Round 4 Post Sprint Race Press Conference

FIA Formula 2: Hello and welcome back to Imola where it’s time for our post-F2 Sprint Race press conference with our top three finishers. In third place, Luke Browning for Hitech TGR. In second we have Arvid Lindblad of Campos Racing and your winner today, Jak Crawford for DAMS Lucas Oil. Jak, well done today, a great drive by you. The crucial moment came right at the start for you, just talk us through the launch and how you managed from there?

Jak Crawford: We weren’t too confident at the start actually. Luckily, we had a great launch. That was going into Turn 1, I knew I had the momentum and that I was going to take the lead. I knew that was the critical point of the race. If I could get a good start, it would be a lot easier of a race to manage. That’s exactly what we did, and it panned out perfectly.

FIA Formula 2: You had Arvid closing in on you towards the end of the race. Were you aware of his times behind you or was it a case of just managing things to the flag?

Crawford: Yeah, my engineer was telling me the gap every lap and it was staying the same for the last couple of laps and then the last three laps he got a bit closer, but still not within DRS. It was well managed. The goal was just to not make any mistakes and make sure I didn’t hurt my tyres.

FIA Formula 2: The longer Feature Race comes tomorrow, you looked to have managed well on the tyres during the race today, a good sign for things to come?

Crawford: Yeah, it’s going to be an interesting one. I think maybe the degradation was a bit worse than we expected today on the Soft tyres. It’s the first time running the Soft tyres here in Imola. It is going to be an interesting race, with my starting in ninth hopefully I can make up some positions tomorrow.

FIA Formula 2: Thanks Jak, congratulations. Arvid, coming to you now. P2 having started in fifth around a track where overtaking is tough. Talk us through your race because you looked very quick today.

Arvid Lindblad: It was a really good race today. I started P5, got a good launch and then found a good gap into Turn 2. I was able to get into P3 already on Lap 1 and then we were just managing the pace. I saw Ritomo was starting to struggle a bit in front and Jak was getting away, so I thought that was the moment to try and go. I made the move on him and was then trying to manage things behind Jak. Like he said the tyres were quite critical today. We knew that with the Soft, it was the first time in Imola, so it was unknown, but we knew it was going to be a lot of deg, so it was about trying to be smart and using all that was left at the end. I was able to close in a bit but not quite enough to get into the DRS and make a move.

FIA Formula 2: We saw how important being in the DRS was, how difficult was it in the opening phase where you had to make moves but keep an eye on rivals behind?

Lindblad: Luke was quite quick in the early laps. I was trying to not push too hard in the beginning. He was putting me under a bit of pressure so the first couple of laps I was having to be more in the mirrors than I would have wanted. But I just settled into the rhythm and just drove, cracked on with it. It all started to be okay. Ritomo started to struggle so it very quickly went to attacking.

FIA Formula 2: A second Sprint Race podium for you in two weekends now, you must feel like a Feature Race podium is on the way sooner rather than later?

Lindblad: I hope so. It’s good to get podiums in Sprints but the Feature Race is where the real points are, that’s the proper race. I am happy with the progress being made. I think I am getting better every time I get in the car. I am keen to start being better on Sunday's races.

FIA Formula 2: Let’s see, well done today. Luke, thanks for waiting, P3 today for you. A tricky race but how were things from the cockpit today?

Luke Browning: Very good, as Arvid said I went for the fastest lap at the start of the race so probably destroyed my tyres a little bit early on. But all part of the plan, I think. Pushing towards the end of the race just wasn’t necessary. Second half of the race for me I just kind of let it go by and saved the tyres. Made sure I didn’t have any pressure from behind.

FIA Formula 2: The gaps went back and forth all race and you came under a bit of pressure towards the end. How tricky was it to balance pushing with protecting the tyres?

Browning: I am actually not sure if they did get within DRS or not, I think that’s how little I was looking in the rear mirrors to be honest. I could have pushed on at the end but equally the guys behind did a good job and we were all in a nice train. It was nice to not have a big last lap scrap.

FIA Formula 2: We’ve seen how quick the team has been this weekend, how hopeful are you for tomorrow when strategy comes in to play too?

Browning: Good, we are in a good place. I think the Feature Race has been won from outside the Top 5 in the last two races, so it puts me in a good place. We will see, strategy comes into it a lot. I think the weather will be stable. We have a little bit to work on management and deg looking at tomorrow. The two compounds will be interesting. Maybe the Option stint makes quite a difference tomorrow. Let’s see how it pans out.

FIA Formula 2: Let’s see, well done. Thank you all.