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DRIVERS

1 – Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes)

2 – Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull)

3 – Alex ALBON (Red Bull)

TRACK INTERVIEWS

(Conducted by Paul Di Resta) 

Q: Alex nicely done, a smile within the reduction of the conceal there. It’s been a unparalleled weekend after that shatter in FP2 but these guys standing within the reduction of me you are going to be ready to see they’re getting within the reduction of you and your 2d podium in System 1.

Alex ALBON: Yeah, there became as soon as obviously slightly of success eager with Sergio, he had a truly moral lag. Nonetheless pondering Friday, the guys did a terrific job to bag the vehicle entertaining and it moral feels moral. Feels moral obviously, a double podium for us. Yeah, I’m gay.

Q: What’s the belief for the subsequent three days? You would possibly non-public some time to re-put after which we’re reduction right here on a particular track, but that’s a self assurance enhance and that lifts you?

AA: Yeah, I mean I felt cherish the final three races were recuperating and greater however the outcomes moral haven’t been showing. It’s a step forward all over again. I’ll spend the three days doing whatever, hanging by the swimming pool, playing some golf. Yeah, all moral.

Q: Max, a pretty proper day at the put of job. First, I are desirous to contact on what occurred within the origin. No longer fine scenes to happen but fortunately Romain’s walked faraway from that shatter.

Max VERSTAPPEN: Yeah, it became as soon as provoking, on chronicle of we saw a crimson flag. The doesn’t mean it’s without prolong a contaminated thing but I saw a mode of fire and I became as soon as cherish ‘that’s no longer an ethical thing’. Fortunately, he is OK and with slightly of luck he will bag greater like a flash all over again.

Q: And obviously the strive against to Lewis, the put exactly became as soon as that? You would possibly even see moral a microscopic bit bit of toddle lacking at the unusual time.

MV: Yeah, we were moral lacking slightly. I tried to defend it shut, but they repeatedly had an solution and besides that additionally, we weren’t aggressive adequate with the plan after which we had a late pit dwell. It is a long way what it is and 2d is now not any longer contaminated.

Q: And subsequent week, is that track structure going to match your needs slightly greater?

MV: On the complete no longer, with the quantity of extra straight which is coming in. We’ll see. The vehicle looks to work reasonably nicely around right here, so with slightly of luck we can safe a microscopic bit bit extra toddle by blueprint of the corners which I left on totally different track after which we’ll see all over again.

Q: Lewis, congratulations. First and major, what we ought to contact on is how a lot the FIA, the GPDA put security first into this sport. And having seen Romain… I’ve seen your complete drivers having a survey at the conceal, sooner than you obtained reduction within the vehicle to return out and develop that lag. 

Lewis HAMILTON: Yeah, it became as soon as this form of dazzling describe to survey. The article is, you respect Paul, as soon as we strategy, after I bag within the vehicle I know that I’m taking a likelihood. I appreciate the hazards which would possibly perhaps be in this sport. I posted about it at the same time as I became as soon as in that shatter. It became as soon as horrifying, His vehicle, the cockpit… I don’t know what Gs he pulled. I’m moral so grateful that the Halo worked. I’m grateful that the barrier didn’t reduce his head off. It is a long way going to also were plenty worse. It is a long way a reminder to us and with slightly of luck to the those which would possibly perhaps be watching at house that right here’s a deadly sport. For that reason we’re available pushing to the limit and playing with that limit. Nonetheless you additionally deserve to appreciate it. As I said, I allege reveals the unbelievable job that System 1 has done, the FIA non-public done over time to ready to dawdle faraway from that. Nonetheless obviously that will be investigated and so that they’ll develop a mode of work to place particular doesn’t happen all over again.

Q: The response has been reasonably unattainable if you see it outside the vehicle when the lag became as soon as occurring, with the arena, how that’s done. Nonetheless then textbook efficiency by you Lewis, seven-time world champion, you went on and dominated the lag. It did survey straight forward from outside but you said at the tip of the lag that it became as soon as reasonably exhausting. Became as soon as Max pushing you your complete attain?

