Round 10 Post Sprint Race Press Conference

FIA Formula 2: Hello and welcome to the Press Conference of the top three finishers for the FIA Formula 2 Championship Sprint Race in Spa-Francorchamps. In third place we have Richard Verschoor from Trident, in second is Dennis Hauger from MP Motorsport and taking the top step today is Zak O’Sullivan from ART Grand Prix. Zak congratulations, you are the Sprint Race winner, but I imagine it is a bit of a surreal one today.

Zak O’Sullivan: Yeah, a bit different. We were waiting all day to get the race started, obviously condition limited. In the end we didn’t actually do many laps. It’s one of those days. Of course, safety is paramount so if the track is too wet then of course we can’t run. Just one of those things.

FIA Formula 2: You retained the lead at the start and looked comfortable out at the front. How tricky were the conditions on those racing laps at the start?

O’Sullivan: It’s tricky. Spa in general in the wet is really slippery, it’s cold and we don’t really get many laps, you get thrown straight into it. One installation lap and then off to Turn 1. It’s tricky, you have to kind of guess your reference points early on. That’s part of the challenge and I think we all enjoy driving in the wet because of that.

FIA Formula 2: It was a long wet day today but tomorrow is looking dry, what is the target from P10 on the grid in the Feature Race?

O’Sullivan: We will see. I think when you are in the reverse grid spots you are always in the mix in the Feature Race. You have the opportunity to mix around with strategy a bit more, you are less stuck with the cars around you. We will see. It’s F2 so it is always a bit unpredictable – you never know.

FIA Formula 2: Dennis P2 for you, what were the opening three laps like from your point of view?

Dennis Hauger: It was not easy, obviously not having done any laps in the wet this week and then straight into it. Going through Eau Rouge pushing like crazy to try and keep the gaps. Overall, bit of a weird day not doing many laps but a lot of time in the car. In the end I’m happy to get the P2. We didn’t quite have the pace to go for the win today anyway. I am happy to get a P2 today and looking forward to tomorrow.

FIA Formula 2: What is it like dealing with a day like today when the race is postponed and then a delayed start again? Mentally is it tough to stay in the right head space?

Hauger: I think you are still in the zone, going in and out between. Still just focused on what you have to do, even though you don’t really know if you are going to race. You have to stay prepared and always keep that focus to stay sharp, even though it is a bit later. It was fine, for me it didn’t matter too much. You get a bit bored almost because you want to go and then you just have to sit and wait but it was fine.

FIA Formula 2: It will be a fairly quick turnaround with the later finish today and then a race tomorrow morning. What are your hopes for the Feature Race tomorrow if it is dry?

Hauger: Qualifying wasn’t the best for us, but Free Practice I think we were not too bad on the Medium tyres. Overall, a lot of things can happen here in the Feature Race with strategies and generally if you have the pace around here you can make some moves. It is not the worst place to not be starting at the front in the dry at least. Let’s see what we can do.

FIA Formula 2: Richard, P3 at the end of a long day what was it like from your perspective?

Richard Verschoor: Same as what the other guys have said. Mentally it is not really an issue to go back in, but I just had a small lunch because we were racing soon so I was quite hungry at one point. I was happy to go racing but then the rain was just too much at some point.

FIA Formula 2: You were third in line, so you get a bit more spray and the visibility issues, what was it like from your point of view in that sense?

Verschoor: For me it was getting worse during the race. I heard that Zak didn’t complain at all of course. Already for me as the third car I had a lot of spray. On the main straight I couldn’t even see them in front. I can imagine the guys behind were complaining quite a bit on the radio.

FIA Formula 2: Your defensive work against Zane Maloney was critical given the timing of that and then when the Virtual Safety Car came out. Just talk us through that battle up to Les Combes.

Verschoor: I was struggling very quickly with the rear tyres. I think that Zane was a bit quicker than me at that point. He was quite quick at Eau Rouge as well, those high-speed corners. I saw him coming but I just tried to break as late as I could and hold him off. Luckily it was good timing.

FIA Formula 2: Thank you, well done to everyone.