PART ONE – Nico HÜLKENBERG (Audi), Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing), Oliver BEARMAN (Haas)

Q: Max, if I can start with you. Very happy birthday for yesterday.
Max VERSTAPPEN: Thank you.
 
Q: I hope you managed to enjoy it. We’re back at the site of your second win in Formula 1. What are your memories of racing here?
MV: Yeah, good question. I mean, to be honest, I walked into the paddock and I had no idea where I had to go, so it’s been a long time. I always enjoyed racing here because I think I really liked the track layout. It was not very straightforward because there was always high degradation, hot in general, so quite uncomfortable in a way, of course, to drive, physically. They are great, great memories but, yeah, had to get into the paddock, I had to get used again. It’s been a bit too long.
 
Q: In the last three Grands Prix, you alone have outscored Ferrari and McLaren as teams. Is it a sign of improvements in the car? Is it a sign of you getting a handle on this car better? Is it a sign of you getting the most of it? Is it a mix of everything? What do you put it down to?
MV: Unfortunately, we’re not outscoring Mercedes. They are actually the fastest ones, or at least they were for most of the season. But, yeah, I mean, I’m trying everything I can. We are scoring, of course, quite a few podiums now, but I want to win. That’s what I’m here for and I’m getting close, but I want to at least win one race this year. So, I hope we can do it, of course, at some point. But, yeah, we have some solid results. I think also the parts that we got on the car in Baku, they worked well. But we also know that Baku always has been quite a good track to us. It’s quite unique with the 90-degree corners. You don’t really have a lot of high-speed corners, so we have to wait a little bit now in the coming races [to see] how our car is going to perform, which is also quite good for us probably, to see all these different kinds of tracks because, for next year, we’ll probably learn a lot now over these coming races of what we need, what we want to do with the car. We’re anyway not fighting for the championship, so for us it’s a big learning curve. But, of course, the last few weekends have been a lot better than the start of the season.
 
Q: Is that the team’s motivation then? You’re looking really hard and fast now at 2027 because, with Mercedes bringing an upgrade this weekend, it could be even harder to close that gap.
MV: Yeah, probably. I mean, normally if you bring an upgrade, it should go faster. So, with them already being at the pace that they are, it will probably be very tricky. But, yeah, doesn’t matter. Every single weekend we’ll try and do our best and we’ll see where that leads us, of course, this weekend.
 
Q: Thank you, Max. Nico, if I can move to you. You’re one of the drivers that has raced here in the past. Firstly, what do you make of the job that the Bahraini organisers have done here to make you feel like you’re at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia?
Nico HÜLKENBERG: Yeah, great job from them. There’s the Bahraini feel here, in the paddock as well, the furniture, the staff, everything. So great job on their side and, yeah, happy to be back here. Scored my first ever F1 points here back in 2010 and, yeah, look forward to it.
 
Q: What are the characteristics of this track and what are going to be the challenges of driving it in this generation of Formula 1 car, do you think?
NH: Yeah, it’s a technical, flowing track. Medium-, high-speed, but a couple of low-speed as well. Obviously, it’s hot. Degradation is going to play a factor. I think the tarmac is also quite rough and demanding. So, yeah, come Sunday, definitely I think that will play a role, have a factor. And obviously, you know, weather, there can always be the odd monsoon shower that appears here quite quickly. So, yeah, we’ll see.
 
Q: You had the big update at the last race. What’s the feedback been like from the team and what can you expect this weekend? You were knocking on the door of points in Baku. Can you get in the points here, do you feel?
NH: I think we can. We obviously need to do a good job, no mistakes. I think, you know, there’s further to extract from the update. It did feel a clear step forward in Baku in the corners. I think in Baku we had, you know, our problems were more on the straights and regarding straight-line speed, which is obviously quite crucial, critical there. Here and the next few, it’s a bit different. So, I’m optimistic that we can be competitive and, you know, squeeze ourselves into the points again.
 
