PART ONE – Lewis HAMILTON (Ferrari), Oliver BEARMAN (Haas), Pierre GASLY (Alpine)

Q: Lewis, please can we start with you. Home race for Ferrari. Just tell us how special it feels to be a Ferrari driver at Monza?
Lewis HAMILTON: Good afternoon, everyone. Yeah. I mean, it’s the best feeling to be a Ferrari driver. It’s such an honour and a privilege to arrive in Italy at this iconic race with the most iconic and best team in the world. It’s really phenomenal to experience it for the second year in a row, and it still feels new. So, it’s not something you can get used to.
 
Q: One thing that is new this weekend is the Schumacher-inspired livery. Can we get your thoughts on that and what Michael meant to you?
LH: I mean, I haven’t actually seen the livery, but I’m wearing a shirt with seven stars, which is quite fitting because I have seven stars too. So, it feels alright. It feels like it’s also mine. But, I mean, it’s kind of crazy. Last year, we celebrated Niki, who was a dear friend, and Michael, for me, I grew up… I remember the happiest Sunday mornings when you heard the music, the old, better music that they used to use for the start of Formula One. Was it ‘The Chain’? Yeah. So much better. And you could hear it downstairs starting and you knew, “Okay,” you get all excited. You run downstairs and I just always remember seeing Michael in the red car. And I remember playing computer games and always being Michael in that Ferrari and always just trying to imagine what it would feel like to be in his shoes. And I have the privilege of having that experience now. But, I mean, he was such a leader. Obviously, did such an amazing job throughout his career. And again, I had the privilege of racing in a moment where he was still racing and being on track with him, which meant a lot.
 
Q: In terms of performance, the power unit is getting an upgrade here. Will it be enough to fight for victory?
LH: Every little helps. And I think, you know, up until this point of the year, we’ve been losing, even in the last race on such a short circuit, we were losing four tenths a lap through the race. So that’s a huge deficit and we’ve carried that through the year to this point. And what I can say is I’m just really, really proud of when I go back to the factory and I see how hard everyone is working, that they’re really just heads down. Everyone’s so enthusiastic. I see a different focus this year to last year. Last year, I felt like there wasn’t really a North Star. We were kind of, I think, doing the best we could, but not really knowing where exactly we’re trying to aim for. And now we have a North Star. We know we need to work towards. And I think they’ve done a tremendous job to really pull together and deliver. And this is a step forward. It’s not the whole gap that we need, but we knew that would be the case. But to see bits coming each weekend, adding to the car, it’s exciting to see that we are pushing and, you know, strongly still believe that we’ve got what it takes to win.
 
Q: Ollie, if we could come to you now. While we’re talking upgrades, Haas has brought a comprehensive list of upgrades here to Monza. So just how hopeful are you that they’re going to reward you with a chunk of lap time?
Oliver BEARMAN: Yeah. Hello, everybody. We are very much hoping that we have a bit more performance this weekend. It’s been a good few races now that we’ve kind of been left behind by our competition. You know, it’s been a while that we’ve brought a big upgrade to the car, and so we have a lot of hopes set on this one. Yeah, it seems like a big one, and all of the team are quite confident. Of course, in Monza, it’s maybe not the best place to bring upgrades necessarily because you don’t see the full effect of the benefit, of course, with this track, which is a much more drag-sensitive one than maybe last week was. But, you know, nonetheless, it’s been a long time coming. The team have worked incredibly hard and, you know, we have a lot of challenges that we face. Being a small team, one of them is the turnaround times of our upgrades, and you’ve seen that. You know, the last big one that we brought was in Canada, which is a long way back. So, yeah, hopefully it’s going to be a good weekend for us.
 
Q: Have you had a chance to run the upgrades on the simulator?
OB: Yeah. Running on the sim, it felt good, but I’m always quite sceptical based on the simulator. You know, we don’t have sim drivers or anything like that. So, you know, I’m not fully convinced about the correlation of our simulator. So, I’ll reserve judgement until we run with it on track.
 
Q: The European season has been a frustrating one for you and the team. Just how much do you hope to claw back in the second half of the season? Do you believe you can do what you did last year?
OB: Yeah. I mean, last year, the second half was very strong, but it was also as a result of upgrading when maybe others weren’t. But, you know, that didn’t necessarily hurt us at the start of this year. So, I have full faith in this team. They’ve done excellent things in the past, and really we’re just trying to give all of the staff the resource and the ability to, you know, unlock their full potential. And that’s what Ayao has been working incredibly hard to do. I’m sure we’ll get there. And, you know, this upgrade is a big step for us. And hopefully, like you said, it can reward us with some points. That will be the goal.
 
