Qualifying
After dominating the free practice session, Victor secured the 2nd best time in qualifying. Théo, unable to match his performance in free practice (3rd), started from the 14th position in both races.
Sprint Race
Victor’s race virtually ended in the first lap when he couldn’t avoid a car which has spun. The collision damaged a part of his front wing, which had to be replaced. Victor finished the race in 20th position with the fastest lap. Théo had a good start and took advantage of the first lap incident to climb to 9th place. He gained two more positions to score two points.
Feature Race
Starting from 2nd place on the grid and with a set of medium tires, Victor ran the entire race in the leading pack. He took the lead on the 10th lap, changed tires on the 24th, and returned to the track in 2nd position, a position he maintained until the chequered flag. He set the fastest lap on the last lap.
Hindered by several duels, Théo couldn’t fully capitalize on a very good start but completed the first lap in 12th position. He then struggled to overtake rivals in a DRS train and changed his soft tires on lap 7. In the final part of the race, Théo engaged in a splendid battle with his only championship rival, who had fresher and softer tires. They swapped positions several times but then Théo was in the top 6 and assured of winning the title barring any incident in the last few laps. By finishing 5th, Théo secured the Drivers’ Championship. Thanks to Victor’s 2nd place, making him the best rookie of 2023, ART Grand Prix clinched the team championship.
Théo Pourchaire:
“I am both happy and exhausted. It was a fantastic weekend with the F1 tests and securing the F2 titles. Congratulations to the entire team and to Victor, who is the best rookie. After qualifying, it took mental strength to bounce back. Starting P14 for the sprint and the feature races was stressful but I didn’t want to throw in the towel, and I think it would have been difficult to do better in both races. After my disappointment in 2020 when I narrowly missed the F3 title, I was determined to win the F2 title but also to reward ART Grand Prix, which is a fabulous team with whom I have progressed so much over the years. Thanks to ART Grand Prix, it’s a great end to a beautiful journey together.”
Sébastien Philippe:
“The wait has been long since Monza, but we took advantage of these two and a half months to prepare mentally, sportingly, and strategically. We knew we had the potential, the technical staff, and the drivers to win both the Drivers’ and Teams’ titles, and achieving this is a great source of pride and a just reward for ART Grand Prix. After a challenging Saturday, Théo and Victor delivered a perfect performance for the final, achieving the best possible results. 2023 will go down in the company’s history and allows us to prepare for the future with enthusiasm and determination.”
Copyright: @parcfermé
