Round 14 Post-Qualifying Press Conference

FIA Formula 2: Good afternoon from Abu Dhabi where we’re joined by the top three qualifiers for the FIA Formula 2 Feature Race this weekend. Taking third today is Leonardo Fornaroli for Invicta Racing. In second place on the grid is Jak Crawford of DAMS Lucas Oil, and taking pole position is Roman Stanek also for Invicta Racing. Roman, congratulations on your second pole of the season. That must be the perfect way to round of the year?

Roman Stanek: Yeah, I’m very happy but at the same time I’m sad I’m leaving F2 and a great team like Invicta. But it was a very good lap. The car was on rails, and I’m very happy with it.

FIA Formula 2: Well, it puts you in the best spot for Sunday as well. Just how much are you looking forward to rounding off the season?

Stanek: Yeah starting from P1 is always good. You have the best seat in the house. At the same time, we've been struggling a little bit in the races. So yeah, I’ll just keep my head down, try to learn as much as possible studying from the past years, looking at the data where to improve, where to save the tyres, because we have to save a lot of tyres these days, and then try to do my best.

FIA Formula 2: It's been a really strong second half to the season for you as well, but sitting 11th right now in the Drivers’ Championship, is the overall goal for you this weekend to get into that top 10?

Stanek: Yeah, of course. It's a shame that we are only P11, but I think I can still fight for P6 or P7 something like that. So let's see. As I say, I will do my best and see where we end up.

FIA Formula 2: Well done today, congratulations on your pole position. Jak, moving on to you now. P2 after a very busy day with your FP1 outing as well, just how comfortable did you feel out there in the F2 car?

Jak Crawford: Yeah, very good today for sure. It feels like one of my best days on the track in terms of driving fast and in Practice. Of course, the F1 session, and the FP1 and running back, and straight away being right on the pace again for the first run in F2.I was really happy with that, and I think really happy with the qualifying as a whole. Honestly, I thought I would struggle with the adaptation, but straight away I had good lap times.

FIA Formula 2: Speaking about that adaptation. What were the biggest challenges that you faced? And were there any areas that might have help at all?

Crawford: Honestly, I didn't really face any challenges, except that it's just different, and it's a different seating position. The brake pedal feels a bit different, the throttle pedal feels a bit different. So in terms of the feeling of the car, I had a good feeling. So I was just able to follow my references. I had good speed, even if it felt a little bit weird. On the first lap, I was able to follow my references, I felt very good straight from the first time of quali, and that gave me a lot of confidence for the rest of it.

FIA Formula 2: Well, looking at the overall standings, the title was ruled out last weekend, of course, but you’re still in the fight for second place. How keen are you to secure the runner-up spot this weekend?

Crawford: Yeah, very, very excited. If you can't be first, might as well be second. I think realistically, of course, even if I had a good weekend in Qatar, it would have been tricky to fight for the title considering Leo's form in Qatar and here in Abu Dhabi in Qualifying. To get second in the Championship would be great, and my qualifying helped that as well.

FIA Formula 2: Good luck for the rest of the weekend. Leo, thanks for waiting, third for you today, and you pulled it out with that final lap right at the end. Just how happy were you with that?

Leonardo Fornaroli: It was a decent session. In Free Practice, I struggled a bit, but I was confident going into Qualifying. It was a good first set, everything was clean. Then we wanted to change something on the setup for set two. We went a little bit too much, and we were off sync with every other driver, which was not ideal. So with that, the warm-up procedure and also my final push were a bit messy, with a lot of drivers around me. My final push wasn’t super clean, I made a mistake in Turn 5 which compromised a lot of time, but anyway, still P3.

FIA Formula 2: It's been a big week for you as well. Just how does it feel arriving here as Formula 2 Champion already, does that take the pressure off a little bit?

Fornaroli: A little bit less pressure today, yes but still, I’m very focused because I want to do a good weekend and end the Championship with a good weekend.

FIA Formula 2: Were there any celebrations after Sunday for you to enjoy, or was it full focus on this weekend?

Fornaroli: Nothing crazy, just a good dinner on Sunday. But then I wanted to focus on this weekend. So celebrations will be after the season is over.

FIA Formula 2: Well, enjoy that and well done today.