Round 10 Post Qualifying Press Conference

FIA Formula 3: Hello and welcome to the Press Conference of the top three qualifiers for the FIA Formula 3 Championship in Monza. In third place we have Gabriele Mini from PREMA in second, we have Alexander Dunne from MP Motorsport and taking Pole Position today is Championship leader, by 1 point, Leonardo Fornaroli. Leo congratulations, the Championship deciding weekend and you’ve put yourself on Pole, it must feel like the perfect start.

Leonardo Fornaroli: I am very happy with our performance. It was a messy session, with the tows and the Red Flag. I knew it would be tricky with only 13 minutes but in the end we managed the situation quite well and I managed to get a good lap at the end.
FIA Formula 3: A very good lap! You took Pole Position by such a margin just how happy were you with that final lap?
Fornaroli: I am very happy with my lap, also because I had an electrical issue in Free Practice unfortunately. So I only had one lap on old tyres. Since the first lap I felt very confident with the car. We did a mega job with Trident to set the car for Qualifying. It was very good.
FIA Formula 3: A couple of points for Pole but more points on offer tomorrow in the Sprint, what is your mindset going into Saturday?
Fornaroli: Of course I will try to recover as much as possible but I will also keep in mind that I don’t have to throw away all of the good things that I am doing.
FIA Formula 3: Well done today, Alex top of Group B but not enough for overall Pole. Just how satisfied with this qualifying are you?
Alex Dunne: Happy of course. To be honest I was surprised to be top of Group B. I think it probably wasn’t one of the best laps that I’ve done. On lap 2 I was quite a few tenths up but I got traffic. Definitely there was more on the table which is nice. To be pole in the group and still have more in it is always a positive. Of course I am happy, disappointed not to go one better – the same as Spa. A pole would have been nice this time but I can’t complain.
FIA Formula 3: Two qualifying sessions in a row that you have been on the front row in the Feature Race. Does it feel like anything has clicked late in the season for you?
Dunne: No, I think a lot of drivers would say the same. When you feel good in the car and the car is working well it comes pretty easily. I think Spa Qualifying was the best that the car has felt for me. When the car is doing what you want it to do, it’s easy to put it together. I think this year, sometimes it’s been more on the difficult side of things and that has made it more difficult for me to do my job. But these last two weekends it’s been a bit better and makes it easier for me. I would say I’m doing the same job I have done all year but from the other side it has helped me a little bit.
FIA Formula 3: There’s no title fight for you but what are your targets for the two races ahead?
Dunne: There’s no title in it for me but still I don’t want to do anything silly. We are still in a good place where I can finish the season on a high. The Sprint Race is always a bit chaotic so to try and capitalise on the things that are going to happen in the Sprint Race is always good. It’s the last weekend of the year so ultimately to win on Sunday is the big thing. There is nothing in it Championship points wise for me but to come away with a win on Sunday would be nice.
FIA Formula 3: Good luck, Gabriele third for you on the grid and a quarter of a second off Leo. How was your session?
Gabriele Mini: It was a pretty good session. It was quite chaotic with many drivers trying to stop in the middle of Lesmo, trying to get a tow. In the end we got a Red Flag and it came down to the very last lap. On the first lap I don’t think that anyone really had enough temperature in the tyres, at least I did not. The second lap, I managed to put everything quite nicely together. A bit of traffic in Sector 2 but apart from that it felt like a good lap.
FIA Formula 3: Was the most important thing for you today just to be at the front, with the Championship in mind.
Mini: Yeah definitely. I think if you’re not going to be on Pole then the key is to be in the Top 3 or Top 5. I always aim to be there. I think today we did that, so it was a good job from the team. It was a good Quali
FIA Formula 3: How do you feel about the title fight this weekend, how have the nerves been coming into the final two races.
Mini: It might sound weird but this is the weekend that I feel the calmest. I don’t know why but it just feels pretty chill in the paddock. Even in the tension of the Qualifying, the car was pretty calm and not really nervous at all. I am quite excited to be able to fight with Leo, my friend, we have been traveling together for many years. We have been rivals on track but good friends outside so I’m really excited to be able to fight for the Championship this weekend.
FIA Formula 3: Thanks to all, well done today.