Q: Pierre, let’s come to you now. You live in Milan. So, in a way, does this feel like something of a home race for you?
Pierre GASLY: Yeah. I mean, it’s for sure, you know, a great feeling to wake up in your own bed before going to the track, enjoying your home coffee, and it’s just a different feeling. So, it’s sort of a home race. Obviously, you know, having Flavio as well in the team, Monza is special. Having my first win around here always makes it special, you know, entering the racetrack, the paddock, and having a special energy about it.
 
Q: We’ve been talking to Lewis and Ollie about upgrades. The team brought a lot on your car last time out at Zandvoort. Just how hopeful are you this weekend?
PG: Yeah. It was a good step forward in Zandvoort, finishing eighth in the Sprint and tenth on Sunday. I think it was tricky to really make the best of it being on the Sprint weekend. But I think we’ve learned a lot, and I’m feeling more comfortable in the car, more potential. I do feel, you know, before the summer, we dropped behind the top 10 and didn’t have the potential to fight for points. And now we’re back up there. So, yeah, excited and looking forward to this weekend.
 
Q: And there’s been some news from the team since the last race. Franco Colapinto is going to stay with the team for 2027. Just can we get your thoughts on racing alongside him for another season?
PG: Yeah, I’m happy for Franco. I think we’re working well together with the team, you know, the way we’re pushing the team forward. The dynamic, I think he’s learned a lot over, you know, the last two years in Formula 1. And I’m happy for him. And hopefully we can, you know, continue bringing points to the team and deliver the best performance.
 
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
 
Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports F1) A question for you, Lewis. You touched on the celebration of Michael Schumacher’s time with Ferrari. What inspiration have you taken from what Michael did with the Scuderia? And how have you used that to give your input to the team? And what have you done behind the scenes to help the team from, as you say, a lack of focus 12 months ago, or a lack of a North Star focus?
LH: Well, I mean, I haven’t taken a page out of Michael’s book in that sense. I think, obviously, I wasn’t here in the team when, obviously, there was a big narrative of Michael turning the team around. But ultimately, it’s a combination of many, many people. And there’s no “I” in team. I think it’s like a huge ship and it’s the driver’s job to work alongside the head figures to try and steer it in the right direction. I think the positive thing, the opportunistic thing for a new driver coming in with experience, who has experienced two different teams, when you come from outside, when you’re in it, it’s sometimes hard to see the wood for the trees, you know. And it’s when someone comes in, even if new engineers come in from different places, straight away they say, “Oh, we did this differently,” and not necessarily that’s a better way, but it’s just sometimes different approaches. It’s quite phenomenal, really, if you think that all these teams have the same rules. They do everything differently to get to the same sort of… and then the cars on track are within a tenth. You know, it’s quite phenomenal, and that’s really what makes our sport so great. I think, for me, I pushed for a lot of changes within the car, which last year we couldn’t do, one, because of [Cost] Cap, two, because it’s what they’ve done all the time and it’s like, “Why should we change it?” So, it took a lot of persuading to get some of those changes done. And then some of them were expensive and they took a longer process. So, I worked in the sim and requested that they design it for the sim, and I tested in the sim last year, and then they added it as options for the car that we use every weekend. And, yeah, so just kind of the whole goal was, coming from an outside perspective, looking at all the things they do well — and nobody does everything perfect — highlighting the things that are maybe good or not as good and saying, “Hey, we need to level up in all these areas.” And that’s what I try to do. I think Fred even said there were some things on the list that he just can’t do because it’s too expensive. But I’m grateful for the ones that he has allowed to happen, and I feel proud to see the progress that we’ve made.
 
