappen and Hülkenberg at Red Bull?

NH: Not really, because, you know, I’m not really the dreamer type. It would be different, but, you know, it didn’t happen. I had a few close misses, but at the end of the day, they don’t matter. They don’t count. I am where I am and what happened, happened.

Q: You're not a dreamer, but how close did it get, that Red Bull deal?

NH: Well, not close enough, obviously.

Q: While I’ve got you, Nico, can we just talk Constructors’ Championship? Sauber currently P9, but you’re only—what is it—five points behind Haas in P7. It’s a transitional year for the team, but how important is that P7?

NH: Well, it’s important for all of them—with Aston and with Haas. We’re in that fight. Two to go, obviously sprint here. Everyone wants to do as well as they can. Same rules apply. Obviously, we’ll all do our best and see who comes out where.

Q: (Ian Parkes – Racing News 365) Carlos, you mentioned how much you enjoy listening to the analysts on the various broadcast channels. Do you feel it would take a driver with a more recent racing mindset, shall we say, to be a representative on the stewards’ panel going forward compared to some of the older generation that are representatives on there now?

CS: Well, I think I need to be very careful with this. I do think there’s older generation people that do a very good job with the stewarding. I don’t want to name any names. I don’t want to be personal with anyone. But I do think there’s people out there doing a very decent job. The only thing I say—and I insist that I don’t want to get into too much analysis here—is that when I hear these people, these young ex-racing drivers doing analysis, they speak a lot of sense. When I read and I say, “If we could have two or three of these judging our racing incidents or our penalties,” I think most of the time these people wouldn’t need guidelines. They would be very honest and very accurate in taking some of the conclusions that we would need them to take. So, I put it out there as an idea. Obviously, nowadays, to come to 24 races, probably you also need a fixed salary. You need the job to be relatively important because it takes a lot of time out of your life. So, we need to look at how to organize that. But again, I don’t want to get into too much analysis here. I just want to say that when I take time to see those back—maybe two days after I go home and it comes up in social media, these people making the analysis—I’m like, I see it exactly the same way. And I think most of the drivers see it in a very similar way. So, it’s an idea.