Antonio Giovinazzi: “You must never lose confidence in yourself”

For your 3rd home GP in 2020, you grab the last point up for grabs as you start dead last, hats off!

I am very happy with the result. My first lap was once again very good. We were able to attack at the start of the race with the Tendres. Our strategy was relevant, even if the end of the race with fairly worn Mediums was complicated. I did my best to contain the attacks of my opponents until the end. This is the best way to celebrate my new contract.

Precisely, how difficult was it to ignore the rumors circulating around your possible replacement by a hope of the Ferrari Driver Academy in recent months?

It's part of the game Formula 1 and in high-level sport in general. You are always under pressure from the young shoots who shine in the lower categories or that of your colleagues on the grid. As I have always said: if you do a good job, your performance is there, your speed is undeniable, you can keep your place, even when you don't have huge support. financiers or a famous name. I am happy and proud to continue the adventure with this team where I made my debut in F1 in 2017. It’s like a second family.

You have established yourself as one of the kings of the start this year. What is your secret?

I am very happy to gain so many positions in the first laps. It is all the more important this season, because it allows us to hope to play for points later. I worked a lot on this phase of the race, because I had a lot of difficulty in the first lap last year. I am happy to see that the efforts in this area have paid off.

The C39 is not as competitive as its predecessor. How do you deal with frustration from the cockpit?

This season is not a smooth ride indeed, between the pandemic, the calendar with quite a few new tracks, and our level of performance. In these conditions, the main thing is to score points when the opportunities present themselves. I am very happy to have been able to seize these opportunities. We also managed to improve the car with the team compared to the start of the season, particularly in qualifying. We must not stop there and continue to do everything possible to obtain better car next year.

The Ferrari engine is penalizing you this season. What do you know about the next propellant supplied by Maranello?

We will see what happens, because this does not fall within our prerogatives. We don't have the means to improve the engine. I just hope he will be better and installed in a more competitive car to aim for points in all the races.

You sometimes tend to blow hot and cold. How can you show yourself more regular?

I remain a young driver, I have to learn and improve from race to race. This is my main objective for this end of the season and next year. You mention my mistakes: the important thing in such a situation is to learn from them. When you're on the limit, you can make mistakes. You should never lose confidence in yourself. I turn the page and bounce back from the next meeting. I have always done this in my career.

What have you learned from Kimi Räikkönen since your collaboration began in 2019?

So many things. I couldn't have asked for a better teammate. He’s a great guy, first of all, and a great driver. We could see during his first lap in Portimão that he remained very fast and motivated. He also has immense experience. He pushes me to attack more, if only to get ahead of him. This is not an easy thing! To beat him, you have to be at the top of your game. It’s positive for my career and beneficial for toughening my mind. You progress faster when you team up with a good driver.

This season, we have the impression that the dynamic within the team alternates throughout the races: you had the advantage initially, then Kimi regained momentum, before you reacted recently. How do you explain it?

I had a little difficulty adapting to certain developments introduced at the start of the year. This is one of the challenges of this unique season. With the sequence of races, we don't really have time to validate all the parts as usual. And then, I was happy to see Kimi react and give me a hard time. If you easily beat your teammate every weekend, your motivation may suffer. With him, you never know what he might pull out of his hat. You have to be 100% all the time.

Räikkönen is not the only big name you face in a mid-grid where you can also come across a driver of the caliber of Sebastian Vettel. How does it feel to fight with him?

It’s surprising of course, but also gratifying. You don't often get the chance to fight with Ferrari, so it's a great feeling to finish ahead of them.

As an Italian driver, how do you stand out when everyone only has eyes for the Scuderia?

I completely understand the enthusiasm that Ferrari arouses, not only in Italy, but also around the world. It’s such a prestigious name that it can be difficult to share the stage. My goal is to constantly improve myself to perhaps one day drive in Ferrari colors. Carlos (Sainz. Editor's note) will be at Maranello for the next two seasons, but I am determined to get this seat after him.