British Grand Prix: Post Qualifying press conference

Right this moment’s post-qualifying press convention with George Russell, Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris.

Observe Interviews – Carried out by David Coulthard.

Lando Norris, third on the grid for tomorrow’s race. I noticed you speaking to Sir Jackie Stewart there. Nonetheless smiling, however I believe just a little little bit of frustration as a result of it seemed such as you had been the person laying down the lap occasions.
Lando Norris: I used to be till the tip, however no, I am proud of the P3. Three Brits lock out of the highest three, so fairly cool right here. No, good laps by George and Lewis each. They did a superb job. They put in some good laps and just a little mistake on my half on the finish, however P3 continues to be good.

Properly, it is nice to listen to you are proud of that. You may be aiming to make the form of begin you probably did final yr, so it is nonetheless all to play for.
LN: No, 100%. And it should rain once more tomorrow, so I am excited. It’ll be a very good race. We’re fast. I can convey the battle to George and I can convey the battle to Lewis, so excited to placed on a very good present tomorrow.

you might have a understanding smile. so this battle for McLaren just isn’t over.
LN: No I am excited. We will have some… I hope we will have some good battles, so I look ahead to it.

OK, Lando congratulations. On to the eternally younger Lewis Hamilton. Congratulations in your second place The group displaying their appreciation, Lewis. Did you actually suppose you may pull that lap on the finish? It is an unbelievable 1-2 for Mercedes.
Lewis Hamilton: Yeah, nicely, first off, a giant, huge because of this unbelievable crowd. We’re so proud to be right here. Three Brits within the prime three is unbelievable. And an enormous congratulations to George. He did such a terrific job. We positively did not anticipate to be entrance row this weekend, however that is big for us, for our crew. The automotive felt improbable on the market. And so everybody within the storage right here, all our crew which have come right here actually deserve this.

It was a vastly difficult qualifying session. You had the moist, with the Intermediates initially. There have been folks going off. any specific standout second other than that stunning lap for you was there a degree the place you had been considering ‘oh, I am up towards it’.
LH: No, no, no., As I stated, the automotive felt nice. It was nearly getting the tyre temperatures on the proper place and you realize sealing the deal whenever you had the time on monitor. So I believe I used to be ready to do this. I believe finally there was nonetheless time left on the desk, which George was capable of finding. However I really feel actually assured concerning the automotive tomorrow and I believe with the circumstances we now have we will work collectively to maintain Lando behind.

OK, nicely, Lewis, congratulations on getting within the prime three and second place right here at Silverstone. And eventually… George Russell, you are in pole place on the British Grand Prix.
George Russell: Come on! What a sense, what a sense. Firstly of this yr, I do not suppose we may have even dreamt of being on pole right here. And, you realize, a one-two, for Lewis and I, Lando in P3. That is simply mega. It is all the way down to all these followers as nicely. They offer us a lot vitality. So, yeah, thanks a lot for that.

Six days in the past, you took the victory. Right here you’re taking the pole. Lewis was saying the automotive’s been feeling nice, so he isn’t stunned that it is a 1-2. However I did not realise, wanting by way of the free follow, that you just guys may actually take it to the McLaren.
GR: The automotive for the time being is feeling so, so good. It actually got here alive in quali, and truthfully, what a pleasure to drive round this circuit. And, you realize, we’re using this wave for the time being, completely buzzing, however eyes on tomorrow. We have got a race to win, and it should be tight with Lando. Max goes to be quick as nicely, however I am so excited proper now.

Lewis has spoken prior to now concerning the energy of the group driving him forwards. Are you selecting up that mantle and taking a few of that vitality?
GR: The group give us all a lot vitality, the three of us. I do not suppose Silverstone may have dreamt of the three Brits within the prime three. So, truthfully, the help, we simply completely like it and we will not anticipate the race tomorrow.

Press Convention

Many congratulations, George. What a efficiency by you and Mercedes. You received in Austria final weekend. You are on pole right here at residence. Simply how good does this really feel?
GR: Yeah, that is positively probably the greatest emotions I’ve ever had on a Saturday afternoon. The automotive was simply insane. Once we went out in Q3, it simply actually got here alive and doubtless, probably the greatest emotions I’ve ever had driving this circuit and crossing the road, seeing my identify in P1, after which seeing we’re each on the entrance row. We could not have even dreamt of that after the primary three or 4 races. Yeah, it feels good.

