- Qualifying
With only a small amount of data, traffic and a shortened session, not one of our three drivers were able to optimize their qualifying lap despite their potential. Grégoire secured 12th place, Nikolas 15th and Kaylen 23rd.
Sprint race
- In the sprint race a 3-place penalty demoted Grégoire to the outside of the 2nd row, but the Swiss deriver made a strong overtaking manoeuvre to take 3rd place and climb onto his 2nd podium in a row.
- Nikolas had a solid race and gained experience with a 14th place finish, while Kaylen saw the chequered flag in 24th position after a complicated race in the principality.
Feature race
- After an excellent start, Nikolas moved up two places to 13th place behind Grégoire.
- The two teammates raced in formation until the chequered flag was waved, gaining several places due to a clear run. The Swiss driver (10th) was rewarded with his 8th finish in the points from 8 races, while Niko (11th) missed out on his first point by less than a second.
- Kaylen finished a tough race in 25th place.
Gregory Saucy:
“Qualifying was disappointing, and the penalty deprived me of pole position in the Sprint race. We bounced back well with our preparation for the race. The start was crucial, you had to be smart and precise. Our strategy worked well, and I moved into 3rd place, after which I waited to see if the driver in front of me would make a mistake or open a door, but they didn’t. This podium rewards the team and allows us to stay in contact with the leaders.
As demonstrated last season, it is important to score points in every race in this championship, and that is what we managed to do on Sunday, starting from quite a distance back on the grid. Not making mistakes and taking advantage of those others make helps build confidence and serenity for the rest of the season.”
Sebastien Philippe:
“It was the first time in a while that F3 raced in Monaco, and therefore we all lacked benchmarks. Free practice didn’t allow any of the teams to learn a lot due to the downpour that happened just before the start of the session. ART Grand Prix reacted well for qualifying, where Greg and Niko were in the lead pack for a long time. Unfortunately, unlike their rivals, they were unable to progress on their last runs and this is something we will have to improve on because qualifying often plays such a decisive role in the final result.
Greg drove perfectly in the sprint race after gaining a place at the start to finish on the podium and he showed good control on Sunday. His regularity continues to allow him to stay in the hunt for the title.
For his first race in Monaco, Niko showed his adaptability and finesse behind the wheel by not making any mistakes while racing fast on the most complex circuit of the year.
Overall, the raw results aren’t what the team were expecting, but there are positives in what we can expect in Barcelona a week from now.”
Copyright: Dutch Photo Agency
