British Grand Prix Qualifying Top Three Press Conference

Featuring pole winner, Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), P2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), and P3. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)

Kimi ANTONELLI: Yeah, I mean, I was a bit stressed because I never really like going first for the last run. But yeah, the last lap was very tidy, I have to be honest. It came all together. It was very tricky with the wind, because it was very gusty, unpredictable. But yeah, we built our way through qualifying and to bring the pole home is very satisfying.

KA: No, we didn't change the car at all. It was just about, you know, with differential, brake migration, driving, we worked around it and we managed to find a good setting that helped me to progress through qualifying.

KA: Thank you.

Charles LECLERC: Yes, I'm pleased. I mean, it's been a few tough races where the feeling was not quite right, where I was struggling to put everything together. On the Sundays, we've had things that sometimes we couldn't score points. So to be back with a good feeling, there's been so much work behind the scenes to get back that feeling inside the car. But today is probably the first time where I had it back, so that is a good thing. But at the same time, I know how much I've struggled to be consistent recently. So it's only the beginning, but it's a good step in the right direction.

CL: Yeah, I mean, at the moment I'm obviously trying to look a bit at everything, because I was losing quite a bit of time. I just didn't have much pace recently, so you've got to look at every single thing you do, whether it's driving style, whether it's everything really. So, we've worked, I think, really, really well. And yeah, I'm happy with that P2. Obviously, I wish I was on pole, but Kimi did an incredible lap and he deserves it.

CL: Thank you.

Lewis HAMILTON: Am I satisfied? Of course not, I'm P3, but I'm happy to be up here. However, these guys did a great job today. Charles has obviously been making good improvements and we just didn't have the pace, unfortunately, of the Mercedes. It's been kind of a thing for a while, but we're slowly closing the gap. And to have both of us up here is great for the team.

LH: I mean, it's definitely great to have both of us here, because that means hopefully, whether or not we can fully keep up with Kimi, we'll see tomorrow, but hopefully we can maybe play with the strategy and work as a team to try to topple them. We'll do our best, for sure.

KA: Yeah, for sure. It's not going to be easy. I've got two Ferrari behind me and for sure they're going to work together. But their pace is good, but ours was strong in the Sprint race. So yeah, hopefully we can keep that tomorrow and hopefully we can do a good race.

KA: It was a very tidy lap. It was a lap where I put everything together. Maybe Sector 1, I struggled a little bit throughout the session. I was a bit inconsistent there, but Sector 2 and 3 I felt very good. So yeah, it was a very good lap.

KA: Yeah, I'm not a fan of going first for the last run, but I was a little bit stressed in the out lap. But then just tried to focus on what I had to do and yeah, luckily it worked out.

KA: I think it was a very... I mean, we didn't change the car, so the car felt good. Also yesterday it felt good. But yesterday it was also more a matter of trying to maximise the grip and everything. Today it was a bit trickier, but I think on that regard I put a lot more together compared to yesterday.

KA: Well, with our car, we struggle a little bit with front locking, so especially in a condition like today that you have the tailwind into Turn 3, front locking was very easy to achieve. So, in my Q2 run one, I locked the front but also had a little issue with the brake pedal, which it didn't respond initially to when I applied the brake. So that also delayed the whole braking phase, so I also had too much speed in. But to be fair, we did some setting adjustments and then it helped me to regain the confidence on braking.

KA: I mean, get a good start, like we did today, and then yeah... I mean, I have these two behind me, and they've been quick today, especially at the start of the race. So just going to try to get a good start and get into a good rhythm and then hopefully we will be able to achieve a great result. But other than that, just going to try to focus on the race that I have to do and just try to maximise.

KA: Well, in the Sprint we definitely had a faster car, mainly on deg. We seemed a little bit better with the tyres. So yeah, hopefully we can keep that for tomorrow as well.

CL: Oh, just by pushing a bit more everywhere. But honestly, I mean, result aside, I'm actually quite happy with exactly what you said, because that normally means that I know where the limit of the car is. And then for the second run in Q3, it's always been my strength in the past, where I get to Q3 and I find something extra for the second run in Q3. And I had a bit lost that feeling recently. I've been working very hard to try and get back that feeling. It feels like today this feeling was back, but where I'm focused now is to keep that feeling, because I know how much it relies on fine-tuning and small details. But I feel like today we've done a step forward.

CL: I mean, my driving style is quite aggressive, which seemed to work quite well at the beginning of the year. But recently, for one reason or another, it was just incredibly difficult to put things together. It's true also that we've had two, three races where I was struggling with also some particulars on the car, but even since then it was just very difficult. It wasn't coming as easy is not the word, because it's never easy, but as natural as it should in qualifying. But today we did quite a few changes from yesterday's Sprint Qualifying and Sprint race, and I felt more at ease. But yeah, it's only a small part of the job. Tomorrow we've got a very long race ahead and I'm looking forward to show the progress as well in the race.