Q: (Mara Sangiorgio – Sky Sports Italy) A question to Lewis. Lewis, it’s right to say that you arrived in style this morning. Why and when did you buy your amazing F40? And what does it mean to you? Did you realise one of your red dreams?
LH: 100%. Yeah. It’s a dream car of mine. I’ve been looking for one for a while and I wanted one with low mileage. I wanted one with a story, and lots have come up in auction over the past couple of years, some with low mileage, but just not particularly special, or maybe the paint’s been redone or something like that. I wanted to find the most authentic one and managed to come across this one that the owner had bought it, drove it from Maranello to his home, 69 kilometres, and then parked it and never started it again. The passenger door had never been opened, you know. It just had this cover on it and all this dust. Then the decision was kind of, “What do you do? Do you keep it as an art piece, keep it all dusty, or do you have them clean it up?” So that took me a while to decide, and then I had them redo it because I wanted to drive it. Because I realised, actually, what’s kind of crazy is, I might be wrong, but I’m pretty sure none of the Ferrari drivers in history have ever arrived in the coolest cars that they have, you know, these iconic ones, the GTO or the F40. And I was like, “It has to be done.” What was – I know it’s a long answer – but what was also crazy is when they were taking the car apart to check it, firstly, it stood the test of time. Everything was still working. Hardly anything had to be changed. And when they took the engine out, they found out the engine’s number 44. It’s got stamped on the engine number 44. I couldn’t believe it. I was like, “Did you know? You’ve got to be lying.” So, it feels very much like fate. And I thought it was a real opportunity to kind of highlight the history of Ferrari in their home country, at their race, and when am I ever going to get to do that again?
 
Q: (Craig Slater – Sky Sports) There is a lot of talk about divided loyalties in Italy, with obviously Kimi Antonelli coming here and leading the championship, but he should start at the back, we understand. So how big a deal is it in championship terms there for you this weekend? And, as a supplementary, could you see him, as an Italian, succeeding you maybe one day in the future at Ferrari?
LH: Anything’s possible. I mean, the truth is there’s a lot of great drivers that could join Ferrari in the future. I think Ferrari’s Ferrari. I think the Italians, it’s the Pope and Ferrari, as far as I’m aware, and pasta and pizza and family, you know. So I think it’s great and he’s obviously in the early stages of his life. Toto is not going to let him go anytime soon. And what’s obvious is, if you look at the performance and the gaps between all the teams, you see the top kind of three teams and then there’s a big gap performance-wise, and then another group that’s really close to each other. And so, though Kimi would start at the back, with the power that he has, which is more than most of the cars around him, and with the performance that they have, which has been the quickest car generally through the year, he should slide through that pack pretty easy. And that’s probably why they chose, obviously, this race also to do that. So, achieving eighth, sixth or whatever it is should be relatively easy for those guys. I think, for us, it’s just not focusing on that. We’ve got to focus on maximising our weekend and really try and take the energy from the Tifosi to push ourselves to hopefully project us towards the front.
 
Q: (Margot Laffite – Canal+) Hello to the three of you. Question for Lewis, but maybe Ollie can answer also and Pierre, but we prefer to have an answer in French. I want to talk about Kimi Antonelli. Lewis, you’re sharing the Tifosi with him. It was the same last year. But this year, it’s a winning Kimi. It’s a championship leader Kimi. Can you talk us through your thoughts about this brilliant Italian talent?
LH: Well, what is there really to say? He’s done an incredible job this year. He’s obviously got a great team around him. He has Bono, who I know very well, who is sturdy and consistent and would have given him a great amount of advice. And, obviously, he was kind of in the shadows of us, George and I, when I was there. So, he was learning and seeing everything that we’ve done. So, I mean, he’s done everything he needs to do. And I think it’s been amazing to see, obviously, the beginning. I don’t know if it was last year, the challenge they had, or the year before maybe. But to see his progress at such a young age, to be so consistent. Obviously, he comes with no baggage, as you do when you’re 19 years old, and hungry and fit.
 
Q: (Diletta Colombo – Automoto.it) A question for Lewis. Following up on the F40, how important is it for you to embrace Ferrari’s heritage beyond racing?
LH: I mean, for me personally, I take it serious. It’s such a phenomenal experience to be in amongst this brand and to see how it transcends the sport and how it’s touched people all over the world, the colour and the logo and these iconic cars. And I think, you know, I showed one of the members high up, like, the F40 I drove in Japan, and they’re like, “Oh, maybe next year you can use a Luce,” and I was like, “It’s not the same as the F40,” you know. I think the nostalgic, iconic curves and lines that they used to build these cars back in the day, there’s just nothing quite like it. Obviously, you’ve got the F80, which is pretty cool, or the F50, but this one, for me, I just remember as a kid I had all these cars lined up and the red car, the F40, was the one. But it was so far from my thoughts that I’d ever have a chance to acquire one of those. And I think arriving at the race weekends, getting to race and wear red is one thing, but outside of the sport there’s so much more to do within fashion. And I love getting creative and coming up with concepts that most people don’t, at least within my team. And I hope, you know, the image that we had, we came up with for the first image we did at Ferrari that year, the first year, that was my concept, my creation. And it was the same this weekend. I had that idea: “I want to turn up in this style, in this suit, in this way,” to pay homage to this sport, but also just get that moment because it’s never going to come again.
 
Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) One for Ollie, please, over on your right. For you as a Ferrari young driver, could you talk a little bit about how special the Monza race weekend is? And particularly when you see Lewis turning up like this, for example, does it kind of give you a taste of what your future may be like if you one day get to race in one of the red cars?
OB: Yeah. It was incredibly special to arrive here in Monza. I remember a few years ago when I was racing in Formula 2, I was at the event in Milan that I guess you guys were doing yesterday, and it was so cool to see. Of course, they were there at the time for Charles and Carlos but just being able to experience that is something incredibly special. And, yeah, I lived here for a good three years and obviously visit still very often. It’s very, very special. The passion of these fans, I haven’t experienced that really elsewhere. Of course, home GP in the UK is very special, but somehow this also feels like home as well.
LH: I just want to tap in on to that. Just as you’re talking, I thought about when I was in karting and I remember arriving at the track in a Cinquecento, like a really old Cinquecento rental that my dad and I rented to go from the airport, and Nico would turn up in a Lamborghini Diablo, a yellow Lamborghini Diablo. And I remember us trying to follow him in this Cinquecento and him and his dad just pulled away, and I was like, “That is the most badass thing. That was so cool.” And so, you know, to fast-forward to think today that I’m able to arrive now in this cool car — I didn’t see anyone with a Cinquecento behind me — but it’s really, really special.
 
Q: (Fred Ferret – l’Equipe) A question to Lewis and Ollie. How difficult will it be to drive tomorrow and this weekend with the electric car in the Temple of Speed, and how tough will it be to manage all the electricity?
LH: I don’t know. It’s always tough with these cars to manage the power units. It’s kind of crazy to come here. We probably have more downforce through the corners than we did last year because, obviously, with the drag reduction system, you can obviously run — we run the same wing that we ran in the last race, for example — but obviously down the straights with the reduction system, it’s still quick, but then we lose this power. We arrive maybe 20 or 30 kilometres slower than we have in the past at the end, going into the corners, which will probably take some getting used to. It was always amazing to arrive here and just hear the engine screaming at the end of the straight and pulling and pulling and pulling just up into the braking zone. That won’t be the case this weekend. Likely, the drivers will be downshifting before they get to the braking zone, which, for me, still doesn’t feel ultimately the best, but it is what we have. And optimising how you apply your throttle and get into full power, activating these systems, the situation we have. I mean, it’s all very, very technical and tricky, and we’re all faced with the same issue.
OB: Yeah. I mean, as Lewis said, we’re all kind of in the same boat. So it’s challenging for everybody and definitely a lot of nuances with these regulations that, especially on tracks like this, like Spa, probably Baku later, you know, those tracks where we’re really right up against it with the amount of energy we have and the length of the straights. Everything becomes that little bit more sensitive and a little bit less enjoyable to drive. You know, like in Spa, we lost one or two corners compared to last year, basically, because Pouhon was gone now. And, you know, like Lewis said, in Monza now, we’re probably going to be in seventh gear instead of eighth heading into Turn 1 and Turn 4, et cetera, et cetera. So that’s a shame. But over time, I’m sure it will improve. We’re all still adjusting to downshifting on the straights and things like that. It’s a new phenomenon for us as well.
 
Q: (Phil Duncan – PA) A question for Lewis over here. You said earlier you strongly believe you have what it takes to win here this weekend. You’ve obviously achieved so much in your career, but what would it mean to you to win the Italian Grand Prix in a Ferrari? And where does that rank in terms of things left that you still want to do in your career?
LH: Well, my point was that I strongly believe that the team has what it takes to win. And at this level, how close it is at the front, I think for us to win this weekend, and any weekend, it takes the whole collective has to come together. It’s not just one thing. Everything has to flow from the beginning. And I’ve really thought coming into this weekend, as I pondered, just thinking of the sheer magnitude of the concept that I’m coming to this Grand Prix. I didn’t even know that I was equal with Michael in wins, for example, but the thought of that, that there’s a first ahead of me in a sense of potentially… But if I was to win, you go into new territory, winning in Monza for the first time with Ferrari is something… I’ve witnessed Charles win, obviously, in 2019 when I was on the podium with him. But to do it whilst I’m here would be phenomenal. And probably the thought of, if I did do that, probably will be the only black driver to ever do that for Ferrari in Italy, probably in history, maybe. And so just a lot of those thoughts have been through my mind. And so, yeah, the pressure is high and you also want to deliver for the team. There are all those people at the factory, many of them will get to come to this race. The Tifosi who come out in huge numbers and the passion is unmatched, and you want to deliver for them as well. And my mum’s here this weekend because she’s never experienced — she’s never actually, I don’t think, been to Monza — but also particularly on a Ferrari weekend. And I wanted her to experience that and, you know, bring any of the lucky dust she can bring.
 
