Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak Spa-Francorchamps Debrief

Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak made it to the podium for the first time in Formula 2, with an impressive performance at Spa-Francorchamps.

The ART Grand Prix rookie converted his P2 grid slot into second place in the Feature Race, continuing a strong run of form for the Thai driver.

We caught up Inthraphuvasak at the end of the weekend, to debrief his best result and to also preview Round 9 in Budapest.

ACHIEVING A FIRST PODIUM

“I feel really good. I’m super happy overall with how the weekend went, especially on Sunday.

“Finally I got a good result and it has been coming for a while now. But to finally put it together is a great feeling. The team definitely deserves it.

“We've been working really hard and they've been pushing really hard since the beginning of the season. We've had a tough season so far, but the potential has always been there. So to finally get the result that the team and I deserve, it's a really good feeling.”

MISSING OUT ON POLE BY 0.039s

“It was definitely a very good lap. My first set was not the best. I made a few mistakes but we were still inside the top ten, but on the back end of the top ten. I knew that there was a lot left on the table and I knew that the second set would be the one that counts.

“I got a really good tow. Unfortunately, in sector three, I was a bit too close to the driver in front. So I lost a bit of time there and considering the gap from pole was very small, I think we could have definitely had that without being too close in sector three.

“But anyways, I think it was a very good lap in general to put us on the front row, which is my best qualifying result. So I was really happy with how it went.”

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A MESSY FEATURE RACE

“At some point I didn't even know what was going on. We had the Red Flag and then there was a driver that started last, but he got a free pit stop under the Safety Car, so he was basically in the net lead after having the Red Flag.

“So it was a bit hectic. But I think I managed myself quite well during the Red Flag to keep my head cool, keep focused on the race, because it's always hard to stop and start again after a Red Flag. It doesn't happen very often.

“I'm glad that Laurens is okay as well, but after the Red Flag our pace was super strong in the second stint. So that's why we managed to overtake a few guys and stand on the podium.”

LOOKING AHEAD TO BUDAPEST

“It’s a track that I enjoy. It's a track that the past two years I've had good results in, so good memories. I'm looking forward to going back there this year. It's a city that I enjoy as well, it's a very nice city, so I am really looking forward to going there this weekend.

“But I think how we've performed in the last three weekends has been a massive step forward. So the momentum that I'm carrying is really good right now, and this is the last race weekend before the summer break.

“So I am just trying my best to end this on a high, to enter the summer break on a positive note. But I'm confident that the pace we've been showing in the last three weekends will show this weekend as well.”