LH: Yeah, it if fact be told became as soon as bodily tense. I allege with the shatter we had within the origin you bag proper into a thoughts put and likewise you exit and bag an ethical originate after which that 45 to an hour wait that we had it is miles so straight forward to step out of the zone. So that became as soon as reasonably tricky but then getting reduction in, they’d a mode of toddle at the unusual time. I became as soon as flat out the complete attain making an strive to defend them at bay. It’s bodily. This track has repeatedly been bodily. You’ve obtained hundreds excessive-toddle corners, so I became as soon as positively feeling it. I managed to moral about respond to him after I wanted to. Nonetheless I became as soon as sliding around plenty available and I wasn’t if fact be told certain how it would possibly perhaps perchance play out at the tip, so I’m hugely grateful and grateful to my personnel on chronicle of at the tip of the day they did a huge job with the plan and what a privilege it is to be ready to bag another consequence cherish this.

PRESS CONFERENCE

Q: Lewis, many congratulations for your 95th use and likewise that you just would perchance even be now a four-time winner right here in Bahrain. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster this night, given Romain Grosjean’s accident. Please can you moral strive to sum it for us?

LH: We moral had to develop it downstairs seven occasions already, so I don’t are desirous to regurgitate what I had said downstairs. Naturally, it became as soon as hideous to survey. I haven’t seen something cherish that for a prolonged, prolonged time. It if fact be told hits house for a driver, on chronicle of I allege whereas we’re all competing with each totally different and are desirous to beat each totally different we positively I would assume need security for all americans and peril about one another when there is a peril, when there is a shatter. I’m if fact be told grateful that he’s high-quality and became as soon as ready to bag out. Nonetheless it absolutely is an valid stark reminder moral how dangerous this sport would possibly perhaps additionally be – the speeds that we’re travelling, the flexibility that we’re carrying as soon as we’re travelling at those speeds. The FIA non-public done a terrific job, but we can’t dwell the put we’re, we’ve obtained to raise on making an strive to wait on. That’s what additionally makes this sport huge. We’re persistently evolving. It is a long way mute a deadly sport. I’m certain there are those that tuned in who non-public never seen something cherish that and it moral reveals that those things can happen. I allege we’re attentive to that as racing drivers, the hazards we grab. Now everyone else is.

Q: When there is a one and half of-hour prolong cherish that, what are you concerned about, and how exhausting is it to bag reduction into the zone?

LH: It’s positively no longer… I’m certain it’s totally different for every and every person of us. You factor in regarding the proven truth that if everyone else is stricken moral factor in how his family is feeling. After which all over again we’re putting our helmets on and we’re going reduction available. The leisure can happen with these autos. It positively wasn’t straight forward to bag reduction into the zone, into lag mode, however the lag goes and that’s what we’ve obtained to develop. Head down, otherwise this man is going to beat me and he very almost did at the unusual time.

Q: Successfully, let’s talk regarding the lag a microscopic bit bit too. Fabulous begins from you. Unbiased correct talk us by blueprint of it.

LH: Yeah, the begins were… the first originate became as soon as if fact be told huge and if you bag a originate cherish that you just largely hope that you just are going to be ready to moral defend going – but then obviously the Safety Car came out, or the crimson flag came out. After which to return into it, we were within the reduction of the Safety Car and it became as soon as reasonably late. The Safety Car became as soon as riding if fact be told late – no longer if fact be told reasonably certain what occurred, so our tyres would were at a decrease temperature, and so it became as soon as positively a rather totally different 2d originate – however the 2d originate became as soon as additionally space-on. After that it became as soon as on the complete making an strive to make a hole to Max but he had huge toddle, so within the early stages it positively wasn’t in particular straight forward to develop that. I allege on chronicle of he became as soon as following me, his tyres would non-public overheated sooner than mine, and I became as soon as ready to bridge a microscopic bit bit of a hole. Then after that he had the two Arduous tyres and it became as soon as if fact be told reasonably advanced to defend the rate that he had, the Medium tyre in particular in that center stint. On the tip, we were both on the Arduous but he mute additionally had if fact be told moral toddle and I became as soon as moral making an strive to position up the tyres, which I struggled with, I allege at the unusual time compared – so it looks – most likely them, and most likely Max. An ethical strive against, and additionally it became as soon as bodily available. I allege it’s repeatedly been a bodily circuit and despite the proven truth that it’s cooler, you mute non-public those gee by blueprint of the corners.

