2023 Round 10 post-Qualifying press conference

Thoughts from Goethe, Collet and Aron

FIA Formula 3: A very warm welcome to the top three qualifiers for the FIA Formula 3 Feature Race here in Monza. In third place, Paul Aron for PREMA Racing, in second place, Caio Collet for Van Amersfoort Racing and our polesitter, Oliver Goethe for Trident. Ollie, many congratulations on getting the pole. It was a slightly mad session how satisfying was it for you to take this pole and come out on top?

Oliver Goethe: Yes it feels amazing to be on pole position. Ideally, I would have liked it to happen in a cleaner way for my first pole position in F3, but it'll take it. The pace was there to get it anyways.

FIA Formula 3: What is the secret to a quick lap in Formula 3 around Monza?

Goethe: Well it's tricky around Monza, the Qualifying sessions are always chaotic so just to get a lap done is very important. In Monza, there are not many turns so every detail really makes a difference.

FIA Formula 3: And what about slipstreaming, how actively were you looking for the tow?

Goethe: I think everyone was looking for a slipstream actively. On my best lap, I didn't get a slipstream but Qualifying was so chaotic that was enough to get pole position.

FIA Formula 3: It did end with you going off the track, talk us through what happened.

Goethe: So after my quickest lap I had an accident, I was continuing to push, still improving. Like I said, ideally, I would have liked it to happen in a cleaner way but I got lucky that the session didn't get resumed and I'll take it.

FIA Formula 3: Talk us through the prospects for the Feature Race, you're starting in the best possible position. How do you win at Monza, given that you do have slipstreaming and big braking zones?

Goethe: It's tricky starting from P1 in Monza, like you said there is a big effect from the slipstream so it's very easy to overtake and it's very difficult to defend that first position. I'll give it my best go and I know the pace was there so I'll just try to be smart.

FIA Formula 3: Ollie, thank you, and many congratulations on your first pole in Formula 3. Caio coming to you now. As Ollie was saying it was a chaotic session, how difficult was it to navigate from your point of view?

Caio Collet: With all the Red Flags it was a really difficult session. In the end, we managed to do only one push lap. I think the majority of the grid did only one push lap, but I'm glad that we did a good lap and it was good enough for P1 at the time. Ollie improved a little bit later on before we went out again, but anyway, quite happy with P2, could have been better, could have been worse as well. From here we can fight for both races.

FIA Formula 3: How good was the car? You clearly hit the ground running with it.

Caio Collet: For sure, since Free Practice the feeling was quite strong. We knew getting a lap in Qualifying at Monza is really hard so I was quite confident with the car and since this morning we also had a good pace. I knew that putting in a safe lap would have put us in the top five, but I managed to get a clean lap and it was good enough for P2.

FIA Formula 3: Caio can we get your thoughts as a season as a whole, it's crazy to think we're at the last round already. It hasn't been the easiest season for you, but your speed seems to increasing by the race at the moment. Are you pleased with where you are now?

Collet: Qualifying second is always nice. It was the best Qualifying of the season but a bit too late. I have had ups and downs during the season, it was a difficult season but in general, I was quite happy with what I did and hopefully, we can finish off strong in the last races tomorrow and Sunday.

FIA Formula 3: Well done Caio and Paul coming to you now. I wonder what the overriding emotion is for you now. You came into this weekend with a chance at the Championship, you needed pole to keep those chances alive. You're P3 and it's very tight at the front but how do you feel right now?

Paul Aron: It was always going to be mission impossible wasn't it? I needed to score all the points we could this weekend and Gabriel had to score zero but nevertheless, as a driver, you still want to show something and I think a pole position this weekend would have definitely proved something. The car was good, the team gave me a good car, and I felt really good during the session so I would have loved to have another run. We haven't had many rounds with soft tyres with this F3 car and it's super nice to drive so I was a bit sad that we didn't get an opportunity to go out there and push for a few more laps.

FIA Formula 3: Had you had those last ten minutes or so, do you think there was more time in the car?

Aron: It's always easy to say that now, now that chance is gone, but I would have definitely gone for it - that's what I can say! I felt good, the session was messy and I felt on it on my side, and from a mental side which is really important in a session like that. PREMA gave me a good car. We had a few points to tweak after the first run, so going into the second run we could have had the car in a better window so I was feeling very confident to go and push again.

FIA Formula 3: Paul, a final one from me, could we get your thoughts on the Champion, Gabriel Bortoleto, the season he has and what sort of arrival he has been?

Aron: I've been racing with Gabriel basically my whole career, ever since karting we've been rivals and he's done a very good season. He's done what he needed to do, he was super quick at the beginning of the year and he used that. He was second in Bahrain, he was on it straight away and won the first two Feature Races so he got himself a comfortable lead after that he was super consistent and that's what he needed to do. Nothing bad to say about him, he's had a very good season and there is a lot of respect from my side. I wish him all the best for the future.

FIA Formula 3: Thank you Paul.