Q: Great, thank you. Ollie, if I can come to you. How was your boys’ trip to Langkawi?
Oliver BEARMAN: It was a good training camp, to be honest. Working hard and preparing for this race. You know, we’ve been close by to Sepang and, you know, it’s a very unique climate that we have here and, of course, next week in Singapore as well. But no, in all seriousness, it was very fun, you know, to spend a bit of time with some of the guys outside of the circuit. And, you know, that’s also quite rare, to be honest, to be able to do that and unlock a kind of new side of all of the people that I was spending time with. And I very much enjoyed myself. And it’s also nice to have a bit of reset, you know, a few days off in a way. But also, I’ve been training quite hard. I’m sure you’re not going to believe me, but I was.
 
Q: It looked a lot of fun. What about this circuit? Did you pick the brains of anyone who’s driven here before about what to expect? Have you walked the track yet? Do you know what it’s like?
OB: No, I haven’t been around yet but, you know, we have the out-lap in FP1. I don’t know if I’m going to walk it. It’s a bit warm. Maybe I’ll take a scooter or something. But no, I mean, I’ve been speaking, of course… Esteban’s raced here in his first two years in Formula 1 and also our reserve driver, Ryo, he’s got a lot of experience here. So, I haven’t spoken to him yet, or to be honest Esteban, since we just arrived. But I’m going to be doing my best to pick the brains of them and also the engineers who have been here since that time of Haas. It’s all useful info. But I think also that the track has changed quite a lot since then, you know, in terms of roughness and things like that. So it could be quite a different beast to what they knew from almost 10 years ago. I mean, I was in cadet karting, so I, of course, haven’t driven it.
 
Q: You mentioned Esteban there. He’s, of course, been confirmed as leaving Haas at the end of this season. What is he like as a team-mate and what would you like from your team-mate? What do you look for in a team-mate?
OB: Yeah, I mean, Esteban has been a great teammate and it’s a shame to see him going. But I think I’ve learned a lot from him, you know, over the year and a half, or just over a year and a half, that we’ve been together. Of course, he’s a very quick driver, but also the way that he works with the team has been quite interesting for me to see because coming in as an F2 driver, where you’re almost a client of the team and you get told what to do, you step up to F1 and now the team looks to you for inspiration, for motivation, for a direction in terms of development and things like that, which is the first time I’ve been in that situation. So in that sense I learned a lot from Esteban, so that’s been really useful for me. And, you know, there’s no doubt about his speed. He’s shown that on many occasions. So, yeah, it’s a shame to see, but I’m looking forward to coming into a new role maybe within the team as the leader, you know, being the most experienced driver within the team potentially. So in that sense I think it’s a good opportunity for me to continue to learn.
 
Q: Is that how you feel, ready to lead?
OB: Yeah, I think that I’ve come a long way in those two years. If I compare myself to… I mean, my first few races were very unique circumstances, but even if I compare to the level that I was performing at last year, I’ve definitely come a long way, especially with how I interact with the team off-track and what I understand about how to get the most out of the guys and developing the car as well. So, in that sense I’m looking forward to this kind of new role.
 
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
 
Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports F1) On behalf of all of us, including Ollie, who’s never raced here before, Max, Nico, as previous winners, how physical is this weekend going to be and how much have you had to up your training, given this is the first of three races in seven days in extreme conditions here in this part of the world? 
NH: Training? We’ve just been travelling and racing.
 
Q: Have you done any training at all?
NH: Well, we drive. That’s training.
 
Q: Okay.
NH: Driving fitness. But, yeah, to be honest, the schedule is pretty intense, busy. I mean, everyone is different, everyone does their thing. But I’d say it is going to be physical but manageable.
 
Q: We’re just going to hear from Max and Ollie.
MV: Oh, sorry. Yeah, I think I had four or five months of very intense preparation. Yeah, deep mental preparation of not giving an F. So, yeah, just rock up. It’s hot, but it’s also hot in Monaco. It gets very humid there as well. If you really want it hot, you go in the sauna or a steam room. I do that sometimes. You just need to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. So that’s the case for everyone. It’s hot, sweaty, need a few more underwears, I guess. Just go with the flow.
 
