Saturday: The post-qualifying press conference

Congratulations Fernando, a second consecutive pole position but we heard on the team radio before the start of Q3 that it was just too dangerous to go. It has stopped raining now. Do you want to go back and do it again?

Well, I think the conditions were still on the edge. Since it’s the same for everyone, I think sometimes it’s good to check the track conditions. But we went for Q3. I think getting to turn 6 wasn’t easy for anyone. There was a lot of aquaplaning and we were at 280-290 km/h. But you know, I think everything went well for us. We got caught in some aquaplaning, but the rest of the lap was clean. I also think we made the right strategic decision to make a pit stop in Q3 to have fresh tires when the track was a bit better. I think it helped us improve our time a bit.

Sebastian, second place on the grid for you, and for the first time, you beat a teammate at a German Grand Prix in Hockenheim. Mark and you were driving quite close to each other. Could you have gone a bit faster? Were you held back?

Well, it’s certain that I lost a lap being behind him, but it’s difficult in these conditions. You can’t see anything in your mirrors. He probably didn’t see me, and with two laps to the checkered flag or the finish line, you can’t let people go and make up a lap. So, for sure we lost a bit of time, but the track was better at the end. So, it was the last lap, not completely clean. In these conditions, it’s very tricky. You lose the car a little on the rivers of the track and you’re not where you want to be. So, not easy, but still, we think we had the pace today to put the car on pole. I think that lap time was possible. We have to look at what Fernando did at the end, what he referred to: the strategy. Maybe it was better to do it that way. But overall, in these conditions, I think it’s always a lottery. You can lose the car without making the slightest mistake, in aquaplaning conditions. But fortunately, we didn’t lose it, and we’re on the front row, which is a good thing. I’m starting on the inside as well. So, we’ll see what happens tomorrow.

For you Mark, when you started the qualifications, you knew there was a five-place penalty coming. So how much more complicated were the conditions for you, knowing that if you went off or crashed, you would completely ruin your race?

Yes, it was complicated for all of us, especially when it’s wet. Obviously, I did a better job than the other guys who received five-place penalties. It was very, very easy for us all not to make it today. So I am very happy to be high in the hierarchy. We could have done better here or there but we did our best. We might have done something when Fernando stopped. But with “ifs,” “we could have,” “we wanted”… We are third, eighth with the gearbox penalty but I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

Back to you, Fernando. Are you confident that your Ferrari is the car for all conditions, no matter what the German weather has in store for us?

Yes, it was a strange weekend in terms of track conditions. I think I experienced every situation this weekend: we used intermediates, extreme rain tires, and slicks both days, and it might be the same tomorrow. If we have to do the same thing again, we will. The forecast should be a bit better for tomorrow. So we’ll see. But I found that the car performed well in all conditions. So I’m quite optimistic for tomorrow.

Sebastian, I’ll turn to you quickly. We saw Ferrari and Red Bull fighting for victory in the last race at Silverstone. Is this a preview of the upcoming season? Will Ferrari and Red Bull have the biggest battles at the top?

I don’t think so. I think there are other teams to watch out for. There’s still a long way to go. There are not big point differences. I don’t think you can exclude McLaren. They were extremely fast in qualifying, even if in the last part with the rain tires, I’m not sure what happened, but they were relatively far behind. They will be very fast tomorrow. Lotus has been very fast in races during the last Grand Prix. So I would say it’s still extremely close. It seems that we are consistent and regularly good, able to finish in the top 3, which is essential. We’ll do our best tomorrow and see what the weather brings. I believe the forecast is dry. So we’ll see where we stand.

Mark, at least you’ll be able to make some overtakes during tomorrow’s race. Is this the right track? Are these the right conditions? Are you in the right car to achieve that?

Obviously. We will try to climb back up, of course. We have shown that the car is fast in all conditions and we will try to push through. But with many fast cars ahead, it’s never ideal to be at the back, shooting ourselves in the foot with penalties left and right. But we will keep fighting and look forward to tomorrow’s race.

From our correspondent in Hockenheim

With the participation of RacingBusiness.fr