The flying French duo: Théo Pourchaire and Victor Martins on being ART Grand Prix teammates

The Tricolour is represented very well on the Formula 2 grid, and the ART Grand Prix line-up is made up by two incredibly quick Frenchman in Théo Pourchaire and Victor Martins.

Both have been rapid all year, fought for and won multiple races, but F2 is one of the only Championships they have faced off against one another. So how well do they really know each other? Quite well as it turns out.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR TEAMMATE?

Théo Pourchaire: Describe Victor? So, he’s a racing driver, Alpine Academy driver and ART Grand Prix in F2. I’ve known him a long time and he’s a karting World Champion in the junior categories. I remember the day very well, I was on the podium with him. The first time we met actually, we crashed together…”

Victor Martins: “We got on from the start really well…”

Pourchaire: “It was the first two laps. But we’ve known each other since we were 10 years old or something like that, I know him very well.”

Martins: “I know Théo Pourchaire from the Sauber Academy. Nah I would say he’s aggressive, quick and a young driver. He’s been racing since he was really young and always fighting for titles. He doesn’t question himself a lot, just goes for it. As he said, we’ve known each other for a long time but we’ve not raced against each other apart from in karting and F2 now.”

WHAT IS YOUR TEAMMATE’S BEST QUALITY?

Martins: “I would say he's really open-minded, in terms of the working atmosphere in the team, we’re there to work together. He’s not a closed off driver who isn’t open to answering any questions. I’d say it’s the best quality I have seen compared to other teammates I’ve had.”

Pourchaire: “For me, it’s clear: pure pace. His one lap is just really, really fast. He’s got three poles already this year and he’s a rookie in this category. It’s really impressive, I think it’s a great quality.”

IF YOUR TEAMMATE WASN’T A RACING DRIVER, WHAT WOULD THEY DO FOR A JOB?

Martins: “He’d be a basketball player for sure!”

Pourchaire: “I don’t know which level, maybe not a great level but yeah I’d probably be a basketball player. For Victor, I think he was French champion in gymnastics when he was younger so maybe that. Maybe he’d have been an Olympic gold medalist.”

Martins: “Maybe, we’ll never know.”

READ MORE: Sakhir Flashback: Pourchaire hits the ground running

WHAT IS THEIR MOST ANNOYING HABIT?

Martins: “Not too many honestly.”

Pourchaire: “Let me think about it. I have something for my old teammate Frederik Vesti that annoyed me!”

Martins: “I have one for Théo! It’s not one that really annoys me but because we have completely different approaches to the warm-up before jumping in the car, our time schedules are the same but he’s always in the suit half an hour before me and I always think, ahh I’m late! I always to the opposite – warm up before the suit goes on and he does the opposite. Every time I see him I think I need to do so many things before I’m ready to go. It’s not annoying but it’s one of those things.”

WHO’S THE FUNNIEST?

Pourchaire: “I don’t know.”

Martins: “I would say both, in different areas but both.”

Pourchaire: “Everyone speaks French in the team, so we have some laughs.”

Martins: “For different things but it’s good.”

IF YOU HAD TO COOK A MEAL FOR THE OTHER, WHAT WOULD YOU COOK?

Martins: “I will cook pizza for him.”

Pourchaire: “I’d prefer a cheeseburger but I’ll take it. For Victor, that’s a good question. I think probably some salmon with rice and vegetables. I think so.”

WHO’S THE BETTER LOOKING

Martins: “Ooh well look compared to all the other drivers, we’re the best-looking team. We’re the best looking as a team.”

Pourchaire: “It’s me, no question! Also I’m the most humble!”

WHO KNOWS THE MOST ABOUT CARS?

Martins: “I think I’d say him. I don’t really know a lot about cars outside of racing, like cars in general. I follow a bit and I like them, but racing is my thing, so I’d say him.”

Pourchaire: “Since I was young, I’ve read books about cars so outside of racing, I know a lot about cars. We’re both passionate about our sport.”

WHO’S ON THEIR PHONE THE MOST AND WHO TAKES THE LONGEST TO REPLY TO MESSAGES?

Martins: “Him. Ah but the longest to reply, probably me, but him on the phone…”

Pourchaire: “Yeah I agree, I’m always on the phone which isn’t great and I take a lot of time to reply too, it’s crazy.”

Martins: “I see the message and sometimes I’m just like, I’ll reply later and I never reply. That’s a huge problem for me!”

READ MORE: Have the F2 rookies found more pace after the summer break?

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST THING YOU’VE LEARNT FROM EACH OTHER

Pourchaire: “We’re pushing each other a lot which is great. To push the limits. This season it’s not the first time but having someone who’s pushing me that much, which is great.”

Martins: “Also for me, the driving skills, in Qualifying and the races, he’s always there. Consistency in Qualifying he’s been really strong and his tyre management in the races has been really good too. We’ve pushed each other in different things to the top. I think we’ve been the best in Qualifying in terms of average results. In the races maybe we need to work, especially myself, but I would say I’ve been stronger this year.”

WHO SPENDS THE MOST TIME IN THE GYM AND WHO IS ON THE SIMULATOR THE MOST?

Pourchaire: “Hey, the gym I think is you.”

Martins: “In the simulator, maybe him at Alfa Romeo.”

Pourchaire: “We do a lot of simulator.”

Martins: “I’d say simulator same, but me probably in the gym. Honestly now you’re in F2, you have things to do with our personal academies, we don’t have as much time as before to go to the gym. I’ve seen that I have a lot less time for the gym. I go when I have time but that’s it. I try to go everyday but it’s not easy.”

WHAT’S ONE THING YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO TELL YOUR TEAMMATE BUT HAVEN’T DONE SO YET?

Pourchaire: “To be honest, that’s a good question.”

Martins: “Nothing.”

Pourchaire: “Don’t overtake me on the track. Give me slipstream? No to be honest, we know each other very well and the good thing is, we speak the same language and we’ve been with ART a long time now, so we say everything to everyone like we’re friends. It’s like a family the team.”

Martins: “If you were asking this question before Monaco, then maybe the Monaco thing but even after this, we spoke about it.”

WHO WOULD WIN IN AN ARM-WRESTLING MATCH?

Pourchaire: “We tried, and I lost.”

Martins: “I don’t want to do it again. When I was young, I almost broke my elbow. I was at a karting track when I was five or six but after I had mega pain in my elbow. The people had a bet with me, and when you do a bet with me, I cannot lose! So, I was giving it my all and all my energy and I won, but I had a lot of pain after. So since that moment, I’ve said I’d never do that again, because if I want to win, I’d do too much and I’d probably break something.”

Pourchaire: “We’ll do it for the picture.”

Martins: “And the result will go out at the end of the season!”