Q: Thank you, Max. Ollie?
OB: I don’t know, I haven’t driven here yet. 
 
Q: No special preparation? 
OB: No, just, yes, I packed a few extra underwears, like Max said.
 
Q: (Mariana Becker – TV Globo) Ollie, from the conversations you’re going to have with more experienced guys on matters of rain and lots of water all of a sudden here, that’s usually how it happens, which is your main doubt that you think they could answer? Something that would clarify some things and maybe, I don’t know, one of the two guys here, Max or Nico, would tell you, “Yeah, you should pay attention on this or that.” What’s the main question for you?
OB: Any answers? Many answers? 
MV: Yeah, so when it rains, it’s wet and when it’s wet, it’s very slippery. 
OB: The green tyres or the blue ones? 
MV: Depends on how wet. But, yeah, normally when it’s wet, it’s slippery. 
OB: Okay, there we go. That’s the answer. No, I mean, you know that the climate is a bit up and down around here, but it also dries very quickly. So, yeah, I think it will be the first opportunity this weekend, at some stage I’m sure, that we’re going to properly run on the inters and the wets because we haven’t really done that yet this year. And we don’t really know. I haven’t heard a lot of good things, to be honest, from people who’ve tested them. I don’t know if you guys have, but, yeah, it’s been interesting to hear what people have to say about the inters and the wets. And this is a unique one because it’s probably going to be wet but it’s also generally warm, so maybe we get an easier time with the tyres. But I’ve heard that they’re challenging tyres to drive. So, I think we’re going to see the first experience using those tyres this weekend. So that’s a question mark for everybody.
 
Q: Max, you did some laps in the wet, didn’t you, earlier in the year?
MV: Yeah, it was slippery. No, it was actually slippery, but it was also really cold. So here it’s going to be a lot warmer, so probably they switch on a lot better. It will just depend on how wet it will get, what tyre to use. But, yeah, we know, of course, in the wet sometimes it can be a bit tricky, I guess, especially with these cars at times it can be a bit tricky.
 
Q: (Panagiotis Seitanidis – Ant1 TV) A question for Max. Happy birthday for yesterday. We had the announcement of Fernando renewing his contract in Aston Martin. He will be racing while he will be 46. Being 29, you have said that you don’t imagine your life in Formula 1 in your 40s, but since you’re driving every weekend, racing everywhere you can, can you relate to what drives him to be in F1 at such age? And do you imagine a life without racing when you’re in your 40s?
MV: Well, I mean, Fernando is a competitive animal and I like to see that. And for me also, I mean, I’m very happy, of course, that he stays. You know, it’s nice to see Fernando in Formula 1 and, of course, really nice to see what he has all achieved and the drive that he has at that age, you know, to continue. I’m not sure I could have that same drive, but we’ll see over time. But, yeah, very happy for him and I’m sure that Aston Martin is also very happy for him to stay because he has a lot of experience and I’m sure he can guide them, you know, to better results. And, yeah, do I see myself? I don’t know. I mean, I’ll probably race something, but I think at one point after having done a lot of seasons, maybe you just want to take it a little bit easier. But that’s different for everyone.
 
Q: (Roldan Rodríguez – DAZN Spain) A question to Max. This circuit is very nice, it’s wonderful. I would like to know what the simulator says about the clipping, not clipping, and as well, what do you think? Is this track going to be easier to fight against the other drivers?
MV: Yeah, I mean, the simulator didn’t say a lot, but... Well, maybe it’s good it doesn’t talk or doesn’t show any kind of expression because it would not be my friend. But, yeah, it’s okay in terms of, I mean, I say okay, it’s not the worst, it’s not the best. I think for energy it’s probably a little bit in the middle. But I think what we said before is just, you know, around here the track roughness is very high, so you will see probably quite a lot of deg from the tyres and that also has a lot of influence on the deployment as well. So, yeah, a few unknowns, I think, still as well from our side with these cars. So, we have to just wait and see what will happen.
 