Q: (Josh Suttill – The Race) Question for Ollie and for Pierre. Lando Norris is setting up his own racing team in F4 and F3 with the Prema founder. You guys both raced with Prema. So, what are your thoughts on that? And is that something you’d like to do in the future?
PG: I’m sorry. I lost my voice. Yeah. I think that’s actually amazing. Really good. Really happy to see Lando coming and joining Formula 2, Formula 3. I think what he’s setting up for young drivers is brilliant. And it’s great to see, you know, one of our guys actually trying to give back to our sport. And, yeah, I think it’s a great initiative and, you know, probably a great time for him to do it as well after being world champion. So happy to see him having his own team and, yeah, definitely something I’m sure we’ll see more in the future and probably more drivers trying to get involved. So, overall, yeah, great news.
OB: Yeah. Agreed. I think it’s really cool to see what Lando is doing, giving back to the community in a way and giving access to young drivers because this sport is increasingly expensive and increasingly inaccessible. So what Lando is doing is great, really cool initiative, and he’s also picked a very good person to run the team with in René. He led probably the, well, the most successful junior team in history. So really nice to see him back. I’m really happy about that, and I hope he can also continue that legacy for himself, for his father as well, for his family. It’s something really, really cool.

PART TWO – Lance STROLL (Aston Martin), Kimi ANTONELLI (Mercedes), Liam LAWSON (Red Bull)

Q: Kimi, I feel we should start with you. You come to your home race here at Monza leading the World Championship. What a moment for you. Just how special does it feel?
Kimi ANTONELLI: Yeah, it feels very special. Definitely a lot different compared to last year. And I'm very much looking forward to this weekend despite starting from the back. But, yeah, it's also a big opportunity ahead and very much looking forward to it. I think it's going to be very enjoyable. I will be able to enjoy it much more than what I did previously. And, yeah, hopefully we can still do a great race.
 
Q: We'll come on to performance in a minute. I did want to ask, are you doing anything special helmet-wise for the fans?
KA: Yes. I do have a special helmet that we'll present tonight. And it's a very special helmet in collaboration with a special person, a good friend of mine. And I think it's very, very cool.
 
Q: Okay. Well, we look forward to seeing that. Look, in terms of performance, you say you're starting at the back because of the grid penalty. How does that change your mindset coming into the weekend?
KA: I think in some ways it helps to release pressure. Although I'd very much rather fight for pole and start at the front. But in some ways, I feel like it makes me a bit more relaxed going into the weekend. And I think also that's why I'm going to be able to enjoy more the driving and the weekend itself. And, of course, as well, it's a different opportunity. It's an opportunity to try something different during the weekend, different work method as well, in free practice especially, because, you know, we have the chance to do so. So, yeah, I think it's going to be a very interesting weekend.
 
Q: And how do you think this circuit will suit the car? How high do you think you can climb from the back?
KA: Yeah. Definitely. I think it's a circuit that could suit us very well. But we've seen how strong McLaren is and how strong they have been in the past two races. Ferrari is going to be certainly on top, especially with the new engine. So definitely, you know, I think our car, despite not having any upgrades since Canada, I think it's still a very strong car. I think this track can be good for us, but we still need to take into account that Ferrari, McLaren, even Red Bull might be quick this weekend. We need to still take into account that especially those two teams will be there at the front.
 
Q: Liam, why don't we come to you next? And with Isack, of course, we wish Isack well with his recovery, but his absence this weekend gives you another opportunity with the big team. What's your mindset coming into the weekend?
Liam LAWSON: Just try and make the most of it. Again, I think, yeah, obviously, it's an interesting position for me to be in. And Zandvoort was, yeah, I mean, being a Sprint weekend is obviously quite stressful at times, but overall it was a good weekend. And at least now I've had that, you know, it should be a bit easier to adjust. We also have three practice sessions here. It's a much more normal weekend. So, yeah, it's another good opportunity.
 
