FIA Formula 2: Welcome to today's press conference with the top three drivers in Qualifying for the FIA Formula 2 Feature Race here in Monaco. We are joined by pole sitter Nyck de Vries from ART Grand Prix, second place is Callum Ilott for Sauber Junior Team by Charouz and in third place is Luca Ghiotto for UNI-Virtuosi Racing. Nyck, congratulations on your pole position. How do you feel?

Nyck de Vries: Yes I am very happy. I have to admit it feels a little bit different than our win in Barcelona last weekend. A bit more like a revenge because last year it felt a bit bitter. I could have walked myself through a wall because I really felt like we had everything to grab it and I didn't succeed. I think today we had very strong pace from practice, even though we were not quickest, I think it looked very promising. It was more a question of executing the package we had. We were strong so I'm very happy and thankful to the team for giving me a very strong car to grab pole today. I had four moments where I could have shunted it, but I kept it together and I think we really deserve this because we were the quickest today.

FIA Formula 2: The lap that secured pole position got you it by quite a comfortable margin in the end. How pumped up were you for that purple lap?

Nyck: To be honest in Barcelona, after our race win, I really had a kind-of satisfying feeling, now I kind-of expected it. Obviously you still have to do the job but some days you just know if you have everything to do and today was one of them. It was more a matter of doing it and executing what we had, and I'm happy that we succeeded, but it's only the first lap into the weekend. We have a very long race ahead tomorrow.

FIA Formula 2: Well done today. Callum moving on to you. Quickest in the first group. Was that basically all you could do, and what was it like then having to watch the second group go out and try and beat your time?

Callum Ilott: It is what it is. No, I did a good job. I mean I haven't been here before so I'll take quickest in my group, that's all I can do. These guys were quite a bit quicker, I think a combination of them being quite fast and also the track changing a little bit, but no, I think I'm happy with the job I did. Come back strong and keep improving, so I'll take P2 and the front row in Monaco on my first time here any day!

FIA Formula 2: As you say, a front row start, and it continues a trend improving Qualifying performances for you so far this year. What's been the key to that? Is it just getting experience in the car?

Callum: Bahrain, not crashing. Baku I didn't crash, that was good, but we didn't optimise the car. Barcelona I actually did a pretty good job, so I was quite happy with that, and then here I guess P2 is not that bad Laughs. Let's see what we can do tomorrow.

FIA Formula 2: Well done today. Luca, moving on to you. It took your final lap of that final session to snatch third place. How did the session pan out for you?

Luca Ghiotto: Well I think, to be honest, I thought I was not very quick, especially at the beginning. My first lap I think was 1.5 seconds off Nyck's first lap, so I started a bit too easy. Of course, on a track like this you're always scared of crashing and there's always that survival instinct especially in quali that makes you break earlier than you want to. In the end we were improving each lap and I think I probably got to my best when the tyres were not at their best anymore. I think P3 is my best result here in Qualifying, of course I would have liked to have been on pole but it's a tough race. Hopefully our start issues are solved, which is what I pray for since Bahrain. Let's see how it goes tomorrow.

FIA Formula 2: What are the expectations starting from third place because it's a tough circuit to overtake. Do you still look forward to try and make your way through?

Luca: I think if you get a good start you can gain one place, not more than that, because you can't really go through cars. There is no space, even on the main straight. I think we need to have good pace. Maybe, I don't know, we see a strategy where we can do something. It's one of those races where we'll just have to wait. Maybe we'll have to wait for the race to come towards you instead of you trying to find it. I couldn't do here what I did in Barcelona where I drove from last, it isn't possible. So we'll just have to wait, be calm, and see how it goes.

FIA Formula 2: Thank you. Nyck, returning to you. I think in the preview you said it's not just about qualifying at this race, but is the starting going to be the crucial moment, and what else do you have to look out for as the leader?

Nyck: I think Luca described it very well, that you have to sit there, keep going around, obviously with a decent pace, but you have to stay out of trouble and make the right decision at the right time. I think that's very important throughout the race. Last year Alex and I collided for the win here in the pit entry because obviously we both knew it was a crucial moment in the race because, whoever was going to come out in front would have basically won the race if they'd stayed out of trouble. It also showed that Monaco is an extremely long race and anything could happen. People tend to hold positions when you make the right decision at the right time with a bit of luck. We do our job, we try to do the best we can hope it's enough. We'll see.