2022 Round 2 Qualifying: Thoughts From the Top 3

Thoughts from Maloney, Stanek and Crawford

FIA Formula 3: Zane Maloney, first pole position in Formula 3, here in Imola for you today in the Qualifying session. What does this result mean to you?

Zane Maloney: Of course, it means a lot, in Bahrain we were able to be close to the front end, which was good and we've done a lot of work in the two tests, in Bahrain and Jerez and it paid off. Lots of stuff, lots of sim, lots of karting and going through everything with Giacomo and the team so it paid off and I'm really happy to get the pole.

FIA Formula 3: Can you take us through this session, because it's been a challenging and tricky day but how was the Qualifying session for you?

Maloney: Yeah it was very chaotic, as a team, we were only able to do one single lap in practice as we waited a little bit, so going into Quali we had no references, nothing, so it was very difficult. Of course in Qualifying in the drying conditions every lap was going to be quicker, we knew that going in. So it was about being the last car on track or trying to be the last car on the track. Like always, Giacomo got the plan absolutely perfect and to be honest I didn't think I was going to be on pole until I got told, because for me it didn't really feel like the best lap I've ever done in my life. So I was actually quite annoyed with myself until I got told, but in the end, in these conditions, it's not about the perfect lap it's about putting together as much as possible and we were able to do that, so very happy.

FIA Formula 3: Obviously pole position today means that you will be starting from P12 tomorrow. It will be a different story and we know that this track is quite tricky when it comes to overtaking, or at least that's what's expected. What are your hopes for the Sprint Race?

Maloney: Well I think tomorrow is meant to be dry so likely it's going to be the first time we drive in the dry here. It's going to be chaotic I can bet that. It's going to be, have a good start, stay out of trouble, and any points we can collect in this Championship are a bonus. So yeah, try to collect some points and if opportunities come I'll take them and I'm sure Roman who's starting ahead will take them as well. As a team, we want to be coming forward together and not fighting against each other and then we'll see. For the second race, of course, I want to win the race, so for the Feature Race it's more of a straightforward plan but for the first race we have to take it as it comes.

FIA Formula 3: Roman Stanek, P2 in today's FIA Formula 3 Qualifying session here in Imola. It's another strong result in Qualifying for you, how was the session from the car?

Roman Stanek: Yeah, so it was a tricky session with the weather of course. We started up with a wet track and then it was drying up. So we were not sure if we should go on slicks or keep the wets but in the end, we managed to do a good strategy and the car is strong in the Quali pace so happy about the result. I hope we will have a bit more luck than in Bahrain because I was a bit unlucky in both races with the puncture I had. So yeah, let's see!

FIA Formula 3: Can we rewind a little bit earlier from today and talk about the Free Practice, because that was quite challenging? Can you tell us how difficult it was for you?

Stanek: So we went out, and straight away I felt a lot of aquaplaning. Which is when the tyre doesn't go through the puddle of water and doesn't stick to the ground so you are just floating around like on a boat. So it was quite tricky and in the end, we could see that there were a lot of Red Flags because obviously it was so easy to run out or to lose the car so in the end, we just managed to do one lap and then that was it. Really tricky conditions.

FIA Formula 3: P2 today means that you will be starting from P11 tomorrow. Looking at the weather forecast it should be dry. What can you do from that position?

Stanek: As you can see it is quite hard to overtake here there is only one opportunity and that's into Turn 1 or Turn 2, so the main thing will be to just get a good start and release the clutch then just cruise around trying to stay in the DRS zone. Then just wait, maybe the guy in front of me will have some degradation on the tyres and I can overtake him or just stay in the place and wait because it's really quite hard to overtake here. If there is an opportunity of course I will go for it.

FIA Formula 3: Jack Crawford, P3 in today's FIA Formula 3 qualifying session here at Imola. It's a good result, but are you pleased with P3?

Jak Crawford: Yeah obviously, I'm pleased with P3 because it was a really difficult session with the changing conditions. There was time left on the table, I had some traffic in the first sector but the track was really dry in Sector 3 so I think I nailed it quite well so yeah Pole was definitely possible. I think I was only one-tenth away so it's a bit disappointing but really happy with the top three considering the start to the season we had.

FIA Formula 3: You mentioned that Free Practice was very challenging for you do you want to take us through that session?

Crawford: Free Practice was really difficult, we waited a bit, which was not the greatest thing because that's when the track was good and when everyone got running. Once we got running there was so much aquaplaning and I went off twice and it was a really difficult session. I don't think I learnt barely anything in Free Practice because it was so wet so the Free Practice was a bit... yeah.

FIA Formula 3: You said in the question before that your start to the campaign was not exactly as you hoped. What do you think this result really means to the future of 2022 for Jak Crawford.

Crawford: Yeah I think it's a good start, I think in Bahrain we could have been up there as well so I sort of feel like I'm back where I should be and where I have the car and the pace to be so super happy to be up there. After you have a bad weekend you are always questioning yourself and then when you get a good result it boosts the confidence.

FIA Formula 3: You'll be starting on P10 on tomorrow's starting grid, so what can you hope to achieve from this?

Crawford: First of all we'll see the conditions, whether it's wet or dry. I think it'll just be about keeping my nose clean you know we're already in the top ten so I think we're already in the points so I just have to score some points even if it's not the most but we're just going to be looking for the best result possible.