Q: Max, coming to you. Lewis says it became as soon as an ethical strive against. How gay were you with your toddle at the unusual time?

MV: It wasn’t contaminated. I allege we were making an strive to defend the rigidity on, y’know, but I allege we didn’t develop an ethical job with the plan at the unusual time. We had the tyres to be extra aggressive and we didn’t develop it. First dwell we must non-public pulled Lewis in, rather than Lewis pulling me in. so, I don’t know what became as soon as occurring there. After which, yeah, obviously, I had the Arduous tyre, after which after that first dwell… I allege it became as soon as the moral tyre to be on on chronicle of first and major I received slightly reduction on Lewis, obviously on chronicle of he became as soon as moral bringing his tyres as a lot as temperature slightly slower. With the Extra unparalleled compound you are going to be ready to push slightly extra unparalleled on them first and major, after which you moral lose out, with that 1.5-2 seconds you lose over a lap, stopping a lap later and, obviously then my 2d dwell wasn’t moral. I don’t know exactly what occurred there but we’ll survey into that – so then you definately also would possibly be even extra within the reduction of but we were repeatedly cherish four seconds within the reduction of and with whatever we did nasty at the unusual time, that’s moral very costly. I don’t assume we had the greater toddle but we would possibly perhaps non-public done a greater job with putting them slightly extra below rigidity and, yeah, we didn’t develop it. And, obviously, I accomplished over all over again, obviously, for the quickest lap, is huge but often after the crimson flag and the Safety Car the three-dwell became as soon as a no-crawl and we mute did it, so I don’t if fact be told bag the point of that. Yeah. We’ll survey into it. Second, obviously, is mute OK but I allege within the attain we were 2d at the unusual time it wasn’t very satisfying. I would non-public cherished to were slightly extra aggressive. After which, our direction, if it fails being aggressive, so be it. I if fact be told don’t non-public anything to lose. Despite the proven truth that we would possibly perhaps fail I would mute be 2d. So, there’s nothing… I don’t bag why we were so conservative.

Q: And please can we moral bag your thoughts on Grosjean’s accident.

MV: Yeah, obviously that became as soon as a crazy incident. As soon as I saw the flames, that became as soon as slightly provoking to see but fortunately obviously he jumped out of the vehicle himself and that became as soon as the largest. You would possibly if fact be told see the safety, how a lot it has improved. I allege additionally the Halo at the unusual time saved his lifestyles. Within the origin when it came onto the autos I became as soon as reasonably most well-known about it, that it looked monstrous but you are going to be ready to’t affirm anything regarding the safety on chronicle of at the unusual time it positively saved Romain, so very gay about that. Tips are with him and, obviously, his family besides to a consequence of they are watching in entrance of TV and that’s never fine. So I am hoping that he will bag greater very soon and he will be reduction with us.

Q: Alex, coming to you, your 2d podium of the season. Give us your response – how happy are you?

AA: It became as soon as an ethical lag. Clearly Sergio had a huge lag too and he had the blow-up, so partly, let’s affirm, no longer fully happy but it became as soon as mute there. We had to be there to capitalise on it. On my facet it became as soon as an ethical lag. We had an ethical originate – something which we’ve been engaged on fair as of late – and it’s fine to survey it recuperating, after which from that time on it became as soon as extra-or-less being there to capitalise on chronicle of I didn’t reasonably non-public the toddle to overtake Sergio – but we were moral there within the reduction of, looking ahead to something to happen, and it did, so P3 became as soon as an ethical consequence and in particular a double podium for the personnel. That’s moral for them as nicely.

Q: Alex, can we additionally bag your response to Grosjean’s accident.

AA: Lewis and Max summed it up slightly a lot. I allege there’s no longer a lot to add onto it. It’s one among those things the put, if you see it, if you strategy out of Flip Eight and likewise you moral see this fireball, it’s if fact be told provoking. It’s provoking on chronicle of you moral are desirous to grab if whatever has occurred there, that the motive force’s obtained out, and at the time the personnel didn’t know. It’s one among those things the put you’re timid for your fellow driver – but as these two non-public said as nicely, I allege it moral reveals how moral of a job the FIA are doing. No longer moral the components of the vehicle however the marshals, the Clinical Car, everyone eager by that. And, obviously, there’s repeatedly a microscopic bit bit of success eager by it as nicely, but to survey Romain dawdle away, certain, it’s a testament for your complete exhausting work that’s been done within the reduction of the scenes.