CL: I don't know, but I'll do my best. This is definitely the target. So then whether we'll manage to do so, I don't know. But surely, I mean, Kimi had incredible pace this morning. So yeah, we'll try and make his life as hard as possible. And if there's the opportunity to win, I hope I can take it.

LH: No, not particularly. I think in run two, actually my run two was pretty decent, but I lost my deployment. There was a problem with the deployment, basically, and I lost like three tenths down the back straight. But that got fixed towards the end. I just struggled more in this qualifying session with the car, a lot more understeer. But yeah, I'm still happy to be up here.

LH: Yes, those two. Then braking, for example for Turn 3, Kimi was talking about it, but that was quite inconsistent for me today with the settings that we ended up choosing. But yes, happy to see both Charles and I up here.

LH: I mean, we couldn't this morning, so I don't think that really changes. And he's just gone quicker than, way quicker than I went yesterday. So, nothing's changed between this morning and nothing will change between today and tomorrow. We'll do our best to hold on to them, but ultimately, if he gets a clean run, he'll be gone.

KA: Yes, it was not easy. But I think in Q3 I had to lift. But for sure, it's tricky because with this power unit you need to sometimes drive in a certain way that feels a bit unnatural. Sometimes going on throttle later, so in high speed you carry more speed, then you go on throttle later. Then you may lose a little bit on exit, but then you regain it because by delaying your throttle point, then you get more energy and a bit later into the straight as well. So, it's just tricky, you know, you need to work your way around. And that's why sim work has been extremely crucial, because just to make sure that these kind of things become natural. Because in the first place, you're even like, "Why do I need to lift?" So it's just tricky at times, but with the team we've done a lot of preparation and luckily these kind of things have become kind of second nature.

CL: Well, I think really we are very much focused on ourselves and that is the most important thing we need to do. Then going into the race, of course, you have some kind of targets and you've got to have a clear vision on who you are fighting in order to adapt your strategy around that. I think in Austria maybe we didn't do a great job doing that, but we will rather have that optimistic mentality rather than the other way around. But it's surely a fine-tuning that we need to do. But yeah, most of all, I think we shall focus on ourselves. It's the most important.

LH: No.

LH: No, I mentioned that earlier today, but yes, I think we've all been surprised. It's really a lot better than we anticipated. It's still really great fun to drive this track. For me, it's my favourite circuit. I think it just is incredible with the wind, the whole set-up. I think Silverstone's just done an exceptional job in building up this place over the years and creating a home for the crowd, the British crowd. Every morning when you make your way here, you see people here so enthusiastic. It's the best energy that you see anywhere and not disappointing one driver. It's like covering the whole grid. That's great to see.

KA: I think this weekend is probably one of the most special along Monza, because the crowd, as Lewis said, is amazing. It's incredible to see how much support there is for everyone. Of course, for Lewis in particular, but he's kind of the legend here. No, actually, he is the legend here, especially around Silverstone. But the crowd just gives you such a positive energy and to see people just waiting such a long time just to see you and to even maybe get an autograph or a picture, it's just incredible. And it's such a positive energy that just makes the weekend so special as well. I think also it's crazy that more than half a million people are coming this weekend. So yeah, obviously I've got a very special home race, which is Monza, but this one is definitely very special too.

LH: Yeah, hoping for a good day tomorrow with this wind direction and who knows? And yeah, everything is as normal tomorrow.

KA: Yeah, I think it was a good lap, but Monaco was more special. But I was happy with the lap and it was not a very straightforward qualifying, because especially at the start I've had my struggle. But to recover from that and to improve and to rebuild the momentum was very good. And that's why I was very happy that I was able to regain the confidence, build momentum, also with Bono in the session. Just worked around as well with Stefan, my performance engineer. We just worked around settings just to help to gain confidence. Yeah, it was great teamwork.

CL: What were those changes, you asked? I'm not going to say. Honestly, it's not as big as what people think. It's just trying to... I had two approaches recently. There was either the one where I just changed my driving style completely and just try and reproduce what Lewis is doing, because clearly it's working, or keep pushing in my direction and trying to find a way around where the car just fits my driving a little bit better. And I went towards the second route, which was to stick with what I know worked in the past and try to find a way around with the car and with every tool that I have available inside the car. So that's really what we did, and it definitely worked out. But I still want to stress that it's only one qualifying session. I mean, Austria, it wasn't a bad one either, but I don't think I had quite a good feeling. This one is different and it definitely feels better. But my focus now is to stay there and keep improving. As I said, it's only a first step. That doesn't mean that from now on it's going to change my season. Surely it feels good to at least have a qualifying where the feeling is good, where I know where the limit of the car is. I don't think I had any moments throughout that qualifying, because I knew exactly what to expect from the car. And that is a particularly good feeling after the struggles I've had recently.