Q: (Laurent Dupin – Canal+) Question to Ollie. Esteban complained during the season about the inconsistency between the parts from one car to the other. You had to go through the experience also in some races. Can you explain to us how bad it was? And maybe it’s one of the causes of him being replaced next year because he had a big part of the season struggling with that.
OB: Yeah, it’s an issue that we’ve been struggling with, to be honest, all throughout the year and not really understanding why. But from one weekend to the next, even one day to the next, not changing parts, we can have differences in car performance compared to the other car, but also compared to your own car. So, it’s really tough, hard to understand why, which is, of course, why it’s still happening. But, to be honest, I think the last few events, since we brought this latest upgrade in Monza, everything has seemed to calm down a little bit. But, yeah, it’s also a reason for underperformance as a team and across cars it’s challenging because you go into the weekend and from the first lap of FP1 you know if it’s going to be a good one or not, because you can feel if the car is feeling nice. And if it’s feeling nice, then you can perform well. And I had a situation in Baku where in FP1 everything felt really poor and I was strapping in for a long weekend, but actually we changed a few parts and everything was performing well and I had a good weekend after that. So, yeah, it’s something that has challenged both of us to an extent and something that, as a team, we need to improve on because it makes our life challenging because we’re not really sure what we’re working with heading into a weekend or even, you know, heading into FP3, for example after a decent Friday. Sometimes that can fall apart. So, it’s challenging.
 
Q: (Laurine Slingerland – Nu.nl) A question for Max. Last week in your Viaplay interview, you were pretty clear about not wanting to race in Abu Dhabi and Qatar. When everyone decides to go there, do you consider boycotting these races?
MV: I said that I didn’t want to race there? I just said that I love going there, but, of course, under the right terms. But I trust that F1 and then the FIA will take the right decision because they will have more information than us, and that’s what we rely on. 
 
Q: (Laurine Slingerland – Nu.nl) So no boycott. I think. 
MV: Like I said, I trust that they make the right call.
 
Q: (Nicole Mulder – GPblog) Question to Max. Max, is Verstappen Racing competing in Portimão in two weeks and, if so, are you part of the line-up?
MV: Well, I know that two of my drivers won’t be part of the line-up, so, yeah, two other drivers need to step in. And I’m, yeah, I’m looking forward to it. Yeah, it’s going to be a busy seven weeks, but we’ll do it. And I enjoy it anyway. So, yeah, let’s see what we can do there.
 
Q: (Nicole Mulder – GPblog) So, you’re racing?
MV: Yep.
 
Q: (Nigel Chiu – Sky Sports) Question to Max. Max, you said earlier that you want to win at least one race this season, if possible. I guess that’s going to depend on Mercedes’ upgrade this weekend and how that performs for the rest of the season. But on paper, which tracks are going to suit your car, do you think, in these final seven or eight races?
MV: You don’t really know because it also depends on what other people are bringing constantly. And I don’t really care, to be honest. As long as I win one, that would be nice.
 
Q: (Adam Cooper – Adam Cooper F1) For all three of you, if we do end up going to Imola, what are your thoughts on racing in Italy in December in terms of the weather, the daylight hours and so on? And also, some drivers have mentioned there’s a tax complication for you guys. Ollie, do you want to start?
OB: The tax complication is a bit less relevant to me than some of the others, but no, I think we should bring the snow chains and the hand warmers. Yeah, let’s see how it goes, but it will definitely be cold if we’re in Imola in December. I was living close by for a good few years and in winter it’s definitely cold. You know about it.
 
Q: Max, your thoughts if we go to Imola?
MV: There are worse places to be in the wintertime than in Imola. So, yeah, it’s a little bit colder than in the summer, it gets darker a bit sooner, but I think we’re all clever enough to make sure that we don’t drive in the dark. And there is no tax issue. You just have to pay tax.
 
Q: And Nico, your thoughts?
NH: All been said.
 
