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MONTMELO, Spain — “Vamos!” was the battle cry for Alberto Puig as he climbed from his winning car at the end of the Monaco Grand Prix.

The word fills the air around Barcelona as Puig, Howard Dewitt and the team from Escuderia Pegaso makes its way home for the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix. For the first time in a long time, Pegaso fans have reasons to be excited. Pegaso sits third in the F1 constructors standings behind perennial favorites Red Bull and Ferrari, but as Puig proved in Monaco, the Flying Horses are capable of winning races.

The Monaco Miracle

Alberto Puig notched the first Pegaso F1 win in 1,592 days with victory at Monaco. American Jaxon Blake led late in the race, but a suspension failure forced the Chevrolet driver to retire, paving the way for Puig to assume the lead with four laps to go, and eventually take the win.

Q&A with Alberto Puig, Howard Dewitt and Escuderia Pegso Nicorz:

Q: For Sr. Puig, What went through your mind when you learned Jaxon Blake had a suspension failure and was out of the Grand Prix on lap 75?

Puig: Well, those were probably the longest laps of my life (laughter). I couldn't focus properly, and a thousand things came to my mind. The feeling when I crossed the finish line was unexplainable. Blake was pushing a lot; he was two tenths a lap faster. After my accident in Imola, I was happy to take another podium to raise the morale inside the team. But things happened, and here we are.

Q: Can you try to put into words what it means to you to win an F1 race at Monaco?

Puig: To be honest, I had the feeling throughout the whole weekend that we were pretty strong, thanks to the upgrades we brought here, the car felt very stable. We just missed a better starting position in Q3 with that mistake, but I've taken my first victory in Monaco, I still can't believe it. It's just a dream come true, and I'm very happy for my team; they helped me get the perfect car after my Imola crash. I owed them a good result. And now we are here, in Barcelona, my home race.

Q: Let’s talk about that car, Nicorz. How many seasons of work went into putting the Pegaso car we see today out on the track?

Nicroz: Hehe, well, I would reformulate the question to 'How many seasons of work have been needed to put the Pegaso team where it is today?’ 

It might seem the same but it's definitely not. Look, we have been very near to leaving this sport a few times in the process. Small changes didn't give us what we wanted, so in Season 49, with Petu92's help, we planned the short-term future of the team with a long-term perspective. 

We launched a very deep restructuring in all areas, from our headquarters to all our staff, and we went through any kind of reason that could be affecting our performance sooner or later. Then new managers with new drivers and a different mentality came in, and everything was much easier. We also tried to make sure that the name 'Pegaso' was not linked to the end of the grid, even if at that time it was. And most importantly, we never feared trying new things. Knowing all of this was already in place when the time to prepare for the new regulations came, we didn't have to do anything else than invest our money in what we already knew would work.

Q: For both drivers: We knew Season 60 was going to be an exciting year because of the engine rule changes in Formula 1. What can you tell me about the way the Pegaso machines are performing? Are they as fun to test, qualify and race with as they appear?

Dewitt: In the words of Fernando Alonso, “It’s a lovely car to drive”

I have driven a few versions of the Pegaso car and had lots of talks with Nico about what feels good, what doesn’t, but this one feels like it could be very special.

They have all had decent handling and downforce, but this car we can really throw into the corners and trust it to stay with us.

But the one big difference was noticeable on Day 1, first test. The sound and power of the engine — you could just hear it as soon as it fired up; there’s a lot of horses in there waiting to be unleashed.

Best part is this is only the beginning, the whole car will just get better and better from here, as Nico Newey over there fine tunes everything season to season. This will be a very coveted F1 seat soon enough

Puig: The 260 car has nothing to do with anything I had tried before. The power delivery is amazing and I haven't found the limit yet. At the moment it is the car that drives me, but I think that little by little I will know how to squeeze all its potential.

Q: For Howard, you've got a six-race streak of point scoring going now. How much is point scoring on your mind as you go about business on a race weekend?

Dewitt: Being consistent and helping Nico build a strong foundation is what my whole Pegaso career has been about.  

I’m getting on in age, so I might have lost a step in the race, but I can still find a great setup and have gathered lots of data myself, as well as advice from other experienced drivers over the years, on when and how hard to push at each track.  

If that helps me stay competitive and consistent then I’m happy, and if sharing all this with the next generation of Pegaso drivers helps them go even further, all the better

Q: For you, Nico, there's no doubt Pegaso is growing and its image is on the rise. As it evolves into a more global team, what sort of pressure do you put on yourself to uphold some of the team's traditions and maintain the heavy Spanish influence on the team?

Nicorz: Even though Pegaso is majority-owned by Spanish managers, that doesn't change the fact that we are a very open-minded team. Yes, we are the second biggest group in-game, but the Spanish community has understood very well throughout all this time that we don't have all the answers to the problems we face every day. We have managed to convince lots of international managers who have helped us in one way or another. For sure, some of them have had an impact that has stayed there throughout time, but we will never forget how some others helped us to pay our debts when we were financially struggling a few years ago. Everyone is welcome to join the flying horse — even Italians who probably don't know Ferrari exists because of Wilfredo Ricart, (laughter).

In addition to this, the Pegaso identity has helped us to have closer relations with the Ibero-American community. Together, they represent 20% of our fanbase, only behind Spaniards. Their individual communities in the racing world are considerably smaller, so we try to make them feel at home at all times. In the end, we all speak the same language and share the same values.

Escuderia Pegaso invites its fans to visit La Zona Fiesta de Pegaso just outside the grounds of Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya all weekend long. Young fans can meet mechanics, team officials and Pegaso Academy drivers. Adult fans can try a free sample of new Carlsborg Ultra beer, the finest beer ever developed by artificial intelligence. Any fan in McLaren apparel will be given a free glass of hot sauce. 

Until next time. “Siempre hacia delante.” Bienvenido a Barcelona. Mucho gusto. Enjoy the Spanish Grand Prix.