Minì focused on Sunday fightback after qualifying P9 in Budapest

Gabriele Minì wound up P9 in Budapest Qualifying after contending for top spot earlier on in the session.

The MP Motorsport driver made a late-session improvement to ensure he was inside the top 10 and reverse grid for Saturday's Sprint, and will now go from the front row tomorrow.

However, back in the paddock and reflecting on the session, the Alpine Academy driver was disappointed to not walk away with a stronger grid position.

"A bit disappointing of course. After the first run we were quite good. I didn't do a good lap at the beginning, so I was quite surprised to be so far ahead. We just tried to change something for the second run, which did not work the way we wanted.

"I tried to compensate a bit also in some places, which once again didn't work out the way I wanted as well. A bit frustrating. I think the potential to be a bit more in front was there. But, we'll try to make it up in the races."

Expanding on the Qualifying session and the strategy we saw in terms of run plans, Minì said the team had considered running an alternative strategy, like the top trio did.

"We did consider it, but in the end, we just tried to go whenever we thought it was a good moment. I don't think that's the reason why they were one, two, three. I think they were just the quickest today. But, we did consider it."

Minì arrives in Budapest after putting in what he rated as one of his finest F2 races to date. The Italian driver bounced back from Turn 1 contact on the opening lap to secure P5 and valuable points in the Drivers' Championship fight.

READ MORE

• QUALIFYING: Maini secures top spot for ART Grand Prix ahead of Câmara

This weekend, he's set to start behind two of his three closest challengers, with Rafael Câmara qualifying P2, and Nikola Tsolov seventh. Despite this, the MP driver says he's confident about moving forward on Sunday.

"Definitely yes. We know that we have a good pace usually in the race, so we just have to try and use that.

"Of course, you care about those kinds of things in the title picture. But in the end, you try to score the maximum points that you can always achieve. You focus a bit on those guys that you're fighting with, but at the same time you have to focus on yourself."