Q: (Nicole Mulder – GPblog) Another question for Max on Portimão. Fernando Alonso commented on your GT racing and he hinted that there might be some surprises in the coming weeks. Will he be your reserve driver, maybe?
MV: No. No, he’s not driving with me. So, I don’t know what he means with that, but no. From my side, it’s all clear. We know what we want to do. Of course, I would have loved to see my normal drivers compete, but the calendar has changed at times and that’s okay. I mean, I love Portugal, I love being in Portugal, so we’ll try and have a good weekend.
 
Q: Just to Max and Nico. I know I asked you before, Ollie, if you’ve looked at the track. Have you looked at the track today since you’ve been here? Are you going to do a walk of the track? Looks like the surface is different in different areas. Some of it’s been resurfaced, around Turn 14 is still the original old tarmac. Have you had a chance to have a look?
MV: I mean, it still goes right in Turn 1 and then left. Tarmac in some places is a bit older, but normally just, yeah, it’s a little bit less grip or more degradation, but it won’t change the world.
 
Q: Would it make the racing more interesting?
MV: I don’t think that necessarily only depends on the tarmac. I mean, with these cars, you don’t know. It’s a new challenge.

PART TWO – Arvid LINDBLAD (Racing Bulls), Lance STROLL (Aston Martin), Pierre GASLY (Alpine)

Q: Pierre, if I can start with you first. You made your Formula 1 debut here in 2017, replacing Daniil Kvyat. What are your memories of this place?
Pierre GASLY: Yeah, I mean, it's quite a long time ago, but I must say, coming in this morning, entering the paddock, I've had all these flashbacks from the first ever time I entered the paddock as an official F1 driver. And yeah, it definitely felt slightly different this morning. A lot has happened since then, but I must say it's a track I really love. I remember as a kid, when I was younger, I used to play it on my PlayStation and, out of any other tracks, I used to do a lot of laps in Sepang, just from the flow of the track. And yeah, obviously the fact I started here makes Sepang very unique.
 
Q: What are the challenges of this track, do you think? What are they going to be in these 2026 cars?
PG: Mainly the sky. I mean, you know, the weather is going to play a big part of it. Obviously here we know it's very unpredictable and very stormy, which I see as a big chance, big opportunities for all of us. And yeah, I mean, the humidity, you know, it's a physical challenge for all of us. And yeah, mainly we'll have to be on top of our game with the change of conditions throughout the weekend.
 
Q: It was a disappointing race in Baku for the team. Are you satisfied with how it's been dealt with by the team, and has anything changed going forwards in terms of rules of engagement between the two of you?
PG: No, I think… I mean, it's all clear. I think it's all good. It was an unfortunate mistake, which was costly, but, you know, it's all fine. We know what we've got to do and I think the target is very clear on focusing on the team championship, working as a team as good as we can. And yeah, it's not many races left, but we're still in it for the fight for fifth. And yeah, I think we have a good car, we have a strong pace at the moment and just got to make the best of the opportunities that will come in the coming weeks.
 
Q: Have you got the car to beat Racing Bulls to fifth?
PG: Yeah.
 
Q: Lance, I'll come to you. You're confirmed staying with the team for 2027. What do you know and what can you expect from the 2027 car? What's been said to you?
 
Lance STROLL: I think the car is going to get a lot better. We have a plan, a good direction. We know what we have to do to put downforce on the car and all that stuff. I think the big question mark's the engine. We don't know how we're going to be in the beginning of '27, so we'll see. But yeah, excited for another trip around the world.
 
Q: Watanabe-san has confirmed that the team used the second additional development upgrade opportunity in Madrid with your car. How did it feel? Better? Did it feel like it was an improvement?
LS: Not much. You know, we're really struggling on the engine side. We know that, so a lot of work to be done.
 
Q: What does it feel like driving a lap of that car at the moment, and does it vary a lot from track to track? What is it like inside the cockpit?
LS: Yeah, the tracks with long straights are worse for us. You know, Budapest was probably our best race of the year, with just a lot of corners and not many straights. So yeah, you know, we have to work on the drivability stuff. That's a big limitation for us. And then, you know, just power down the straights. So yeah, we're pushing.
 