Q: When did you find out that you'd be racing this weekend?
LL: Wednesday. So, for the last week, it's been sort of just waiting to see. Obviously, trying to give Isack the best chance as well for his recovery. But, yeah, I think in the back of my mind, I knew that obviously there was still a chance. But, obviously, only being on Wednesday, it felt quite late, but we had enough time to still do a simulator session and normal prep for the weekend.
 
Q: Normal prep, you say, but which set of engineers have you been talking to since Zandvoort?
LL: Both, honestly. Been doing both, just to try and stay ready for both. Obviously, both teams, both cars to know. So, yeah, they're very different to drive, so it's not the easiest thing going between the two, even just in the simulator. But, yeah, that's been, honestly, that's been the biggest challenge. But it's nice to finally have an answer, from Wednesday, to know that I can basically just put all my focus onto this car.
 
Q: You say they're different to drive. Can you tell us a little bit more about that? Where are they different?
LL: Everywhere. Other than the power unit, obviously, they're very different to drive in terms of the... I mean, the main thing, obviously, with the Red Bull, the high-speed grip is probably the most impressive just coming from my car. But the way they drive, the balance of the car is very, very different. So, yeah, without saying too much, it is a very different car to drive. Honestly, the feedback I get through the steering, everything, the way it feels, the way it moves around, it's very different.
 
Q: Lance, let's come to you. Aston has found close to three seconds at the last couple of races. How different does the car feel to drive now compared to before Hungary?
Lance STROLL: Yeah. Much better. We've improved a lot since Hungary for sure. So it's been good.
 
Q: Tell us a little more, though. Where is the car better?
LS: Just everywhere. More downforce. So, yeah, more downforce. You're going around quicker.
 
Q: Of course, Honda brought a new power unit to the last race. There's been quite a lot of chat about drivability since then. In what areas do you still need them to progress a little bit?
LS: We're still down on power. So, yeah, we need more power, and we're just working on the drivability stuff. It's complex, so we'll just keep, you know, we're chipping away at that.
 
Q: Off-throttle as much as on-throttle, right?
LS: Yeah. Just everywhere. I mean, downshifting into the corners, engine braking, all that stuff. So, you know, we improved in Zandvoort throughout the weekend, but we have a lot of work to do.
 
Q: And looking ahead, Lance, where are the team's ambitions now for the rest of this season?
LS: We have to try and capitalise on the circuits that suit our car. I mean, we're down on power, so places like Monza will be more difficult for us, long straights. So, you know, we have to try and take advantage of the circuits where it's more about the chassis and less about the engine. And we have to keep working on all those things, drivability, development on the chassis side. We're starting to slow down now and focus more on '27. So, I would say the main things are drivability and power. We just need to keep working on that.
 
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
 
Q: (Mara Sangiorgio – Sky Sports Italy) Kimi, does starting from the back of the grid take some pressure off you? And anyway, can you still think that you can win this race?
KA: I would be very happy if I would win! Yeah. Definitely takes the pressure away. And as I said earlier, you know, I feel like definitely going in the car with even, you know, very minimal thoughts in the mind, just very free, and just going to enjoy the driving and the weekend. So, of course, the goal is always the same, and we're going to try to maximise the result. But, yeah, I think, you know, in an ideal world, I think realistically, you know, top five, you can do well. But it's all driven by your pace, how fast you are, what's the gap between cars. You know, we might be really quick, but, you know, Ferrari, McLaren or Red Bull, they might be very close that it is probably not enough to catch them during a race, but we'll see. But definitely, I feel like, you know, I feel very free mentally going into this weekend. I'm actually very excited, very much looking forward to it, but with no real pressure.
 
Q: (Craig Slater – Sky Sports) Another one for Kimi. There's a lot of talk about maybe Italian F1 fans being divided at the moment. Do they want Ferrari to win, or do they want Kimi Antonelli to win? Of course, you could, by joining Ferrari, make them less divided. Is it something you're going to have to live with? The more success you have, a sort of greater expectation or speculation that you'll drive for Ferrari one day?
KA: Yeah, of course. I mean, you know, being an Italian myself, I know how emotional we are and how excited we can get about things. You know? Sometimes overly excited. So, yeah, of course, there will always be this kind of talk, but at the end of the day, as much as Ferrari is massive, incredible brand, I'm very happy where I am. You know, I'm very happy with Mercedes because they're the ones who've given me the opportunity since I was a kid. And I feel like I have so much to give back to them. So, yeah, got to live with that.
 
