The winner of the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix, Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing), second-placed Lando Norris (McLaren), and third-placed Sergio Perez (Red Bull) are the highlights of this article.
Q: Sergio, P3 today, but you had some bad luck with the strategy. Did that cost you the race?
Sergio PEREZ: Yes, it had a significant impact. Unfortunately, we encountered a Safety Car and lost two positions. That determined the outcome of the race. We mainly used the hard tires throughout the race, and when you get involved in early battles like that, tire performance deteriorates quickly. However, we managed to secure a place on the podium, although it would have been great to finish first and second.
Q: How did your speed compare to the others during the race? Were you satisfied with it, or do you think you could have done better? Max, for example, had a significant advantage at times.
SP: Without a doubt, we were lacking speed, especially on the medium tires. We had difficulties with the balance of the car. We made several changes from yesterday to today, but we didn’t interpret the conditions as accurately as we could have. Overall, it was a strong weekend, but we understand why our race pace was a bit lower.
Q: Did you start the race with the intention of winning. Will you continue to fight for victory in the next race?
SP: That will be our goal.
Q: Lando, it was an amazing race. You were voted Driver of the Day. Well deserved.
Lando NORRIS: Thank you.
Q: How was it out there?
LN: It was great! I am pleasantly surprised and very happy. I am thrilled for the whole team. They deserved it. Our pit stops were excellent. Today everything went well. I didn’t expect the race we had, but I was comfortable, managed the tires well, which was easier than yesterday. I was able to push and the car was fantastic. It was a good day, we earned valuable points and another place on the podium. I am extremely happy.
P: Your race pace was impressive, even faster than Sergio’s Red Bull. Are you surprised by that?
LN: I was surprised by many things. The lack of speed from Ferrari today, our good performance, and our comparison with Red Bull, everything was unexpected. I really wasn’t expecting a day like this. I had everything prepared to go home early and not be on the podium. So it’s a pleasant surprise, but it’s a testament to the hard work of the team. We are striving, and it’s paying off.
P: Before the race, you expected the Ferraris to challenge you, but that didn’t happen. Can you comment on that?
LN: I made a bet on how far behind Ferrari we would finish today. I predicted 35 seconds, but I was wrong. I’m glad to be mistaken in this case. It was a good day for everyone.
P: Max, congratulations once again. Your race was amazing. How was it out there?
Max VERSTAPPEN: It was amazing. Throughout the weekend, we were incredibly fast. It was fun to drive with all the tire compounds. We handled the restarts well, and the car was fantastic. I had total control over it. Weekends like this are truly amazing to experience, and achieving what we did this weekend is fantastic.
P: In the end, were you worried about passing through debris. When you are so far ahead, do you start hearing things and worry about the condition of the car?
MV: There are always some noises, and in the past, I retired near the end of the races. I saw some debris from another car, so I ran over them at 300 km/h. When the tires get cold and worn out, it’s easy to puncture them, so I wanted to check again.
P: The next race is in Miami. Are you excited about it? Do you think you will perform as well there?
MV: It should be a good race for us. The strategy is usually simpler there, but it’s also a challenging track. I’m excited. It’s always a busy and crazy weekend in Miami, but I’m looking forward to it.
P: Max, congratulations once again on your dominant performance this weekend, after your victory in the Sprint race. How would you describe the feeling you have from a weekend like this?
MV: It’s a great feeling, obviously. You never know how the weekend will unfold, so you hope for the best. This weekend went exceptionally well, and I’m very pleased. The car’s performance was even better in the main race compared to the Sprint race, which made my life easier. It could have been more consistent, but overall, it was a good weekend.
P: Were there any complications for you in the Sprint race?
MV: I locked up a bit on the second restart in turn 6, which was not ideal. I also threw away a tear-off, and I could hear it hitting my helmet. I’m not sure where it ended up. Two laps before the end, I ran over some debris before turn 14, which was a bit scary. With worn tires, driving over carbon can easily cause a puncture.
P: Of all your victories this year, do you consider this the most dominant?
MV: It was a good win. The car’s balance improved compared to the beginning of the weekend, and we did a great job as a team.
P: Can we expect a similar performance in Miami in two weeks?
MV: It’s a completely different track, with different tires and asphalt, so you never know. We need to strive for perfection, find the best car setup, and deliver performances like today. We will prepare as we always do and hope it will be enough when we get there.
P: Congratulations, Max. Impressive performance. Lando, congratulations on your best result of the year so far. Was the car better today?
LN: Not significantly better. There was a noticeable improvement compared to yesterday, so we were pleasantly surprised. To be honest, we have been struggling in certain areas throughout the season, which has limited us. Today was a day similar to Australia, where I felt comfortable and the car performed well. It was just a much better day overall, and things fell into place. We are still learning about the car, and the unique characteristics of this track may have contributed to our performance. Overall, it’s not something we expected, considering our performance this year compared to Red Bull and Ferrari.