VIDEO CONFERENCE

Q: (Alex Kalinauckas – Autosport) Set aside a query to of to Max about your tactics after each of your stops at the unusual time by attain of how aggressive you were being for your toddle. Became as soon as it repeatedly the attain to push from the off on each stint – on chronicle of you saw that as the fully attain to rigidity Lewis, despite the proven truth that that intended you lost slightly of time towards the tip of every stint with the lifestyles working out. And additionally to Lewis, if I would possibly perhaps, became as soon as it then a case of you taking it straight forward after each of your stops to attach the tyres after which non-public something to respond to Max in a while within the stints?

MV: Yeah, nicely that’s what that you just would perchance also deserve to develop after they dwell sooner than you, otherwise that you just would perchance even non-public a contaminated dwell. So, at the tip, as I said, I had nothing to lose, so despite the proven truth that it wouldn’t determine, as that you just would perchance also see, I would possibly perhaps develop another dwell, mute 2d.

LH: I allege… I mean I had to be particular I looked after my tyres basically the most productive attain that I would possibly perhaps. So, there are particular solutions I strive to develop that. Max became as soon as if fact be told quick, in particular at the bag-crawl from every time he had a pitstop and I had a rather… tyre-clever no longer as moral within the sense that he had the two Hards that will push extra and crawl extra, and so I became as soon as positively, in particular within the 2d stint, reasonably attentive to making an strive to match the tyre lifestyles – and that’s no longer necessarily having to develop the identical toddle early on. I didn’t are desirous to tail off too a lot at the tip after which him shut the outlet and undercut me. So, yeah. Tried to be as tactical as I will be.

Q: (Dieter Rencken – Racing Lines) Max, you were speaking regarding the plan no longer being aggressive adequate and so forth. To begin with, how does it work within your personnel, who decides on the plan on chronicle of you said you didn’t bag the point of it? Attain that you just would perchance also non-public a lot enter into it? How does it work?

MV: Yeah, but I allege it doesn’t put sense to focus on it now. I will talk with them. There’s additionally no point to argue plenty for the length of the lag. Wait ‘til the tip of the season then the entirety is anyway slightly done, moral, so we moral deserve to learn from it, strive to grab why. I will, obviously, talk over with them about it and naturally I will hear their reasons within the reduction of it. Yeah, it’s what it is. You moral continue.

Q: (Jerome Pugmire – AP) Set aside a query to of to most likely Lewis and Max: given what occurred and clearly fortunately Romain is gorgeous or slightly gorgeous, but given what occurred and the shock of seeing that, develop you factor in drivers ought to be given the option whether they are desirous to continue that lag?

LH: I don’t assume so. We’re no longer the safety regulators. We’re right here to develop a job and we rely on the FIA who’re attentive to security and we belief them implicitly so no, I develop no longer assume so.

MV: Yeah, they bag why you use the lag. We’d be the personnel boss, I would kick him out of the seat.

LH: Hmm?

MV: If the person wouldn’t lag and I would possibly perhaps be the personnel boss, I would show him then you definately never sit down within the seat all over again. Yeah.

LH: I am hoping you’re no longer my personnel boss.

MV: I am hoping I would possibly perhaps no longer ever be a personnel boss anyway.

LH: I if fact be told feel sorry for someone who’s going to be your driver within the prolonged lag.

Q: (Edd Straw – The Wander) Alex, as you said, P3, an ethical consequence but you weren’t fully happy on chronicle of of Perez’s toddle. What extra or less stage would fully satisfy you? Would being moral the moral facet of Perez had he no longer retired being moral forward or is that hole to Max that you just’re gauging yourself against? And the blueprint develop you see the explanations for why you weren’t ready to be closer to Max’s stage by blueprint of that lag?