Q: (Mariana Becker – TV Globo) Kimi, you said two or three times already that you're coming here with a free mind, you know, not a lot of pressure. What did it change, the main change for you from last year in your mind, from last year to this year?
KA: That I don't have to prove as much as I had to do last year. You know, last year, obviously, I was coming from a difficult period as well. And I felt like I had to prove myself, to prove that I could belong in F1. So, I feel like also that increased a lot of the pressure on myself, and that made me drive, you know, very, how can I say, very tense. And, yeah, I wasn't really enjoying the time in the car most of the time last year. Whereas this year, obviously, for many reasons, obviously, I'm lucky to have a great car, but as well, also the year of experience makes a huge difference. And, you know, also, I feel like much more mature, much more in control of the situation. And, obviously, then also when you get the good results in, it's always one less thing to prove. And I've proven that I can win. I've proven that I can perform. And that's why coming into this weekend, yes, it's my home race, it's great, but at the end of the day it's another race like the others. But for sure, you know, definitely also the year of experience makes a huge difference in the way I approach things as well.
 
Q: (Josh Suttill – The Race) Kimi, given that you've got the penalty, are you willing to sacrifice your qualifying to help George in terms of the slipstream and tow? Has that been discussed with the team?
KA: Yeah. It has been discussed with the team. And, yes, we have agreed on a few things. So let's see, you know, how the session develops. But if the team will ask me to do so, I will do it. Because, yeah, obviously, I'm not fighting for... You know, of course, I will still be happy to do pole, but, of course, I'm starting at the back. So, if I could do anything to help the team, I will do it.
 
Q: (Zsolt Matics – MTVA) Kimi, some months ago, Roger Federer just advised you in Wimbledon to "all the time stay in the moment and just focus on the next step". And my question is, what kind of mental strategy do you apply to be able to do that at as high a level as you do in this season? Thank you.
KA: Yes. I mean, I took that advice very well. You know, "stay in the moment". I think it's, you know, there's no point focusing on the future, you know, on things that you cannot control. But where you can make the difference is on the things that you can control. So, you know, just stay present in the moment, live in the moment and just do the best you can. And then you will see what happens. But that's also a big thing compared to last year. Big, big difference. So, yes, been very helpful.
 
Q: (Fréd Ferret – l’Equipe) Question for the three drivers. How painful would it be to drive on the top level of speed with these electric cars? And can you give us some example where you have to change your driving style?
KA: I mean, to be fair, I've driven in the simulator and it's not as bad as I expected, you know, honestly. Yes, there is not so much superclip, obviously, because they have changed a little bit the harvest limit compared to other races in order to reduce this superclip. So, there won't be as much deceleration. There will be a lot more, you know, flattening in terms of speed, but there won't be as much deceleration. Actually, very little. So that's, at least a positive. But still, you know, there will be very challenging corners. I think the Ascari chicane is going to be very challenging with this car because you've got a lot of power and, you know, you're just accelerating all throughout and it's not going to be easy. And also, you know, Lesmos are going to be... They're always a challenge. And also, you know, I think with this car, the braking is not so easy, so it's going to be very interesting to see. But I think, all in all, it's going to be much better than what we all anticipated.
LL: Yeah, not really much to add. I think it's going to be very different to what we're used to in the past, and I think maybe more punishing if you get it wrong. I think it's easy to spend too much energy, in a way, and it would be more punishing than other tracks especially. But, yeah, I think it's going to be probably a little bit better than what we were expecting. But, obviously, let's see when we drive on track.
 
Q: (Fulvio Solms – Corriere dello Sport) Question to Kimi. We saw that Max signed a very long contract with Red Bull. So, in your personal opinion, is it better to live an entire career in one group or to change, so to test himself in many teams?
KA: I'm probably not the best person to get asked this because I've just started my career. But I think, you know, Max, obviously, they have an incredible relationship with Red Bull. Also, they were the ones to put him in a car at a very young age. They were the ones who, you know, put the trust. So, I feel like, you know, he's happy in the team, from what I can see, and he's probably, you know, feeling like wanting to stay with them. And he probably believes in this project. So, yeah, I think he has all the reasons and all the rights to stay with Red Bull. Then if one day he wants to change, then it's going to be up to him. But as long as he's happy where he is, why not? I would do the same, you know, with Mercedes. I feel like I have, first of all, so much to give them. And, you know, if I will be happy all throughout with them, you know, I will probably stay with them for my whole career as well. Let's see. You know, of course, you never know what can happen. But from Max's point of view, you know, he made his decision because he feels like it's the right one to do.
 