P: You weren’t confident before the weekend. What changed?
LN: Nothing specific. We were just faster than we expected. The areas where we expected to struggle were not as challenging as we thought. For example, the longer corners, like Turn 1, have always been a weak point for us. Part of Turn 1 was better than expected, while the second part was as expected. It’s a learning process with the car. The peculiar asphalt of the track may have influenced our performance. We’re not making things up, we really give our honest opinions on where we think we stand. If we were confident in our performance, we would say so. But most of the time, we’re not optimistic because we’ve been behind Red Bull and Ferrari all year. There’s no reason to suddenly expect to be ahead. However, things went our way today, and it shows that the team has done a fantastic job. We’re working hard, and it’s paying off.
P: Thank you, Lando. We hope to see you challenging the Red Bulls soon. Max, let’s talk to you now. Congratulations on your dominant performance, after your victory in the Sprint race. How was it out there?
Max VERSTAPPEN: It was amazing. Throughout the weekend, we were incredibly fast. It was fun to drive with all the tire compounds. We handled the restarts well, and the car was fantastic. I had full control over it. Weekends like this are really incredible to experience, and achieving what we did this weekend is fantastic.
P: In the end, were you worried about debris on track. When you’re so far ahead, do you start hearing things and worrying about the condition of the car?
MV: There are always some noises, and in the past, I retired near the end of the races. I saw some debris from another car, so I ran over them at 300 km/h. When the tires get cold and worn out, it’s easy to puncture them, so I wanted to check again.
P: The next race is in Miami. Are you excited about it? Do you think you will do well there?
MV: It should be a good race for us. The strategy is usually simpler there, but it’s also a challenging track. I’m excited. It’s always a busy and crazy weekend in Miami, but I’m looking forward to it.
P: Max, congratulations once again on your dominant performance this weekend, after your victory in the Sprint race. How would you describe the feeling you have from a weekend like this?
MV: It’s a great feeling, obviously. You never know how the weekend will unfold, so you hope for the best. This weekend went exceptionally well, and I’m very pleased. The car’s performance was even better in the main race compared to the Sprint race, which made my life easier. It could have been more consistent, but overall, it was a good weekend.
P: Were there any complications for you in the Sprint race?
MV: I locked up a bit on the second restart in turn 6, which wasn’t ideal. I also threw away a tear-off, and I could hear it hitting my helmet. I’m not sure where it ended up. Two laps before the end, I ran over some debris before turn 14, which was a bit scary. With worn tires, driving over carbon can easily cause a puncture.
P: Of all your victories this year, do you consider this the most dominant one?
MV: It was a good victory. The car’s balance improved compared to the beginning of the weekend, and we did a great job as a team.
P: Can we expect a similar performance in Miami in two weeks?
MV: It’s a completely different track, with different tires and asphalt, so you never know. We need to strive for perfection, find the best car setup, and deliver performances like today. We will prepare as we always do and hope it will be enough when we get there.
P: Congratulations, Max. Very impressive. Lando, let’s talk about you. Congratulations on your best result of the year so far. Was the car better today?
LN: Not significantly better. There was a noticeable improvement compared to yesterday, so we were pleasantly surprised. To be honest, we have been struggling in certain areas throughout the season, which has limited us. Today was a bit like Australia, where I felt comfortable and the car performed well. It was just a much better day overall, and things clicked. We are still learning about the car, and the unique characteristics of this track may have contributed to our performance. Overall, it’s not something we expected, considering our performance this year compared to Red Bull and Ferrari.
P: You weren’t confident before the weekend. What changed?
No specific issue. We just were quicker than we expected. The areas where we expected to struggle were not as challenging as we thought. For example, the longer corners, like Turn 1, have always been a weak point for us. Part of Turn 1 was better than expected, while the second part was as expected. It’s a learning process with the car. The track’s peculiar asphalt may have influenced our performance. We’re not making things up, we really give our honest opinions on where we think we stand. If we were confident in our performance, we would say so. But most of the time, we’re not optimistic because we’ve been behind Red Bull and Ferrari all year. There’s no reason to suddenly expect to be ahead. However, things went our way today, and it shows that the team has done a fantastic job. We’re working hard, and it’s paying off.
Q: Thank you, Lando. We hope to see you challenging the Red Bulls soon. Checo, let’s talk to you now. Can you tell us about the battle with Ferrari in the last 17 laps? Did you think you could overtake Lando?
A: At that point, the gap was already significant, and considering Lando’s strong pace, I knew it would be difficult. When you catch up to the car ahead and spend several laps fighting, it ends up being game over. You exert a lot of energy on the tires, and they never really recover. This track has high tire degradation, and I paid the price for it. However, that was the only way I could overtake Charles, as we were on tires of the same age, and he was hard to pass.