Have you ever been stunned by the tempo of the automotive right now?
GR: It has been feeling nice since Canada once we introduced these upgrades. You understand, the 2 of us have been qualifying within the prime three constantly, but it surely actually got here into its personal right now. We had been actually fast in FP1 yesterday. We struggled in FP2 just a little bit, however these circumstances simply actually obtained the automotive into an ideal window, and the lap was simply actually, very nice, and there is not any ensures for tomorrow, for certain however we really feel like we’re using this wave for the time being. And, I imply, clearly, for us as a crew, I do not know when the final time was. we had been on a entrance row. However, you realize, 2021? Perhaps earlier than.

George, you say that final lap in Q3 was actually, very nice. Simply the place did you discover the time over that first run in Q3?
GR: From Flip 6 to Flip 9, I gained lots. Flip 6 and seven had been mega. There is a huge headwind by way of there so I braked actually, actually late and I simply may carry the pace by way of the corners. Nevertheless it was simply on rails, the automotive. I simply felt so assured in it. Q3, we actually turned it up as a result of Q1 and Q2 had been very, very difficult. I felt like I used to be about to get knocked out at numerous factors. The monitor improved in each single lap. And doubtless going into Q3 was essentially the most stress I’ve ever felt in a qualifying session as a result of the entire Q1 and Q2 runs, it was like on the verge of getting knocked out each single event. And I wasn’t feeling that assured with myself. However as quickly as I went by way of Flip 1 and a pair of in Q3, I felt good and managed to do the laps.

Properly, George, let’s throw it ahead to the race. With follow being so affected by the climate, simply how a lot confidence do you might have within the long-run tempo of the automotive?
GR: Yeah, I believe. realistically we all know we’re most likely a tenth or two behind Lando and Max, however I believe we have a very good battle on our palms. However the climate’s going to play an enormous half in that. You understand, it has been raining and drying up all through the final couple of days. There is a little bit of rain on the forecast tomorrow. We’re most likely on the right track for one more Montreal-style race the place it should be very changeable. So it should be a protracted race. As I stated, we’re using this wave proper now, but it surely doesn’t suggest something as a result of tomorrow is the place the factors are scored. However we’re clearly in a terrific place to battle for victory.

Alright, look, better of luck. Properly performed right now. Lewis, let’s come to you now. An eleventh front-row begin at Silverstone for you. Simply inform us concerning the session out of your viewpoint.
LH: It was a terrific session. Naturally, the perfect session that we have had as a crew to only have the true tempo and be capable of really compete with the McLarens and the Pink Bulls, I believe is extremely satisfying, simply actually an enormous increase for the crew. And the automotive felt nice, as George was saying, an enormous congratulations to George for getting the pole. However to be on the entrance row, I believe, is very large for our crew. So lots of them are right here this weekend with their households. And it has been a very long time since we have had it. So it is a nice feeling.

How was the build-up of the session by way of Q1 and Q2 out of your viewpoint?
LH: It is fairly simple for me, to be trustworthy. I imply, when it is moist, that is after I’m most likely the happiest. So I am tremendous assured in these first circumstances. That was the best half for me, I might say. After which it obtained just a little bit tougher as soon as we obtained to Q3, only a bit with stability. However nonetheless, as I stated, I am tremendous grateful to be right here.

Alright. And Lewis, simply throwing it ahead to the race, do you might have perception within the long-run tempo of the automotive?
LH: Properly, I believe I used to be cautious with my set-up, extra considering to have a pleasant stability within the race slightly than all for one specific lap. So I do suppose that the automotive shall be good tomorrow, yeah.

Alright. Better of luck. Thanks very a lot. Lando, coming to you now. You stated just a little earlier that you just’re proud of the automotive. Simply inform us, to start with, what occurred on that closing lap of Q3.
LN: I simply ran large out of Flip 14 and that was it.

With out that, do you suppose pole was within the offing for you right now?
LN: No, I used to be already a tenth-and-a-half down, so it is robust. I believe, you realize, George and Lewis have performed a terrific job for the 2 vehicles to be up there. Exhibits that the crew are additionally doing a tremendous job. It was tremendous shut. I believe if I put in a ok lap, it was shut and inside a little bit of a battle. However, no, they’ve appeared very fast all weekend since FP1, like George stated, so there or thereabouts, however I simply did not ship it right now.

Lando, are you stunned by the tempo of Mercedes right here?
LN: No.

Okay. Properly, look, throwing it ahead to the race then…
LN: It is a easy query!

Try our Saturday gallery from Silverstone here.