Interview
FIA Formula 2: Good morning from Silverstone and the press conference with the top three finishes in today's FIA Formula 2 Feature Race. In third place we have Jack Crawford for DAMS Lucas Oil, in second is Zane Maloney for Rodin Motorsport and your race winner is Isaac Hadjar for Campos Racing. Isack congratulations, the win today and the Championship lead as well, just how does that feel to get that job done?
Isack Hadjar: It feels amazing, was still a tough one I was not really on it yesterday and today we had really tricky conditions but we made-up for it today so I'm happy.
FIA Formula 2: You had to fight your way back through to the front, just talk us through specifically that battle with Victor Martins that went on for a few corners. Hadjar: The grid was pretty damp for me at least. I had a lot of wheel spin and we missed the start, but we managed to keep the third place. From the start of the race I felt we had very good pace behind Oliver Bearman, I just couldn't get the move done. Then the fight with Victor was a bit on the edge. We got the move done but we lost the place to Jak and then we lost a bit of tyre potential with that fight so we could not win it on track.
FIA Formula 2: You were told about the penalty, I think pretty soon after you were in second place, was it all under control from there or was it hard to make sure he didn't get more than five seconds away?
Hadjar: I had to push, obviously Jak was quickest and I tried to just stay within five seconds. I still had to defend on Zane who's pushing me behind so I still had to keep up the pace.
FIA Formula 2: Thank you, Zane P2 for you again today after the same result yesterday just how happy are you with your return for this weekend?
Zane Malony: I'm very happy, of course yesterday was a good race, today again a good race. Starting from P9 I had a good start and just generally had good pace on the softs and hards. I made good moves. I mean the one thing that of course we didn't get was Isack which I think if I done a few things better at the start of the hard stink maybe I could have had a chance. Obviously Jak and Isack did a really good job and all three of us were pushing flat out every single lap of the race. There were a lots of moments out there so happy to bring it home.
FIA Formula 2: One of the key moments was the pit stop when you were coming out of your pit box with Jak coming out too, just talk us through it from your perspective.
Maloney: You just look at the guy with the lollipop in the team, so obviously my lollipop went up, I went and then I wasn't expecting DAMS to send Jak because it would have been tight for sure. Obviously we saw it was very tight and I had to slam on the brakes. Of course nothing that Jak can do, you just go when the team says, so maybe a misunderstanding with one of the mechanics. Of course he got the 5-second penalty so it all evens out at the end of the day. Just a good race in general.
FIA Formula 2 Did you know the time gap because those closing laps it was getting quite close to five seconds. I think you crossed the line technically 4.9 behind him.
Maloney: I got told with roughly three laps to go or four laps to go and what the gap was so then I started pushing flat out. I was looking at the screens after every few corners seeing the gap, I saw one was four seconds so I knew I had a bit of a margin. It ended up one 10th at the end so we needed the help. It was close for sure.
FIA Formula 2: It was good to watch, Jak you won on the road today but P3 in the final results, what are your emotions like right now?
Jak Crawford: honestly, it's one of the best races I've had probably ever had in my career. We had really good pace. Everything was going perfectly except for the pit stop I guess. It is weird because I didn't even celebrate or anything and I feel like that was an amazing race but I feel so so down at the moment.
FIA Formula 2: When did the team tell you about the penalty because you said you were pushing right to the end of the race, did you know what the scenario was at that stage?
Crawford: So it was the perfect timing actually it was right when I passed Isack that they told me I had a 5-second penalty. I was flat out into the end of the race, I almost crashed so many times, it had to be done.
FIA Formula 2: On that move for the lead just talk us through it because it looked like you timed it perfectly in terms of getting the momentum on the top two.
Crawford: When I saw them side by side through chicane and then the last corner and then Isack didn’t back out for Turn 1 I knew that I had them both. I knew there was no way Victor was making the corner and I just need to get the DRS to set them up. I was licking my lips, I was ready.
FIA Formula 2: Congratulations to all three of you today.