Q: Thank you. Arvid, you haven't driven around this track before. What were you doing in 2017?
Arvid LINDBLAD: I was in my second year of British karting, so I was nine. Yeah, I remember watching this race from the sofa at home with my dad and it was funny, when I watched the highlights yesterday, I remember everything that happened. So, it's going to be very special for me driving this circuit tomorrow.
 
Q: Do you know what to expect? What was it like in the sim? You said you popped back after Baku to try the sim out.
AL: Yeah, I think it'll be fun. I think, honestly, it will actually be. I think it'll be all right with these cars. I think, you know, Pierre said the weather is going to be interesting, so that could make the whole weekend a bit more exciting. I think qualifying will be pretty fun. I think it's going to be a cool track and I think in the race, honestly, it's quite unknown with the tyres. I think in the past it's been quite a high-deg circuit, so with the rain, with pit-stop strategy, I think it all could get quite interesting. I think the overtaking possibilities here are reasonably high, so hopefully a fun weekend.
 
Q: Did you try the rain simulation?
AL: It's quite hard to replicate the rain in the sim, so no. 
 
Q: So that'll be a surprise. What are your reflections? Let's look back to Baku. We saw you apologise to Liam, but how was the debrief with the team and have you as a team had any further discussions on rules of engagement at all?
AL: Yeah, we discussed it internally, obviously, what happened, and I know what I'd do differently in future. I've apologised already and yeah, it's done now. I know what I'll do differently in future. We've discussed it, so just looking forward to Malaysia now.
 
Q: The team haven't confirmed the 2027 line-up, but Alan has said he's very happy with the two he has at the moment. When will you hear, or do you know what you're doing next year?
AL: Obviously nothing's confirmed yet. I mean, I think for myself, like, you know, I've been part of Red Bull since I was 13. You know, I've been very happy with how my rookie year has gone. I know there's things I can do better, but honestly I think it's been good. I think it's been a very good relationship with the team. I've, I think, performed well, so I haven't really got any concerns myself about my future.
 
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
 
Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports F1) Lance, question for you. Congrats on the extension, 11th season in Formula 1. As you say, another year racing around the sun, and I hope for your case it is racing for next year. As you say, the power unit hasn't helped this year. What is it about Aston Martin, though, for those of us on the outside, that things aren't clicking? Because on paper the team has got absolutely everything it needs to be a real force in F1. So where's it going wrong at the moment and how can you get it right in the next few years?
LS: We're missing two seconds in engines, so it's difficult. Places like Baku and Monza, when you're missing two seconds in engine, there's not much you can do. I think, you know, on the car side, we know we started late compared to everyone else, development for the new regulations. We made a big step in Budapest. I think we have a clear direction on what we have to do with car development, but, you know, we're lacking between a second and two seconds, depending on the tracks, every weekend in engine. There's not much we can do with that. So, you know, right now that's really our weakness.
 
Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports F1) If that's the case, then would the team ever think about moving away from Honda and finding another power unit manufacturer, or can you work together to get it right?
LS: Well, right now we're working together to get it right. We have some ideas for next year, so hopefully we're in a much better spot.
 
Q: (Roldan Rodríguez – DAZN Spain) A question to Lance as well. Congratulations as well for both extensions, Fernando and yourself. I want to know if you know something that makes you feel optimistic with the engine for next season, and also how important is it to keep with the same line-up and to race with Fernando as well in the team?
LS: Yeah, I mean, I heard a lot of things. You know, Honda's pushing flat out, doing everything they can to bring more power. So, time will tell if we do. Yeah, I mean, it's just a question mark. We'll see the first race next year. But yeah, you know, I think there's definitely a very bright future. I think, you know, the team is in a good spot. I think we made that big upgrade in Budapest to improve the car a huge amount, so we have a clear direction on what we have to do. And, you know, that's, I think, very exciting for everyone.
 
