Introducing the top three qualifiers: Max Verstappen, who secured pole position for Red Bull Racing, Carlos Sainz in P2 for Ferrari, and Sergio Perez in P3 for Red Bull Racing – the latter receiving a three-place grid penalty after the press conference.
Q: Max, starting the year with a hat-trick of poles must be an incredible feeling. Max Verstappen: Yes, qualifying today was a bit unexpected, but I am very pleased with my performance in Q3. Both of my laps were very good and it was a very enjoyable experience. It has been a challenging weekend so far, but we managed to come out on top, so I am extremely happy with that.
Q: This weekend, you face a tough challenge from Ferrari. Can you maintain the lead and keep them at bay in a highly strategic race tomorrow? MV: Ferrari seems to be very fast, even in long races. So, tomorrow is a bit uncertain, but that’s what makes it exciting. We will find out how it goes.
Q: Carlos, going from being out of the race in Jeddah to securing P2 in qualifying today is quite a journey. Carlos Sainz: Thank you very much. It has been a tough few weeks, with many days spent in bed, waiting for this moment and hoping to be here today. Coming to this weekend and then qualifying on the front row after leading the session, it almost feels unbelievable, especially considering the challenges I have faced. But I am thrilled to be here and excited to challenge the Red Bulls this weekend. At the start of yesterday, I was a bit rusty, but I managed to find my rhythm and feel comfortable with the car.
P: There is still a long way to go until tomorrow’s race. How do you feel in the car? Are you fully recovered or do you still feel some discomfort? CS: I won’t deny it. I’m not at my most comfortable state when I’m driving. However, I can overcome it. I can give my best without feeling pain. There is definitely a lot of discomfort and strange sensations, but no pain, which allows me to push to the limit.
P: Impressive lap and impressive performance. Thank you very much. CS: Cheers.
P: Sergio, you did a great lap. Do you think there was more potential in the car? Could you have challenged Ferrari for second place or even Max for pole position? Sergio Perez: Yes, I believe there was definitely more potential. My first sector was not good, especially turn 1. On my last attempt, I couldn’t put it all together, which immediately costs a tenth or a tenth and a half. But I’m satisfied. Considering how our weekend went, we have improved significantly. Tomorrow, we have a fight on our hands against Ferrari and the rest of the pack, because tire degradation should be high. Therefore, the starting position doesn’t matter much at the moment.
P: It seems like you have a slight advantage in terms of straight-line speed compared to Ferrari. Do you think this will help you attack and defend positions tomorrow? SP: We’ll find out tomorrow. We made some changes to our strategy for tomorrow, and we’ll see who can manage tire degradation better.
P: Max, congratulations on your impressive performance in Q3. You mentioned earlier that this weekend has been challenging. How satisfying is it to secure pole position? MV: Thank you. I am really pleased with it. Throughout this weekend, it has been quite difficult to find the right balance in the car. Even during qualifying, I didn’t feel like I was fighting for pole position in Q1 and Q2. However, we made some adjustments to the car, and in Q3, I managed to push it to the limit. I was happy with the two laps. There is always room for improvement, but overall, I am very satisfied with my performance.
P: You seemed to get faster with each lap in Q3. Do you think there was more potential or did you reach the limit of the car in the end? MV: There was definitely more potential. I gave it my all, but when you are under pressure and pushing to the max on this track, it is challenging to hit every corner perfectly. Like any other track, there are always areas where you can improve. However, I am generally satisfied with the laps we did.
P: Your practice sessions before qualifying were interrupted. How will this affect tomorrow’s race? Do you feel unprepared? MV: Actually, we managed to do quite a bit, even this morning. So, I don’t think I will be unprepared. It was just difficult to find the right balance in the car. Tomorrow’s race will determine if our setup is good enough, because Ferrari has also been fast and comfortable throughout the weekend. I hope it will be an exciting race.
