Transcript from the 2016 United States Grand Prix top three podium interviews at Circuit of the Americas, in Austin, featuring: race winner Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), second placed Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) and third placed Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull). Podium interviews conducted by Gerard Butler

Gerard Butler: Hello Austin! Congratulations Lewis.
Lewis Hamilton: How are you guys doing! What an incredible crowd we have here. It’s you guys that make this race so special. Thank you for so much for coming out.

GB: So, Lewis, you needed the win, you got it, how do you feel?
LH: I feel OK. This has always been a good hunting ground for me. I love being here in the States. It very much feels like home and, as I said, we have had some incredible support this weekend, which I’m so thankful for. So a big, big thank you to everyone and the team did a great job this weekend to put us both up there and I’m very proud to be a part of it.

GB: So you’ve won, what is that, four times here now, five times in America, you love this track, and it’s your 50th grand prix win! One off Alain Prost – amazing.
LH: Oh, finally! Finally. I completely forgot. Thank you very much.

GB: [Nico] How do you doing? How are you feeling, talk us through it, an unusual opening?
Nico Rosberg: Yeah, I mean I lost out a bit at the start unfortunately, then gave it everything to come back. Second place is OK, it’s damage limitation here today of course. I wanted to win here in America, that would have been awesome, but it wasn’t to be. Next time, maybe.

GB: Were you playing the percentages? Were you playing safe a little bit?
NR: No, no, definitely not. Flat out all the way to the end.

GB: Daniel! I hope you’re going to speak to me not in your Aussie accent. I’m a Red Bull man so, like you, I’m very happy. What a great start.
Daniel Ricciardo: Thank you very much. I hear Mr Butler does not drink alcohol, I respect that completely – but I believe he’s going to drink some Red Bull out of my shoe right now. The race wasn’t that exciting but hopefully now…

GB: I did not,,, Listen, I love Red Bull but you’ve got to be kidding me! [Drinks from Ricciard’s shoe] I hate you… actually quite tasty…
DR: Thank you very much for that sir. That was an absolute… display.

GB: I though you did absolutely fantastic. Tell us a little bit about the start for you
DR: This is quite overwhelming. So yeah, the start went nearly to plan. The start was OK. The plan was to try and get both Mercedes. We at least got Nico, which was a positive. Then we were looking like we were holding second quite well and then the Virtual Safety Car. It is what it is, it’s a bit of a frustrating one sometimes. Nico was able to jump me through that procedure. Bit of a shame obviously. I think we would have had a good fight at the end, so sorry about that but a bit out of my control.

GB: OK Lewis, gloves are off.
LH: How did that taste? Bit of toe-jam and Red Bull?

GB: Well Red Bull’s quite a powerful drink – so fortunately I could taste mostly the Red Bull.
LH: Good, good, good.

GB: So, gloves are off, what are you feeling now. You’ve tightened it up a bit…
LH: All I can do is do my best and continue to drive as I have this weekend. Nico’s been driving fantastically well all year. So the battle will continue – but I know we’ll have all this support that will continue as well. So please keep your fingers crossed guys.

GB: Are you going to take him?
LH: I’ll be going for it.

GB: Thank you guys, thank you very much.

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This article was originally published on grandprix247.com.