Round 11 Post Feature Race Press Conference

FIA Formula 2: Hello and welcome to the press conference for the Round 11 Feature Race at Monza. In third place we have Richard Verschoor from Trident, in second is Zane Maloney from Rodin Motorsport and your race winner is Gabriel Bortoleto for Invicta Racing. Gabriel, congratulations, a big breath out there, from last to first, the emotions on the radio we heard it coming out of you. Can you believe the result today?
Gabriel Bortoleto: No, I can’t. The chance of this happening is less than one percent, it’s just unreal. With the pace we had today, plus the Safety Car, everything aligned, the stars aligned, we had mega pace as well with both tyres, and being able to pull away and to win like this in Monza, like a home race for me. I live in Milan, so it feels like home, and it’s just unreal, I’m so happy.
FIA Formula 2: What were you targeting before the race started and how big has the turnaround in emotion been since Friday?
Bortoleto: Yesterday we did a very solid race with 21 laps, we finished P8, with no pitstops and today in the first lap I was already P15, so I don’t know. We were expecting to be there, not fighting for the win because obviously Zane was very quick with Isack and Paul starting in the front. But you never know, it’s motorsport, anything can happen. Maybe we were aiming to fight in the top five with the best of situations, but we are able to win the race at the end of the day. So, it’s not how you start but how you finish.
FIA Formula 2: A huge result in the title race as well with Isack not scoring. How do you rate your chances now? You are just 10 and a half points behind him?
Bortoleto: We are back even closer to the fight. Three rounds to go a lot of things can happen, and we are going to go for this title.
FIA Formula 2: It’s been a special day as well for your former teammate Leonardo Fornaroli replacing you as the reigning FIA Formula 3 Champion. What do you make of his result today?
Bortoleto: I was screaming like crazy when he won the Championship. I won with Trident last year for the first time ever with the team and now they have done it for the second year in a row. He did it in a mega way overtaking in the last corner. I am super happy for Leo, and I want to talk to him because I haven’t seen him yet. I want to give him a hug. He deserves it so much. He is such a great kid, he is one of the nicest kids I know in my life. Just super happy that he did it. What he did today was unreal.
FIA Formula 2: Well done today, congratulations, great result. Zane P2 for you and I can only imagine that one stings for you after starting from Pole Position?
Zane Maloney: Yeah, it does of course. I did everything I could, got an alright start, kept the lead after the start and then we had great pace on the Supersoft to pull away from the field and then of course it’s motorsport. So, like Gabriel said sometimes you win out with the Safety Car, sometimes you lose and today we lost out, obviously Gabriel gained but he had great pace at the end as well. Obviously, he made a mistake in Qualifying but if it wasn’t for that he would have been at the sharp end anyways and close to the front with us, so disappointed but happy with the job I did.
FIA Formula 2: I think I heard on the team radio that you said you struggled a little bit in the second stint as well in that race. Given that and with the Safety Car not being your friend, how good a result is second place in the end?
Maloney: When I say struggled for pace I mean when you are following so closely to all the cars who have not pitted yet you can so easily kill the tyres and overheat the tyres. So, I did that a little bit, racing a bit too much, having to fight hard. I was kind of expecting to try and catch Gabriel, but he was too far gone, so I was just a bit disappointed. But I mean P2 is still great points, good result and we are back in the fight as well, so all good.
FIA Formula 2: You are 30 points off the lead in the Standings now. Have the past two weekends just brought the title into more realistic view for you?
Maloney: I’d say the more points you get, the closer you are to the lead of the Championship, so in that sense yes. I mean the car is great, I am driving in a good place, so obviously three more rounds and a lot to come for sure.
FIA Formula 2: Well done on second place. Richard 19th to third. Gabriel did steal your thunder a little bit but what a result for you as well.

Richard Verschoor: It’s a great result. Just like Gabriel we were a bit lucky, very lucky with the Safety Car. I stayed out on purpose because the tyres were feeling great. The Medium also had decent pace. I am happy with the improvements from the team compared to yesterday. In the end we did it with grace and we took the result.
FIA Formula 2: You said you stayed out longer because the tyres were good, but what went through your mind when you saw the Safety Car boards come alight?
Verschoor: I thought, finally I am lucky!
FIA Formula 2: Three podiums in the past five races, how well do you think you’ve been driving recently?
Verschoor: We had some issues in Qualifying and in Free Practice so that’s why we started in the back this race. But otherwise since the Hungaroring, we have improved the car quite a lot. Still not where we should be or where we want to be. We aren’t fighting with the top three guys, but at least we are in the mix. I think today again we showed that we are getting there with the pace. I am proud of the team and let’s keep moving forward.
FIA Formula 2: Congratulations, well done to everyone today.