Round 13 Post Qualifying Press Conference

FIA Formula 2: Hello from Qatar and welcome to the press conference of the top three qualifiers in FIA Formula 2. In third place we have Victor Martins from ART Grand Prix, in second is Gabriel Bortoleto from Invicta Racing and taking Pole Position today is Paul Aron from Hitech Pulse-Eight. Paul you just seemed to pull further and further away in that session, just how good did that final lap feel?

Paul Aron: It’s been mega session. To be honest it’s been a mega day from the get-go. A massive thank you to the circuit for providing the opportunity because I loved it out there today. The track was a lot of fun to drive. I would like to say a massive thanks to the team, I think if you have pace like that from the first lap it means the car is very good. That was the case from the first lap here the set-up was spot on. Hitech have done a great job giving me this car. It was a lot of fun, lap after lap I was just pushing more and more. As we can see with the wind on this track, which is super high speed, it is easy to make mistakes, so I just built it up. The last one you have nothing to lose anymore so that one I went for it.

FIA Formula 2: It’s your first time back in the car since Baku, there has been some gap in races this year, did you feel like you got up to speed yourself a bit quicker compared to some others?

Aron: At this level, all the drivers I think are good enough to jump in and get up to speed straight away. I sat out for two and a half months, most of these guys the same, when you jump back in on the first lap you feel at home – at least I did. When the car feels good it’s easier to get into the rhythm and get your confidence back. When you struggle with balance it is more difficult. I know how much work Hitech put in during the break as we struggled a bit in Baku. They prepared really well, I spent my whole break doing everything I can to prepare for this round and we arrived here, and it seems like the preparation is paying off so far. I am very happy for them and also for myself.

FIA Formula 2: The perfect start to the weekend so far, but you are still looking for your first win in F2, what is going to be the key to getting it over the line on Sunday? Aron: I don’t know. I’ve got three poles, this is the fourth. I don’t have any wins yet, so I don’t really feel the pressure in qualifying anymore. In other series you always think that if you pole you win the race, most of the time that was the case. This year it has not been the case. For sure we will work hard to try and do our best in the races. The truth is none of us know what to expect because we have never been here, neither have the teams. It will be interesting to see what the tyre degradation is. We have the two hardest compounds of the year but still it’s very high speed so it means that degradation will come into play. We just have to have a guess at what we think is best and hope it works out. There will be a lot of learning from tomorrow, going onto Sunday.

FIA Formula 2: Thanks, well done today. Gabriel P2 for you, are you satisfied with a spot on the front row? Gabriel Bortoleto: P2 is a very good result, I can’t complain. If you can sign for this result every qualifying session you would. I am happy to be starting from the front row, we know we are coming to the last two rounds of the Championship, so it is important to be consistently up the front scoring good points. A bit of a shame that I couldn’t do the last lap of the session and I needed to watch everyone else doing the last lap from the pits. It is what it is, I think I did what I could on track. Now it is time to check data, analyse things to prepare for the races which will be interesting. This track is amazing, a lot of high speeds, lots can happen in the race. The team delivered be a very good car today. The effort we have been putting in, in the last two months to get to this track very ready, it’s good when you know you can trust your team that you are going to show up on track with a car that is going to be in the right window. Congrats to Paul for the pole. Let’s race now.

FIA Formula 2: You mentioned consistency, with Isack Hadjar back in ninth place. This must represent a pretty good result for the Championship picture, are you keeping an eye on how his weekend goes too? Bortoleto: I’m not going to lie and say I don’t check. He is the closest one to me in the Championship right now, he will get the reverse grid tomorrow and that’s going to be a lot of points. The reverse grid can give you a lot of points – more points if he finishes in the position that he will start tomorrow. Let’s see. In the Feature Race anything can happen, tyre strategies, safety cars, this and that. Hopefully it can be a smooth weekend, and we can show the true pace on track, and we deliver what we can. I am just focusing on doing my best now. I have a little bit less pressure now, as I know already what I am going to do. I don’t need to deliver to show anything, I can just drive with freedom and have fun. That’s the most important part.

FIA Formula 2: You’re wearing a McLaren cap right now, but you have been confirmed as a Sauber driver for 2025 since we saw you last in Baku. Just how much are you looking forward to getting out there without having to worry about your future.

Bortoleto: It helps a lot. If you go into the last few rounds knowing that you have to deliver to get the seat or something of that sort it’s an extra pressure. It doesn’t mean it is a bad thing, you can take it as a positive. But I think when you drive, just enjoying what is my last season in F2, just enjoying the last two rounds that I have. Time flies, I started in F3 last year, did only one year and it feels like yesterday that it was the first race in Bahrain. I just need to enjoy this time. You never know when you are going to be in a position like I am today. Hopefully I can have a successful career in F1 but first I need to focus on finishing the job in F2 and doing my best, then having fun there.

FIA Formula 2: Victor third for you, that continues a strong run of Qualifying form for you, are you happy with your session?

Victor Martins: I think that has been three Top 5 in the last three qualifying sessions, so I am happy with this. I think we are clearly doing a step forward in Qualifying which has put us in a good spot for points and good results in the races. I know that we have a good pace in the race. Let’s see but for sure we will have things to analyse. There will be strategy decisions to make but once we make a decision we need to stick with it. Just happy with today, for sure we are coming from a bit far back in Free Practice, we weren’t happy with where we were and how the balance was. We did a good step for Qualifying so let’s see if we can do another one in the race.

FIA Formula 2: You qualified third in Baku as well and turned that into fourth in the Sprint and second in the Feature. Do you feel like you have the car in a sweet spot coming into the end of the season?

Martins: For sure, since Silverstone I think we are there. I have the confidence that I have the car also to perform, the team as well. So, we work with a lot more serenity than previously. I think with more confidence you have less pressure, you enjoy it more, for sure I enjoy motorsport but when I’m in front and for sure when I am fighting for wins and Pole’s it’s a good thing. I want to keep that for the rest of the season.

FIA Formula 2: You are currently eighth in the Championship heading into this weekend, do you have any targets in mind for the standings?

Martins: No, I’m not looking at it. There are for sure positions to take in the Championship but only if I do well the last two races, I’m focused with the team, we don’t want to put any targets. It would not be the right decision to make. We are just working hard during the break, we come here with good positions in qualifying and we need to just keep working to have the confidence to perform tomorrow.

FIA Formula 2: Well done today everyone.