Qualifying
Taking advantage of a strong package and some solid preparation work, Victor secured his 2nd pole position of the year, after Jeddah, while Théo was 3rd.
Sprint Race
o On a slightly damp track with the possibility of some further light rain, Théo started on wet tires, while Victor opted to start the event on soft slicks.
o Théo completed a spectacular first lap in 2nd position, while Victor was cautious on the damp track and slipped down to 15th.
o A safety car and the gradual drying of the track reversed things. While Théo changed tires and finished the race outside the points, Victor’s strategy paid off and he made numerous overtaking maneuvers to claim his 5th podium of the season.
Feature race
o Both drivers started on super soft Pirelli tires. Théo instantly took the 2nd position, Victor 3rd.
o After their pit stops, they were running in formation down in 9th and 10th places, which automatically became 3rd and 4th when their rivals pitted for super soft tires. However, a safety car allowed the latter to keep in touch with our drivers while still having completed their pit stop.
o Théo and Victor didn’t have the weapons to resist their rivals on new rubber, and saw the chequered flag in 7th and 9th places.
o Théo keeps in 2nd place in the championship while Victor moves up from 10th to 7th.
Victor Martins:
“I felt confident from the very first lap of free practice. The team did a great job, the car was a delight, and I was able to attack for pole position.
For the sprint race, we waited until the last moment to choose slick tires, and we had to keep our cool in the first few laps! But once the track was dry, I found excellent balance and was able to attack as much as I wanted to overtake several cars.
The main race was frustrating. I lost two places at the start because of wheel spin, but the podium was still within our reach until the safety car completely reshuffled the cards.
Despite everything, we made few or no mistakes in Austria, we’re performing well whatever the conditions, and this good base should enable us to aim for pole and victory at Silverstone.”
Sébastien Philippe:
“It was quite a frustrating weekend because, despite being very competitive, we were not able to reap the rewards of our good work.
Qualifying 1st and 3rd, we expected to be fighting at the front, but the safety car’s arrival in the feature race couldn’t have come at a worse time for us. Having run a solid race, Théo and Victor were sitting ducks for their rivals.
Théo was also unlucky in the sprint race, where tire choice was a lottery. Victor was patient at the start of the race, and drove skillfully so he could stay on the track in very tricky conditions. His comeback to 2nd place was a model of its kind and earned him his 3rd podium in a row, his 5th overall.
Despite disappointing raw results, our level of performance is good, and we must remain calm and focused on our objectives for an intense month of July.”
Copyright: Dutch Photo Agency