Q: (Rui Chagas – DAZN Portugal) Arvid, you've scored quite consistently throughout the season in your rookie year, like you mentioned. Would a top five or even a podium still be a goal towards the end of the season?
AL: I mean, I think for all of us that's what we want, but I think we have to be realistic. I think unfortunately this year the gap between the top teams and the midfield is much bigger than there has been in the previous couple of years. So you really need some magic and something special to happen. You know, there needs to be some, like Pierre said, maybe a crazy storm or something, and you get lucky with when you pit and then you make up an insane amount of lap time. But realistically, it's not on the cards.
 
Q: (Panagiotis Seitanidis – Ant1 TV) A question for Pierre. You talked about the first time you entered the paddock here as an official racing driver. 192 weekends later, with a win and a pole in your name, how satisfied are you and what are the things that you still hope for in your career in F1?
PG: Yeah, I mean, I don't know. Like, if you ask me, obviously there is some good stuff. You know, the obvious one, the race win, the pole, etc. Am I fully satisfied? No. Do I want more than that? Obviously, yeah. And if you ask me in the future, obviously I hope we can have this conversation in a couple of years with more poles, more race wins, more podiums and more of that, because at the end of the day that's what we work for. That's why we love it. You know, the emotions you get from these moments, the celebration, the reward of all the hard work you're putting in every season, every day, is for this type of moment. And that's what brings the most satisfaction to myself. Yeah, I've had a few, but I want a lot more of them.
 
Q: (Ronald Vording – Motorsport.com) It's a question for Pierre. You talked before about how the team dealt with it, but on a personal level have you fully cleared the air with Franco, and how do you guys manage to not let it affect your relationship going forward?
PG: Yeah, it's all fine. I mean, you know, in the heat of the moment you're running high on adrenaline, you're running high on emotion, frustration, disappointment, race over. And yeah, it was a big blow for us as a team, but the only way of going forward is just to get back together and get stronger as a team. And, you know, we all need each other to finish in the fifth place this year, and we'll need each other next year. And we've got to look ahead. And, you know, he came to apologise. It was an unfortunate mistake that, you know, once you pass that line and you brake too late, out of control, and it was just unfortunate that I was the car that he shunted into. Yeah, it's done. Slept over it a couple of days and now in Malaysia and looking forward.
 
Q: (Ronald Vording – Motorsport.com) Another one to Pierre, but this time a different topic. We haven't had a proper wet session this season yet, both when it comes to the tyres that drivers complain about a lot, but also the '26 cars and some of the measures that the FIA has taken, are you confident that everything is in good shape if it ends up wet here?
PG: I think out of any track in the season, if one is good for wet, it's probably here. So, you know, you'll ask me about Vegas in crazy cold conditions and, well, still could happen there. It was probably going to be definitely more tricky. But here the track's really rough, it's really hot, there's a bit of elevation, so it should be pretty good to clear the track in terms of water quantity. So I think it will be fine. But I think the only time I tried was, you know, in January in Silverstone, which was horrendous, and then in Magny-Cours with extremely cold conditions, which didn't feel good at all. But I expect it to be in a much better place here.
 
Q: (Adam Cooper – Adam Cooper F1) For Lance and Pierre, you both know Esteban really well. Are you a bit disappointed to see him without a drive for next year, and how good is he at this stage in his career? Lance, you can take that first.
Lance STROLL: Yeah, I mean, Formula 1's not always fair and, you know, sometimes you're in situations where it's just s**t. And, you know, that's kind of, I think, the situation he's in. I think he's demonstrated over the years that, you know, he's been great in Formula 1 and he's had a lot of good results. So, you know, it definitely sucks for him. And all I can say is I really hope he bounces back and he finds himself in a good situation in the near future. If that's here, if that's somewhere else, if that's, you know, whatever. I just, you know, only wish him the best. You know, he's a great driver and, like I said, he's demonstrated that in Formula 1, not just in Formula 1 but all of his junior years. I was racing in Prema in a similar time to him in our junior career, and I was in F4 and he was in F3, and, you know, he was winning all those races and stuff. And even when we were in karting together, he was always really quick. And yeah, so I only wish him the best. 
 
