On the first day of activity at the Ile Notre-Dame paddock, Charles had his usual meeting with the journalists and he began by explaining why this is one of his favourite spots. “Montreal is a city I really like and I know it pretty well now, as I’ve spent quite a bit of time here over the past few years,” he revealed. “I like to bring friends and family to the race so as to spend some time together when I have the chance. This year, we visited Mont Tremblant for the first time, it was fantastic and I liked it a lot. Even Leo was happy!”

Spain. Charles was asked about the technical problems he encountered in the second half of the last race in Spain, and he explained they started in the second stint. “We had to work round it, but at least the first stint was very positive.”

Expectations for Montreal. Charles reckons the team can do well here. “Ferrari could get close to McLaren in terms of performance as our car works well over the kerbs, although on paper, a win looks difficult, so a podium finish is the realistic goal.”

With Lewis and Fred.  Finally, Charles was keen to underline that he, Lewis and Fred are all pulling in the same direction. “We share a common goal of getting back to winning races and we’re working hard to achieve that,” said Charles, adding that he has been impressed by his team-mate’s driving and his work ethic. “It’s impressive how he is able to manage everything, while staying totally focussed on the racing. He sets an example worth following.”