Boya aiming for victory on Sunday after positive Budapest Sprint Race

Mari Boya was happy to with his points scoring result in Saturday’s Budapest Sprint Race, although he felt a better result was possible if not for a late Safety Car.

Starting in P11, the Campos Racing driver had a great start to get up to eighth by the end of Lap 1. He stayed in that position before gaining a place when Théophile Nael and Noel León collided late on.

That incident on Lap 14 brought out the Safety Car, but with Boya in seventh, there was only time for one racing lap, leaving the Spaniard to accept his position, giving him some valuable points.

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“I’m quite happy, although maybe a bit disappointed,” reflected Boya. “I expected the deg to be a bit higher. Maybe all the teams were really scared about the deg, and people were not really pushing at the beginning, so there was a really big DRS train.

“So when I saw that I was stronger than the people I was around, I decided to attack. I was making an important move on Nael because I felt he was one of the strongest there, but then the crash happened, and the Safety Car came.

“I think this was key to the race. It was the point where I was a lot faster than the three cars in front. It was important to overtake on the last lap, but the Safety Car came, so there were no laps at the end to make a move.

“Also, starting P2 tomorrow, I didn’t want to risk a penalty. But the pace and the car felt really good, and I am confident, I was already confident before the race, so looking forward to tomorrow and let’s see.”

Looking at what was possible if not for the Safety Car period, Boya said: “I read the race as trying to attack in the last four or five laps, and P4 was possible. I was analysing everything and seeing how people were struggling at the end, but the Safety Car came, and we couldn’t do anything, so we learn for tomorrow.”

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Boya is set to start from second in the Feature Race, lining up alongside Championship leader Rafael Câmara, who can seal the title tomorrow.

The Spaniard says his aim for the race is simply to win it, and while he could deny his TRIDENT rival the chance to become Champion on Sunday, that is not on his mind.

“To win the race,” said Boya of his goal for the race. “I don’t care about the Championship. He has more to lose than me at this point. But as I said yesterday, my mindset is to enjoy what I am doing and I think it will be a race I will enjoy.”