Interview
FIA Formula 2: Hello and welcome to the Press Conference of the top three qualifiers for the FIA Formula 2 Championship in Budapest. In third place we have Isack Hadjar from Campos Racing, in second is Enzo Fittipaldi from Van Amersfoort Racing and taking Pole Position is Paul Aron from Hitech Pulse-Eight. Paul congratulations that’s your second pole position of the season and with less than one tenth of a second, how good was that lap out there?
Paul Aron: I mean less than one tenth of a second but I think that's how it is always in Formula 2. It’s not easy to make big gaps, it's a very competitive field. It is great to be back on top, we had a tough Silverstone round partly because of mistakes from my side but also we had a lot of issues and bad luck. It was just great to come here and deliver straight away. The lap was good, I mean I I'm sure all of you will see it soon, I had the on board camera on the car so I'm expecting it on the social channels. But it was a good lap and I was very happy.
FIA Formula 2: You’ve bounced back from a tough round at Silverstone, just how keen were you get back in the car and get going again?
Aron: Of course, I was keen but I was very happy to have the week break. The schedule we had during that triple header was very heavy, we were flying back to the factory every Sunday, we were in the simulator Monday and Tuesday so we were working really hard. Having the week off, I just rested. Coming back here I was never worried because the pace was there in Silverstone, it shows that the hard work is paying off, it was still very good it just didn't come together. This time I put the lap in, didn’t spin and here we are.
FIA Formula 2: On Sunday you are going to have Isack and Gabriel Bortoleto behind you on the road for the start of that race, do those battles become that bit more intense the further into the season we get?
Aron: Well, it would be very wrong to say that you race different guys differently, to be honest I don't think that's the case. This position only means that I'm starting first, it doesn't mean that I finished there so the job is nowhere near done. I still need to keep my head high and make sure that we deliver a strong race on Sunday. Obviously, Saturday is first but I don't think it will be an easy Sprint Race and the main points will be scored on Sunday. There are some good guys around me like always, I think the goal is to just do my own job and that normally gets everything done well.
FIA Formula 2: Well done today, Enzo second place, your best qualifying result of the season and it matches your best in Formula 2, how happy are you with the way today's session went?
Enzo Fittipaldi: I think now I'm quite happy. We've been struggling a lot with the pace in qualifying this season ever since Jeddah. We've worked really hard to get here and I'm happy that today paid off and we were able to be competitive in qualifying. It was super close at the front there and I'm very satisfied with the P2 but obviously I wanted a pole. I will keep pushing we're obviously getting better.
FIA Formula 2: You mentioned Jeddah, it was your best result in qualifying prior to today, that was 5th place. You follow that up with 3rd and 1st over the two races, so what can you achieve from second over the next two days?
Fittipaldi: I think we are honestly in a good position for the race tomorrow and the Feature Race. At the end of the day, I don't really have anything to lose. I hopefully will have a good start in both races and be aggressive and have good decision-making.
FIA Formula 2: You mention your qualifying form, how hard have you been working at that during the season with yourself and the team and how good was it to see it pay off this weekend?
Fittipaldi: It's been tricky this year with a new car. For us it's been really difficult. We've really struggled in the European rounds, Australia as well, it was very frustrating at times but I feel like we're learning and improving. Silverstone was a very difficult week for us. In qualifying we were really a second and a half off the pace, there was no pace at all. Now we're at the front so I'm sure we're learning and hopefully we can continue like this until the end of the season.
FIA Formula 2: Thanks Enzo, Isaac moving onto you now another top three qualifying performance after pole in Silverstone, did you feel like you got everything out of the car today?
Isack Hadjar: I think it is really hard to get everything out of the car in Formula 2 especially coming from practise where you're 3 seconds off. So, no I could have done a better job but I'm satisfied with it. I was struggling the whole day with the balance and to be third is great as well.
FIA Formula 2: You came into this weekend as the championship leader as well, does that carry any extra weight when you turn up at a race weekend?
Hadjar: No not really, because I always want to put it on pole. I don’t have the numbers in my mind really, it doesn't really matter. I will always want to be on pole, I will always want to win so it doesn't change the approach at all.
FIA Formula 2: Looking ahead to tomorrow and Sunday, how tough do you expect the two races will be with these high temperatures, both with tyres and physically?
Hadjar: It's going to be interesting, there’s going to be a bit of a mix on tyre compounds. We will see who will get it right. It's going to be funny I think. We will have to learn from that for the Feature, but definitely the track temperature is going to make it a bit more difficult for the drivers and the tyres. We will learn tomorrow and be ready for Sunday.
FIA Formula 2: Well done today everyone, thank you.