Round 2 Post Qualifying Press Conference

FIA Formula 2: Welcome back to Bahrain, and now it's time to hear from our top three qualifiers in FIA Formula 2. In third place, we have Luke Browning for Hitech TGR. Lining up in second place is Victor Martins for ART Grand Prix, and on pole position is Leonardo Fornaroli for Invicta Racing. Leo, congratulations, your first pole position in Formula 2 in just your second race, you must be delighted. Leonardo Fornaroli: Yeah, very, very, very happy about today. I knew the pace was strong, as we saw from testing. So yeah, lot of confidence for today. Free Practice already felt good, even if it was another world compared to testing. But then, when we went to qualifying, from lap one, I felt very good with everything. I was really confident to push to the max. So yeah, very happy about today.

FIA Formula 2: It's like you can see my notes, because I was going to say it's a track all the drivers have some experience on, but you look so comfortable from the start of qualifying. Is that due to having tested here? Or is it something different? Maybe you've done with the car this weekend?

Fornaroli: For sure with Invicta, we worked so much in testing and we had a very good base to start this weekend, so I think it’s because of that.

FIA Formula 2: And you showed good pace as well first time out in Melbourne to start the season and picked up the podium in the Sprint Race. Do you feel like you have the race pace here to convert this pole position into a victory?

Fornaroli: Well, in testing, I struggled a bit starting the race simulations, but on the last day, we fixed a lot of things, so also on that, I'm confident, but I know that anything can happen, because it's a track where you can play a lot with degradation and strategy. So the weekend has just started.

FIA Formula 2: Well, it's a very good start to it as well. Congratulations today. Victor, P2 on the grid again. How do you feel after that session?

Victor Martins: I think it was a great day overall. You know, fighting for pole today, also in Melbourne, and I got promoted to pole on Sunday. I think it's been a good start to the season. We are back, definitely. Since the end of last year, we definitely have the car to always fight for pole, which I'm super happy and confident with. So I think it's a good spot for good opportunities tomorrow. We’re going ahead with confidence, no pressure, just if you’re at the front, it’s only positive, and you have this mindset of you have nothing to lose, let's say, tomorrow, and everything to play and to go for it for Sunday. So, starting P2 is a good spot.

FIA Formula 2: You mentioned Melbourne, obviously we didn't get the chance to race on the Sunday with what the weather did there. But what do you think you can do here on Sunday, given it looks pretty hot?

Martins: Definitely the weather conditions are not the same as in testing we had two weeks ago. So for sure, we need to analyse well what we did when we were here and make this compromise with the setup of the car, the driving also on my side to be there and fight for the victory. In the end, we will have some good data tomorrow. Let's see who is going with which tyre compound for the Sprint Race, and see how the deg is, but for sure, it’s warm now during this weekend. So, for sure, it will be quite interesting, and it will be a good race to watch, I think.

FIA Formula 2: Well, in terms of the three up here on the sofa, you're the most experienced in F2 machinery. Do you think that might give you an advantage when it comes to tyre management over the next two days?

Martins: Always. But in the end, we had three days of testing. For sure, as I said, the conditions are not the same. So, I will try to make the most out of it, use my experience, emotionally, technically, in the car and, and let's see what happens. But Leo's an F3 Champion. I know Luke also from last year. They are all very good and for sure, they will be quick.

FIA Formula 2: Well done today, thank you very much for that. And Luke, moving to you now your best qualifying result in Formula 2 so far, and straight after an FP1 with Williams, it's been a pretty good day for you?

Luke Browning: Yeah, enjoyed that. A lot has to be said for testing to make this jump. Just incredible. Really happy with the Hitech team I have around me, they have been fantastic, and yeah, very grateful to them. Obviously, the adaptation was tough. Hopping out a Formula 1 car straight into Formula 2 is not easy, but yeah, I think we made most of it today. I think the other guys on the couch probably vouch it wasn't easy today. Track conditions are a second and a half slower than expected, so I think it was very easy to make a mistake. I think my main goal was just hit every apex, and we did that. So yeah, very happy with my lap today. I think why I was so excited over the radio is I didn't exactly expect to be here from testing. So yeah, happy.

FIA Formula 2: I was going to ask, and you might not have the answer to this yet, but what do you attribute the strong performance today to? Is it just building experience in this type of machinery? Is it the fact that the conditions were maybe a bit different?

Browning: Honestly, I just think it was difficult. Experience in Formula 2 is massive. Doing that again - it's my first time here in Bahrain and Formula 2 car, I'd approach the second sector differently. I think I pushed a little bit too hard to start with. Had a purple sector one, and then had some degradation throughout the lap. But yeah, I'm happy with where we ended up. Honestly, if you told me P3 at the start of the day, I'd have snapped your hand off. So yeah, we're in a good place, and our race pace looked good in the test. So let's see.

FIA Formula 2: Well, speaking of race pace, I mean, you scored your first podium in Formula 2 first time out in Melbourne. How confident do you feel of adding to that right now?

Browning: Step-by-step, you know. Take it steady in the race. See how we get on. If the opportunity is there, I want to win, but equally, I'm happy to take the points and roll on with the Championship. At the end of the day, this is about consistency and consistently being there, which we have been so far.

FIA Formula 2: OK, great stuff, thank you very much.