P: Do you think Ferrari is closer to Red Bull this weekend compared to previous races? MV: Yes, they seemed well-prepared from the start, while we had some difficulties. We managed to make improvements, but the softer tire compounds this year will make the race quite challenging. We’ll find out tomorrow.
P: Carlos, what an impressive comeback. How do you feel in the car? CS: Thank you. It’s all good. As I mentioned at the beginning of the weekend, I don’t feel 100% after spending time in bed to recover. However, I don’t feel pain, just discomfort. Everything feels a bit strange inside, but I can push through. Today, during qualifying, I was able to push to the maximum. Yesterday, I took it easy and made adjustments to the seat, belts, and brake pedal. But today, with the adrenaline flowing, I could go all out. I am focused on physiotherapy and recovery to keep improving. I hope I’ll be fine tomorrow.
P: You were the fastest in Q1 and Q2. Are you disappointed not to be on pole? CS: It’s a bit disappointing, but it’s also understandable. If someone had told me two weeks ago, after my appendix surgery, that I would be in Australia and fighting for pole position, I would have gladly accepted. Being P1 in Q1 and Q2 and knowing I left some time on the table in Q3 is disappointing. But it’s normal considering I missed a qualifying session and a full race in Jeddah. I am still learning this new car, and there were things I could have learned in Jeddah that I couldn’t apply in Q3. Despite that, I am grateful to be here and competing.
P: Where do you see yourself tomorrow? Can you beat Max? CS: To beat Max, I need to be at 100%. Today, I wasn’t. If I had shown up at my best, pole position could have been possible. If I felt 100% and had done the race in Jeddah, I believe I could have achieved a lap time of 59 seconds. Tomorrow, I need to be at my best to beat Max. I will give my best because it’s been a while since my last victory in Singapore. This weekend, we have a good pace, and it’s a tricky track for overtaking. Who knows, maybe we’ll have a chance.
P: Checo, you were very close to securing a Red Bull front row lockout. Can you explain what happened at the end of Q3? SP: I had a good lap overall, but I made a mistake in Sector 1. I believe there was more potential in the lap. Qualifying has been challenging due to tire management and the different requirements in each sector. Although P2 was achievable today, Max’s lap was strong. However, I’m not too worried. Tomorrow’s race will be long, and tire degradation will be high. If we can maintain a good pace, we should be able to progress.
P: Max mentioned he had difficulties adjusting the car this weekend. How was it on your side of the garage? SP: It wasn’t an easy weekend. We made several changes to find the right balance and manage tire degradation for the race. We’ll see if the changes we made will have an impact on tomorrow’s degradation.
P: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Max, I have a question for you about the adjustments you made to your car during qualifying. Did you make standard changes to the setup throughout the session, or did you make more adjustments than usual to find the optimal performance? How much have you struggled to find the right setup this weekend? MV: Definitely more adjustments than I would prefer. Qualifying was also challenging for me during Q1 and Q2. However, we tried to adjust certain aspects of the car throughout qualifying, and those small changes made a difference by allowing me to push harder.
P: (Jesus Balseiro – Diario AS) Carlos, I have a question for you. What kind of race do you expect tomorrow starting from second place? Will it be a challenge not to have your teammate, Charles, starting closer to you in fifth place instead of fourth or third? CS: To be honest, I haven’t really thought about it. I was more focused on getting through qualifying in my mind, rather than thinking about tomorrow’s race. However, there are some factors to consider. Firstly, the medium compound tires degrade quickly, and the hard compounds have not been used much yet. So, there are many unknowns for tomorrow. We realize that the medium tires are prone to graining, so getting stuck behind the Red Bull in traffic may not be ideal for that tire. Additionally, we will have to see how the hard tires behave. Having two cars on track is always better than one, but based on our race pace in recent days, I believe I can compete for the win if I feel good tomorrow. Otherwise, we will continue learning and trying to reduce the gap to Max, taking into account my physical condition during the race.
