2023 Round 6 post-Qualifying press conference

Thoughts from Saucy, Beganovic and Bortoleto

FIA Formula 3: Many congratulations to the top three qualifiers for the FIA Formula 3 Feature Race here at the Red Bull Ring. In third place, Gabriel Bortoleto, for Trident. In second place Dino Beganovic, for PREMA Racing, and taking his first pole in Formula 3, our polesitter Gregoire Saucy for ART Grand Prix. Gregoire, many congratulations, your first pole. A big moment for you?

Gregoire Saucy: It is a big moment, first pole in F3, it's really nice and here at the Red Bull Ring. We will have four races in five weeks so it's really good to start the weekend like that, for the mind. I'm really happy, and for the team also. We did quite a lot of work during the small break. I'm really happy for ART, for all my sponsors, my family at home. This pole is really nice.

FIA Formula 3: You say that you made a lot of changes, how good was the car?

Saucy: It was really good, we worked on it quite a lot. In Free Practice I didn't have a tow I just managed to do my laps alone and take my marks. It was good. We just managed to work with the team between FP and Quali to try to improve, the car balance was really good and then I had quite a good tow also. Everything was good in this Qualifying.

FIA Formula 3: You had a good tow but that suggests there were cars around you. How tough was the traffic during the session?

Saucy: It was quite messy at the start because everyone wants a tow, so everyone slowed down. At the end I managed quite well to find a gap with the driver in front and I got a good tow. I started the lap quite close to the driver in front, and hoped he wouldn't make a mistake and he was quite fast also so I managed to have a good tow and a good lap. A bit of luck, but my lap was good so I'm happy!

FIA Formula 3: Gregoire, many congratulations. Dino coming to you now, four thousandths of a second, I don't know what that equates to in terms of distance but I'm sure you've been thinking about it since Qualifying. Where do you think you lost it to Gregoire?

Dino Beganovic: It was a good quali, I can't lie. The car was really good, the team gave me a really good car so I have to thank them a lot. We've done a lot of work since the beginning of the season and in this little break to improve it and we were definitely on the top during this Qualifying. We were fastest in the first run. We didn't really quite get it right in the second run so that's where I missed out. Drivers can save a little bit here, a little bit there and you're on pole because it's so close in this Championship.

FIA Formula 3: You say a little bit here and a little bit there, but where did it not quite work for you?

Beganovic: Maybe just the upshift! I think I was a little bit too close to the driver ahead so I lost a little bit in the high speed sections. Maybe I would have preferred to be a bit further away on my own. I'm still very happy with P2 and it's a great spot to start the race on Sunday.

FIA Formula 3: It sure is, well done to you. Gabriel coming to you now, fastest in Practice, how did the car feel during Qualifying?

Gabriel Bortoleto: It was good, we put in the top three, we did a good job there. I felt better in FP, to be fair, in terms of driving and putting the lap together. Still it's not a bad position to start for Sunday's race. I think the team worked a lot in the break and we came back to the top three in Qualifying. For sure we always aim to be P1 but it was two races already that we were inside the top five but not in the top three. Now we are back.

FIA Formula 3: What about the long run pace of your car? How do you think it'll go in the Feature Race.

Bortoleto: Honestly I don't know because we didn't test long runs in FP, but what I can imagine it will be very tough because we have two DRS zones so it will for Gregoire to keep this pace if he is not overtaken in P1. It's always a DRS train and I think it will be a quite a messy race that is fun for the spectators and us as well.

FIA Formula 3: We're looking forward to it!