Round 9 Post Sprint Race Press Conference

FIA Formula 2: Hello and welcome to the Press Conference of the top three for the FIA Formula 2 Championship Sprint Race in Budapest. In third place we have Victor Martins from ART Grand Prix. In second is Kush Maini from Invicta Racing, and taking P1 today is Richard Verschoor from Trident. Richard, congratulations your fourth win of your F2 career but your first of this season and it feels like not only today but also in the race you had been patient for that one.

Richard Verschoor: Yeah that’s correct. Of course I'm very happy with the win, I had to be patient because of course it was a bit of a gamble - well not really a gamble because I thought I had made the right choice, but then when someone passes you on the Softs you're like, ‘did I make the right choice?’ but then quite quickly I think I realised that he was going to struggle. In the end that's what happened. I had a very good base, a very good car so that helped my race massively.

FIA Formula 2: It's been a tough run for you after that weekend in Monaco, how special does it feel for you to get the win under your belt now? Verschoor: Not special at all no. Many times in Formula 2 the race it got taken away. In Monaco, I will keep it nice, I wanted to say some words I cannot, but somehow I feel like I cannot really be happy until it's certain so I'm just going to wait for one hour or two see if I really got the win and then I will celebrate.

FIA Formula 2: I will throw it forward to tomorrow, starting from 10th with everything you've seen today and what everyone has had to deal with in terms of the tyres, do you think there could be an opportunity to move forward?

Verschoor: In F2 there's always opportunities. Every team will now analyse what happened, how they can improve for tomorrow and so do we, so let's see tomorrow. I think we have a good package, we're more or less there so let's try to choose the right strategy and then push from there.

FIA Formula 2: Well done today. Kush a fifth podium in the season for you, how was the race from your perspective?

Kush Maini: Yeah fifth podium of the year. I think it's been a very up and down year, I am happy with the amount of podiums but that doesn't always really reflect on the season. I think we've had a lot of missed opportunities, a couple of rounds which were out of the team and my control. I'm just happy to be back fighting. The team never gave up on me and they kept pushing. I have great people around me and I'm glad we're back fighting towards the front. I think Richard today did a great job, it was really tough to follow closely so I had to keep the gap around two seconds and keep it there the whole race. He managed well, I think today the maximum was second.

FIA Formula 2: Richard mentioned with Kimi going out in front and then coming back, were you hoping that maybe him trying to defend would bunch things up and give you some opportunities there?

Maini: Yeah you always hope but in the end I think Kimi was really struggling; I think me and Richard I saw that it was going to come to us, so we were in no rush, I don't think Richard was going to take a risk he played it smart and it paid off.

FIA Formula 2: You were talking about how happy you are with the tyre choice even before the race had started, but were you surprised at all that the Option tyre dropped away so much and so early in that race?

Maini: Yeah, I thought they'd be quicker but obviously Victor and others were managing a lot at the start and they managed to make it last. I thought midway through the race when we pulled away massively, that the Options we're going to actually have to box but obviously Victor took it to the end, so it just depends how you manage them. So tomorrow's race is going to be very exciting.

FIA Formula 2: Congratulations. Victor I've got to ask, how did you manage to finish on the podium on the set of Options today?

Victor Martins: I think the key was just accepting at the beginning to not use this advantage on the Soft’s compared to the Hard. I was just trying to keep my position, which was P4. Of course seeing Kimi in front pulling away I was like, ‘can I push more?’ But then I knew if you push one or two laps then you drop massively after with one or the other axle of the car. I think I just kept calm with the team. I had good communication regarding the guys on Soft’s. When I started to feel that I could push, then I did, and I think we made it to the end quite easily. I still had a bit more so that was good.

FIA Formula 2: What does it feel like behind the wheel when you're trying to rein yourself in like that because a number of drivers had to make pit stops today because the tyres got away from them so much?

Martins: I think it's just keeping the focus on yourself for what you feel with the car. What are the issues, how you need to adapt to the car balance and having good communication with your engineer and with the team on what to do and what is the target for the next five laps or at the end. Them telling me how the others were on the Soft and I think I got a good one. I think it feels good and it's a good confidence boost for tomorrow and the rest of the season.

FIA Formula 2: You just said that you maybe think you had a little bit more in there today. Starting from fifth tomorrow, do you think you’ve got a car and the pace to challenge for the win?

Martins: Yeah for sure. I think it's been two rounds that we have definitely been back to where we belong. I think in terms of pace and in terms of feeling in the car it's much healthy. It feels just connected and I think that's the thing we need from now until the end of the season. Just getting a good consistency on the car balance, on the feedback I give to the team to improve the next session. I think we are now definitely into that window and I'm super happy about how we never gave up, we worked so hard and we now start to see that it's paying off.

FIA Formula 2: Thanks very much, well done today.