P: Carlos, you have mentioned several times how your physical condition will affect tomorrow’s race. Can you provide some information on what you can do to improve your well-being before the start of the Grand Prix? CS: I will continue doing what I have been doing so far, which has allowed me to be here today. As for what I have been doing in the past few days, I will share that information with you later, possibly after the weekend. But rest assured, I have taken several measures to prepare myself physically.
P: (Andrew Benson – BBC) Carlos, you mentioned feeling unusual sensations. Can you elaborate on the physical sensations you are experiencing after the operation while driving the car? CS: Without going into too much detail, I feel like everything inside is moving more than normal due to the G forces. Alex told me that after removing his appendix, he felt a similar sensation. It requires some confidence to stabilize the core and body as I used to do before. However, it is something you get used to. There is no pain or reason to worry. It’s just a peculiar sensation that I have to adapt to while driving, especially on circuits where we experience forces of 5 or 6 Gs during braking and in the corners. So yes, things are definitely moving, but as I mentioned, it is manageable and something I can adjust to.
P: (Jake Boxall-Legge – Autosport) This question is for all three. I would like to know about the transition from FP3 to qualifying, especially in terms of tire performance. It seemed that during this period, you had difficulty improving with the soft tires compared to the mediums. What did you discover during this time that gave you more confidence for qualifying? MV: The track temperature was higher during qualifying compared to FP3. Naturally, this makes the track slower initially. Additionally, the rubber from other categories on the track takes a few laps to settle in, which provides more grip. CS: I was very pleased with the performance of the medium tires this morning, especially in high-speed corners. On the other hand, I struggle to drive with full confidence on the soft tires. They tend to surprise me, with the front tires losing grip and the rear tires causing slides due to the softness of the carcass. In fact, I almost set the fastest time with the mediums. So, if I had received four sets of mediums for qualifying, I would have gladly accepted. However, with the higher track temperature during qualifying, as Max mentioned, you can set a fast lap time in low-speed corners with the softs, but lack confidence in high-speed corners. This lack of confidence really cost me on the Q3 lap, especially in turns 9 and 10. SP: The soft tires are quite challenging to handle. They are too soft for this track, making it difficult to feel comfortable. On the other hand, the mediums provide a greater sense of confidence. You can push throughout the entire lap with them. With the softs, it feels like you are constantly managing the tires and in survival mode. If you push too hard in one corner, it can significantly affect your lap time in the next corner.
P: (Dominic Criniti – SEN Radio) Max, considering how last year’s race ended, do you have any additional motivation this year to deliver a strong performance? MV: Why? P: (Dominic Criniti – SEN Radio) Because of how the race ended last year. MV: A win is a win, regardless of the circumstances. However, last year’s race was a bit chaotic, with several red flags. So I hope this year’s race will be smoother and more enjoyable for the fans. It’s always a fantastic race to be a part of, and I believe tomorrow’s race could be quite interesting.
© 2024
Portugal wins Euro Cup final in thrilling penalty shootout
The Portuguese national team won the Euro Cup in an exciting final against the Spanish national team. The game, which took place at Wembley Stadium in London, was marked by balance and tension. Both teams showed high-level football, but it was Portugal who came out on top in the penalty shootout.
The game started with both teams seeking a goal. Portugal opened the scoring with a beautiful goal from Cristiano Ronaldo, but Spain quickly equalized with a goal from Sergio Ramos. The match remained balanced, with chances for both sides, but no goals were scored in regular time.
In extra time, the teams continued to search for a goal, but both defenses were well positioned. The game remained goalless and the decision went to penalties. In the shootout, Portugal was more efficient and won 4-2.
With the victory, Portugal secures its second Euro Cup, repeating the feat of 2016. The Portuguese national team showed a lot of determination and grit throughout the tournament, and the victory is well-deserved. Cristiano Ronaldo was the standout player of the team, with great performances and important goals.
The Portuguese fans celebrated a lot the conquest, which was celebrated throughout the country. The players were received as heroes and the party went on until the early hours of the morning. Now, Portugal is getting ready for the next competition, in search of more titles and glories.
