2022 Round 3 post Feature Race press conference

FIA Formula 2: Many congratulations to the top three finishers of the FIA Formula 2 Feature Race here at Imola, in third place Ralph Boschung for Campos Racing, in second place Enzo Fittipaldi for Charouz Racing System, and winning the race, Theo Pourchaire for ART Grand Prix. Theo, many congratulations on your second Feature Race win of the year from seventh on the grid. Just how confident were you coming into the race?

Theo Pourchaire: I was not very, very confident because yesterday the race was not so good. The pace was not the best and the start as well was not good. So, I just wanted to be happy about you know my race, not necessarily win but just be happy about going fast and also doing a good start, doing a good stop and everything went well. You know the start was almost perfect, the just the two guys in front of me touched so I needed to lift and I was very scared to crash with them, but apart from that then I just put the pressure on Juri. He made a mistake and then also Roy Nissany crashed in front of me. That was a bit strange, but I don't know they crashed in front of me so. Yeah, the race was almost perfect for us. So happy.

FIA Formula 2: Scary Theo, look you pitted early after Juri’s crash. How tough was it to make the tyres last from there?

Pourchaire: It was really tough because also we were far in terms of position. There were a lot of cars in front in front of us with the medium tires and they were not so slow. They were almost quicker than us so it was difficult. At that moment I knew I was P3 behind Ralph and Roy and I needed to fight with them. Not with the guys that didn't stop, so it was not easy to keep the tyre for the end of the race. I had a bit of oversteer and was struggling a bit, but as soon as I had a bit of gap in the last 10 laps I could manage it very well and I was confident in the car.

FIA Formula 2: After a frustrating weekend in Jeddah, you're now leading the Championship by two points. Is that a relief?

Pourchaire: Yeah, for sure! I didn't know that that's good, that's good. Yeah, I'm happy with that. Jeddah was a completely very, very, very bad weekend. Like nothing was good there and coming into this weekend and didn't know the track. So, in free practice with a lot of red flags and only half an hour, I did two or three laps, so it was not easy. Yesterday I was again learning the track on dry conditions. So yeah, I'm very happy about this weekend leading the championship 27 points in the bag. So yeah, everyone is happy also in the team so it's good.

FIA Formula 2: Well done to you. Enzo, huge congratulations. Your first podium in FIA Formula 2, you’re the comeback kid. What a journey it's been for you these past few months after the crash in Jeddah last year. Just tell us what this means to you?

Enzo Fittipaldi: Yeah, it means the world to me. Coming back after you know the big crash in Jeddah, it was a lot of hard work in the winter to get back and ready for the first race weekend in Bahrain and yeah, and I'm ready and I feel great. I'm physically and mentally as strong as ever. So, I'm really, really happy about that. And today the P2. I mean honestly, I was not expecting this. I started 15th and right the from the start I felt like we had a really strong pace and we were making a lot of overtakes. Then we pit stopped for the medium tires around, Theo pitted as well. Then on the medium compound as well, we were really fast, we were able to overtake Novalak and then Ralph in the last lap, before the safety car. So I'm just extremely happy with this result. I hope from here, I'm sure we'll be more consistently fighting the in the top 10. I know we had the pace in Qualifying, but then I had an issue with the pit stop in Quali and I had quite qualified 15th but up until there, we're always in the top five. So yeah, I think I'm just extremely happy with the second position. It's a lot of points for the championship and I just want to thank all my sponsors and obviously all my family that supports me and God always.

FIA Formula 2: Enzo well done. Many congratulations. Great result for you and Ralph coming to you now. Your first podium of the season. The foundations were laid at the start. Just tell us about that getaway first of all?

Ralph Boschung: Yeah, the start was amazing I actually got the lead for a couple of meters and then and then Roy got actually a better start, but I couldn't defend him. He had quite a bit more speed in the straights and then I yeah was second from 4th, so I think most of the race was done by the start actually. So I think that was probably one of the only good things from the races

FIA Formula 2: Can you tell us about the closing laps with the tires running out, you didn't have the pace of the cars around you.

Boschung: Yeah, I was a little bit confused to be honest because I couldn't believe Fittipaldi was actually fighting for the podium. I mean, it was amazing. I actually thought that he still had to pit and then he passed me and I was like, you know, I'm just going to save tyres and kind of cruise but he was second. So I got confused there which I think was my mistake because the engineer told me on the radio but I couldn't hear very clearly. Then a little bit, the rear right was overheating. But I think my driving was not really good to be honest so I'm not entirely happy about that. But I have to say congratulations to Theo because his move was impressive.

Pourchaire: Thank you!

FIA Formula 2: Ralph, still a good day. You're on the podium.