Q: Pierre, your thoughts?
PG: Yeah, I mean, I can only agree with Lance. It's a tricky situation, to say the least, and I think at the end of the day it should not take away the almost 200 starts he's had in Formula 1. So I don't think many drivers have achieved that in their career, and it is still something to be very proud of. And in terms of performance, you know, at the end of the day the results speak for themselves. He didn't have the easiest of seasons this year, but it’s not all down to him. And yeah, he's achieved a lot in his time in F1.
 
Q: (Adam Cooper – Adam Cooper F1) For all three of you, several of your colleagues have just had a boys' holiday together on an island. Were any of you invited, or is the idea of a few days with a bunch of racing drivers a bit of a nightmare? Arvid, you take that one first.
AL: I didn't get the invite, but honestly, my dream few days off is not with other drivers.
 
Q: Lance, same?
LS: Same, yeah.
 
Q: Did you get the invite and would you have gone?
LS: No.
 
Q: (Qui Chao – Tencent Sports) I have questions for all three drivers. Sepang is a very comprehensive track with two long straights and several straight-line modes. Based on simulator runs, how demanding is this track on energy management, and does this layout favour overtaking with this generation of cars? Arvid, would you like to start?
AL: Yeah, I don't remember the first part of the question. I don't think it'll be too bad with energy. I mean, none of us have driven here for a while, so I don't think we really know, but I don't think it'll be too bad. I think it will be a more normal experience. And then overtaking difficulty, I think, will actually be on the easier side. And I also think the boost will be relatively powerful on this track because of the layout. So I think, yeah, we'll go towards good racing and lots of overtaking opportunities.
 
Q: Pierre, your thoughts?
PG: Yeah, same. Should be good for overtakes and energy, to be fair, I can't really... Yeah, I'll see tomorrow.
 
Q: Lance, anything to add?
LS: No.
 
Q: (Ronald Vording – Motorsport.com) It's one for Pierre, but the others can add if they want to. Fernando said a couple of times in recent weeks that he still has hopes for more regulation changes going into next year. He proposed something in Baku to get some more natural speed traces again and reach a top speed towards the braking zones. Do you think that more is needed, or are you happy to first try what's in place for '27 now?
PG: I mean, I'm not fully aware of all the changes. I know some of them, which are definitely heading in the right direction. I think overall we've just got to find a way to fine-tune with the tools we have. And I think we all agree we need to make it better. I don't think anyone's fully satisfied with what we've got at the minute. And, I mean, we have a couple of months before starting 2027, and I think anything that can be done with what we've got at the minute needs to be done to improve drivability and improve racing. We're going to enjoy it more at the wheel and I'm sure people will enjoy it as well more from the outside.
 
Q: Are you giving constant feedback?
PG: I think, to be fair, with the FIA and F1 it's been a very good relationship in terms of being honest with what we have now. We have a common goal of making F1 better for everyone and they've received our feedback very well, whether it's good or bad. I think we're always very straight with them, for the only goal of making our sport better.
 
Q: (Adam Cooper – Adam Cooper F1) For all three of you, what are your thoughts on potentially racing at Imola in December? Obviously, a couple of you know Faenza, you know the area pretty well, you've tested there in the winter in terms of the weather, the daylight hours and so on. Arvid, would you like to take that first?
AL: It'll be a bit colder than Abu Dhabi. Yeah, I don't know. I think, I mean, in the end we'll do whatever F1 think is best. I know they're managing it. I don't know all the ins and outs of what's happening, but I've heard that Imola is the backup. So yeah, let's see. I think, I mean, yes, it will get a bit darker a bit earlier, but I think there's still enough hours for us to drive fine, so I don't think that would be an issue. It'll just be a bit cold, maybe wet.
 
Q: Lance, any thoughts on racing in Imola in December?
LS: I like Imola.
 
Q: Pierre?
PG: I love Imola.
 
Q: And it's closer to your home, I guess?
PG: Well, I mean, it's another Italian Grand Prix. Yeah, I mean, we'll see. I'm sure we're going to find a way to make it work. It's just going to be cold if eventually we go there. But I'm sure we're going to find out in the next couple of weeks.
 
ENDS