Q: It seems like you were at a disadvantage throughout the Grand Prix, starting when Fernando Alonso overtook you. Can you comment on that?
SP: I was on the inside of Max at the start and had to brake earlier, allowing Fernando to pass me on the outside. My start wasn’t good, so I lost a position to Fernando. I had to fight hard to get past him, which probably wore out my tires. This put me at a disadvantage for the first stint. It wasn’t a simple race, and the changes we made from the Sprint event to the race didn’t work in our favor.
P: You weren’t completely satisfied with the car’s performance in the Sprint race either, right?
SP: I was mainly fighting in the pack during the Sprint race, which made it difficult to accurately assess the car’s balance. When you have two or three cars in front of you, there’s less load on your car, making it harder to determine the balance. It was a limitation I faced today, and we will review the changes we made and see how we could have done better.
P: (Jérôme Bourret – L’Equipe) I have a question for all of you. What is your overall opinion on the return of the race to China? How do you feel about the track and the atmosphere? What did you think of the new Sprint format? Any positive or negative points?
MV: This track has always been enjoyable. It’s technical and involves tire degradation, making it a unique and fun Grand Prix. The fans are fantastic, and the atmosphere is great, especially with the large grandstand. It’s always a pleasure to be here. As for the Sprint format, it was better in my opinion. It was simpler. However, we already have a packed calendar with 24 races per year, including six Sprint events. I understand it may attract more viewers, but it also adds stress to the mechanics and everyone involved in ensuring everything runs smoothly. We have to deal with it, but we shouldn’t go overboard and introduce 12 Sprint events, because that will affect people.
I have not much to add. The track layout was better than last year, for sure. It’s the first time I finish a race here, so I feel good. Regarding the Sprint format, I prefer the traditional race format. It’s what I grew up watching and always liked the most. I like going straight to qualifying after the practices. It gives less time for teams to perfect the car, and I think that’s when we see a mix of performances instead of just team domination. So, in that aspect, it works. However, the main concern is the impact it has on mechanics and engineers. As drivers, we can’t complain. It’s the hundreds of mechanics and engineers who travel extensively. It’s not healthy or sustainable for them. So, the problem lies with them, not us. We should prioritize taking care of the rest of the team. That’s the limiting factor, not whether we can handle the car every day. We can, but we shouldn’t overload the rest of the team. That should be the priority.
I agree with Max and Lando. With 24 races and the stress it causes our mechanics, we need to take care of our team. As a sport, we should prioritize the well-being of our mechanics. We are pushing the limits, and that’s something we need to consider. The atmosphere has been fantastic, and it’s great to be back in China after so many years. The fans are excited, and it was wonderful to witness the support Zhou received as the first Chinese driver on the grid.
LN: I think it’s an important point raised by Lando and Max. With 24 races and the stress it causes our mechanics, these Sprint events are quite demanding. As a sport, we need to take care of our mechanics and engineers. We are pushing the limits, and it’s essential to prioritize their well-being. The atmosphere has been great. It’s fantastic to be back in China after so long, and the excitement of the fans is palpable. Seeing the support Zhou received as the first Chinese driver on the grid was moving.
SP: I think it’s a good point raised by Lando and Max. With 24 races and the stress it causes our mechanics, these Sprint events are quite demanding. As a sport, we need to take care of our mechanics and engineers. We are pushing the limits, and it’s essential to prioritize their well-being. The atmosphere has been great. It’s fantastic to be back in China after so long, and the excitement of the fans is palpable. Seeing the support Zhou received as the first Chinese driver on the grid was moving.
© 2024
The rivalry between the two biggest football teams in Brazil, Flamengo and Corinthians, is more intense than ever. The classic match between the two teams promises to be one of the most exciting games of the championship. Both teams are coming off consecutive victories and are aiming for the top spot in the table.
Flamengo, led by coach Renato Gaúcho, has a team full of stars and relies on the top scorer Gabigol to score goals. Meanwhile, Corinthians, under the guidance of coach Sylvinho, relies on their solid defense and the talent of striker Jô to secure the win.
In addition to the rivalry on the field, fans are also provoking each other on social media. The hashtag #FlaCorinthians is trending on Twitter, with fans from both teams exchanging banter and making bets on the game’s outcome.
The classic will be played at Maracanã, a stadium that has been the stage for great duels between Flamengo and Corinthians. The expectation is for a full house and a lot of excitement on the field.
Both teams are in great form and promise to deliver a high-level game. Fans are eager for the match and expect a game full of goals and exciting plays.
The Flamengo x Corinthians classic is always one of the most anticipated games in the Brazilian championship. The two teams have a history of rivalry and great duels over the years. Fans are ready for another chapter of this rivalry and can’t wait to see their teams in action.
It will be an unmissable game for football lovers and promises to be a true battle on the pitch. Who will come out victorious in this classic? Only time will tell.
