Singapore Grand Prix Press Conference
With the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend, let’s take a look at what was said during the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix Press Conference earlier today.
Press Conference – Singapore Grand Prix
Question to Valtteri Bottas – What kind of driver would suit you and the team? A rookie, or someone a bit more experienced?
Valtteri Bottas – “The one thing is it is a fact that I’m going to have a new team-mate next year and what’s not confirmed yet is if I will be with Williams or not, but yeah, new team-mate and I’ve always said that’s how you feel – a quicker team-mate, it doesn’t matter who it is as long as he’s quick as this boosts the performance of both drivers and helps the team so that’s always good.”
“A team player would be nice but obviously I have nothing to do with choosing the team-mate, it’s completely up to the team who I will be racing with so I hope everything will be OK.”
Question to Valtteri Bottas – The battle with Force India in the championship is very tight, ahead on points and then you moved back in the lead after the race in Monza. Where do you think your relative strengths lie as a team?
Valtteri Bottas – “I think it’s going to be a really great battle between us and the Force India team, we have been really close in the last six races.”
“Overall, we are very equal in terms of how quick the cars are so it will be just depending on every race – they have their strong points in the same places as us.”
“I’m looking forward to the end of the year and it’s going to be a good fight.”
Question to Marcus Ericsson – Marcus, coming to you – congratulations on your 50th GP start this weekend! You’re only the 4th Swede to make that mark and Sauber is now hiring again. Some solid signings over the last few weeks but how is the team evolving?
Marcus Ericsson – “Thanks a lot! Yeah 50 sounds like a lot of races and it’s nice. With the team I think we are definitely moving in the right direction and as you say, we have some new signings, new personnel in the team and it’s good!”
“Fresh ideas and fresh minds is positive for everyone and everything I think. On the car side we got some new updates and coming here to Singapore, it will be very interesting for us because it will be the first time we really run the full new package that we introduced over the summer-break.”
Question to Marcus Ericsson – What weaknesses were you working on with that update package and what are you expecting from the sort of test that Singapore provides?
Marcus Ericsson – “I think for sure, it’s just the general downforce that we have been lacking on and hopefully front he signs we have gotten so far, we’ve gained quite a bit on that side.”
“Like I said, it’s been both Monza and Spa, the last two races that we have had this package and it’s not been high downforce tracks, it’s a bit unknown but hopefully here in Singapore which is a very high downforce track, we will see how this update is working.”
Question to Felipe Nasr – Felipe, coming to you, you were in the pints here last year and it’s always a complex race strategy but with three different tyre options this season, how do you see things playing out on Saturday and Sunday?
Felipe Nasr – “Well, yes it is and it’s normally a very challenging track, it’s very demanding for both the car and the drivers and I feel the tyres will be playing a bit part on it this weekend.”
“I will be curious to see how many stops will be going in the race and I think the key really is to understand the tyres and how much you can make them last. It’s always a challenging weekend and Singapore always brings some surprises in terms of racing which is exciting. A lot of things can happen and hopefully we are in a position to take any profit.”
Question to Felipe Nasr – The driver market is in gear now, you’ve been linked with a possible move to Williams and there may be openings at Renault. Obviously Sauber has had investment – what’s your personal objective?
Felipe Nasr – “Well, it’s difficult to say, right now I don’t have any news and hopefully soon I will but right now I don’t have much more to say really.”
“All I can say is that at Sauber, things are moving forward and I can really see the team taking a step into the unknown, pushing further and with a lot of new people coming in.”
Question to Sergio Perez – Thank you very much for that, Sergio – 23 race finishing streak, scored points in all five of your appearances here in Singapore. What is is that you like about Singapore and do you see this as a weekend where you’ll get your edge back over Williams?
Sergio Perez – “Yeah, well that’s the target coming here. We obviously want to close the gap and we lost out in the battle last race.”
“We knew that they were going to be strong there so hopefully we can close up and hopefully beat them. Singapore is a great place, it’s a very unique race and starting from racing at night, the way you get to your routine, it’s totally different to any other race.”
“Waking up so late and going to bed also – Yesterday I was running at the track at 1am in the morning, things like that are just not common in any other race.”
“The track is very challenging, mentally, physically, it’s just very difficult to finish the race not having contact or a crash so it’s always important to make it until the end of the race. Hopefully I can keep my good score in Singapore and come out with the points on Sunday.”
Question to Jolyon Palmer – Jolyon, you won the GP2 feature race here in 2013, you’ve out qualified your team-mate Magnussen in 3 of the last 4 races. Do you feel it’s an important moment to show what you can do with an eye on securing a seat for next season?
Jolyon Palmer – “I think so, yeah. Obviously the seats are in doubt and up for grabs so every race from now is a chance to show what I can do. It’s a track that I really like here, I feel like I’m driving the best I’ve driven all season at the moment.”
“The results haven’t really shown what I can do but I feel good within myself. It’s a track I really like and I’ve had some good success here before so hopefully we can keep on good form.”
Question to Daniel Ricciardo – Daniel, coming to you – twice on the podium here, front-row starter last year, Monaco pole sitter this year and that all adds up to making you many people’s favourite for this weekend. Do you share that view?
Daniel Ricciardo – “I think I’ve got a pretty good chance of being in the top 10, absolutely – that’s about it!”
Question to Daniel Ricciardo – This weekend seems to be a chance to put right what went wrong in Monaco, to take the win that was snatched from you in the principality – do you have a sense of ‘unfinished business‘ and are you asking the team for perfect execution this weekend?
Daniel Ricciardo – “It’s obviously the next closest track to Monaco, we look at this as a good chance to try and get the victory which I’ve been after this season.”
‘With the team, since Monaco – a lot of things have been working better and in terms of everything, I’m feeling happier than the last handful of races so it’s a good thing on both sides. I feel I have executed as well on Sunday.”
‘I’m not going to put too much pressure on myself or them for this weekend but I think deep down, we obviously want to want and I believe that we are a group of winners so if there is a bit of pressure on us to get it done then we will thrive off that.”
“Let’s see what happens, I’m definitely prepared and excited, I don’t know what I’m paying for a top 10 but it’s safe money.”
More to come soon ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix including a roundup of Practices tomorrow!
The Formula 1 Girl 🙂
xx