Victor Martins: “I didn’t procrastinate, I went on the attack! »

Victor Martins continues to impress! For his second qualifying session in Formula 2, the Frenchman splashed the field with his talent, with a masterful pole position. The ART Grand driver won his first pole position with a fantastic time, more than 6 tenths faster than his closest pursuer, Ollie Bearman. The Ile-de-France resident had the luxury of beating his teammate Theo Pourchaire, third, with more than 7 tenths of a margin. 

Unaccustomed to taking pole positions – his last one dates back to November 1, 2020 at Imola, in Formula Renault – Victor Martins savors this magnificent performance in Jeddah. “I had good tests, I had good feelings with the track. Right away, I tried to attack as much as I could without going beyond the limit, to gain confidence and to give good feedback to the team. I arrived in qualifying with strong self-confidence, confided the Frenchman at a press conference after qualifying. I knew what to do, I knew where I had to save time with the supersofts. I didn’t procrastinate: I went on the attack! We also had a good strategy and it ended with my first pole. It was a fun ride! »

Martins king of sector 1

Already qualified in 2nd position in Bahrain behind his teammate and compatriot Théo Pourchaire, Victor Martins shines with his ability to adapt to his environment. The ART Grand Prix driver had just discovered the Corniche circuit in Jeddah that morning! “I wish I had a heart rate monitor to see how hard my heart was beating!” [On urban circuits], you are at the limit all the time, without having time to think. You have to instinctively take a turn (…) and manage your emotions. »

The Frenchman was especially very fast in sector 1, where he was more than 3 tenths faster than the rest of the grid. “It’s no secret when you look at the times: in sector 1, I found something. From this morning I was very fast and comfortable with high speed corners. Coming out of turn 10, I just had to stay calm and finish the lap because it was a very good sector 1! »

Victor Martins' first objective will be to finish the Main Race, having been knocked out of the race on the first lap in Bahrain. If he manages to survive the first round, he will undeniably be the favorite of the event given the pace shown this Friday. “I am totally focused on both races. The work is done [in qualifications]. We have to work and see what we can do in the race. »

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