Q: (Hugo Ramírez – TelevisaUnivision) Kimi, the last time an Italian driver was the championship leader arriving to the home race was in 1953. You weren't even born. Many of us weren't born. The last time was Alberto Ascari. What does that mean for you in this mental awareness that you have, staying in the moment, but this moment in particular means to you and for the Tifosi?
KA: Yeah. Obviously, it's an incredible moment. I wouldn't have thought that, you know, it was possible, that it would have been possible and that it could have happened, this kind of situation. But, of course, now that I'm in it, I need to, you know, carry on. I need to keep performing and keep delivering the result. But, of course, it's a great moment for me, for my team, for my family and for everyone that supports. But, of course, you know, we just got to keep pushing, keep raising the bar because it's still a long way.
 
Q: (Maria Andreadi – ANT1 TV Greece) A question for Kimi. Taking into consideration how demanding Monza is when it comes to energy deployment, how could that help or hurt your climb through the field?
KA: I think because it's a very energy-starved circuit, I think it creates a lot of opportunities to overtake. And that's why this track was the main one. It was the one that we chose to take the penalty because, obviously, there are other tracks where, you know, it's possible to overtake, but this one, because it's very energy-starved and there are a lot of places where you can, you know, play differently as well, that gives us the best chance to climb through the field. And that's what we feel is the best, and that's why we took this decision. And hopefully it's going to work out on Sunday.
 
Q: (Velimir Jukic – AvtoFocus) I have a difficult question for Kimi. Some time ago you had quite a heavy crash here in the second lap. Looking to this year, you're winning almost everything. And when you are driving at such a high speed, do you have time to think about how dangerous Formula 1 is nowadays? Sometimes even you can die with such a difficult or dangerous crash.
KA: Wow. That was a strong question. But you mean in a high-speed corner, if I think about... No, it's too quick. You know, you just go for it. And then if it takes, good, otherwise you just get ready for the impact, you know. But we all know how dangerous the sport is. But at the end of the day, that's what we love to do. And we know it's part of the risk. And I think F1 has done, together with FIA, they've done an incredible job on safety. The cars nowadays, they're much, much safer than what they used to be. And, you know, that also gives us even more confidence to push on track. But, of course, we are well aware of the risk that there is because they're... Oh, shit. Sorry. Oh my God. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. It's worse. Oh my God. What did I just do? Yeah. Now I'm going to worry about the fine that is incoming. But what was I saying? Of course, we know that the risk will always be there. So we're well aware, but as I said, it's what we love to do, and we're going to live with that.
 
Q: (Umberto Zapelloni – Gazzetta dello Sport) for Kimi. Kimi, we have seen the nice celebration of your birthday. Your mechanics gave you some minutes ago with some cake in your face. Are you planning something back for them during the weekend?
KA: I don't know. I'm pretty scared of what they're planning because it's not over yet. I think today was just the starter of the menu, you know, of what's coming. But I got beaten up pretty badly earlier this morning. I don't know how many cakes in the face I've got, but there were a lot. I need to stay in the shower for at least 15 minutes just to take off the cream and the smell of cream because it was terrible. I stank a lot. So, yeah, but we'll see. I don't want to, you know, I don't want to give any previews. I think I will act in the moment depending on how I feel, like, how is the situation, but I've got something in my pocket, you know, just in case.
 
Q: (Frederik Hackbath – F1-Insider.com) Kimi, I think we all tend to forget that it's only been two years at Monza that you've been announced by Mercedes and then had that FP1 outing that ended spectacularly in Parabolica. In that very moment when you were standing in the gravel there, what would you have said to someone telling you, "Two years later, you will be back at your home race leading comfortably in the World Championship"?
KA: I would say to shut up. Yeah. Just don't joke with me. I mean, of course, you know, it was a very difficult day for me, very difficult moment because definitely that was not the way I wanted to, you know, introduce myself into the sport. And, definitely, you know, crashing out so early on... Yes, you know, I was pushing. It was going well, but it lasted very short. But, you know, it was not the way I wanted to start everything. So it was a very difficult moment and, you know, very difficult period as well, the one following, because it's not easy to get over these kind of things, especially at the very beginning. So, of course, if someone, while I was walking off in the gravel, would have said, "What, in two years they're going to be leading the World Championship in this exact moment," I would have said, you know, "Probably you're just kidding." But, you know, it's happening. And, you know, I'm very, very, very happy, very grateful. And, yeah, just got to keep pushing.

ENDS