AA: Successfully, I’m no longer asserting I’m no longer happy. It’s no longer cherish 50%, it’s cherish I’m 95% happy. It’s mute an ethical lag, moral microscopic things, gorgeous tuning. I know I became as soon as struggling a microscopic bit bit with tyre deg by blueprint of the stint but we were on a identical plan to Lewis we had two mediums so it became as soon as reasonably exhausting to push on the 2d stint but asserting that, yeah, obviously I are desirous to be greater, I are desirous to be faster and tense extra often for podiums.

Q: (Andrew Benson – BBC Sport) Lewis, by attain of the accident, what would you affirm were the principle issues that that you just would perchance also non-public about security having looked at the replays with things cherish the hearth and the barrier splitting and autos getting caught in it and what non-public you? What are your major disorders?

LH: On the tip of the day, the armco did its job but it… you respect, the premise of the vehicle being on fire and the motive force no longer being ready to bag out within the armco. Clearly we’ve obtained this halo which I allege obviously would non-public positively non-public helped in saving his lifestyles at the unusual time but then you definately’re no longer going to achieve… that will be  that… most likely no longer as straight forward to bag out. I allege the flames, the vehicle breaking in two after which no longer vivid the put the motive force is and him all of a unexpected coming out in those flames. I will be capable to’t even factor in what that’s cherish. It’s fully something I’ve ever seen in those veteran historical races, reduction when Benetton became as soon as on fire many decades within the past.

MV: That became as soon as my Dad.

LH: Yeah, exactly, it became as soon as and what Niki experienced. That’s positively a prime self-discipline. Nonetheless I know our fireproof overalls… they’ve already taken a step up this 365 days. I became as soon as a microscopic bit bit blasé about it within the sense that I belief our fits were moral adequate and this 365 days they’ve made them bigger and bulkier and so that they’re heavier kit, cherish we’re already so sizzling within the vehicle but I allege at the unusual time they’d the foresight most likely and I allege that became as soon as an ethical movement.

Q: (Alex Kalinauckas – Autosport) Max, we heard you on the radio earlier within the lag asserting that the vehicle became as soon as leaping around cherish a kangaroo early on. Can you relate what that became as soon as cherish, what became as soon as occurring there and did it final for the complete lag?

MV: Yeah, I don’t know. It became as soon as moral hopping around plenty on throttle, on low toddle and medium toddle.

LH: On the entrance? Or the rear?

MV: On the rear. I don’t know. It became as soon as very weird and wonderful. It did bag greater in some unspecified time in the future of the lag but yeah, it didn’t if fact be told feel so fine within the origin.

Q: (Phil Duncan – PA) Lewis, I perceive it’s your job to bag proper into a vehicle and moral lag but is there any allotment of you that, if you see an incident cherish Grosjean’s, and likewise you factor in I’m late thirties, received X quantity of races, seven World Championships, develop I if fact be told deserve to develop this to any extent extra? Due to the an accident cherish this would possibly perhaps happen.

LH: I’d be mendacity if I became as soon as to express no, obviously, you give it some belief’s so most well-known to continue to appreciate the game and the hazards which would possibly perhaps be there. I’ve been racing 27 years and I’ve seen from a younger kid to Jules, his experience. As soon as I became as soon as 9, I saw a kid die on the identical day that I received a lag and so I’ve repeatedly been attentive to the hazards and the hazards that I grab and obviously, as you bag in a while in lifestyles I would affirm you would perchance potentially quiz it bigger than most likely after I became as soon as in my early twenties. So yeah, at the unusual time, positively, I became as soon as that and I… and I’m additionally pondering for Romain, I became as soon as pondering Jeez, he’s obtained a accomplice and formative years and that must be something he will obviously deserve to imagine closely on on chronicle of it’s a privilege to be ready to develop what we develop but there’s plenty lifestyles additionally and so many a mode of things to develop previous. Nonetheless as I affirm, we’ve seen something that became as soon as slightly… it became as soon as mountainous that shatter and the safety positively reminds us of the massive job that has been done but extra must be done so we can continue to work on it. I don’t non-public any fears so I’m certain for all of us we moral bag reduction in and develop what we develop but yeah. I’m no longer pondering of stopping on chronicle of of that, no.

Ends


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