Round 3 Post Qualifying Press Conference

FIA Formula 3: Hello and welcome to the Press Conference of the Top 3 qualifiers for the FIA Formula 3 Championship here in Imola. In third place we have Sami Meguetounif from Trident, in second we have Leonardo Fornaroli also from Trident and completing the Trident 1,2,3, is pole sitter Santiago Ramos. Santiago congratulations, the third Qualifying session of your rookie season and a first pole position, just how does that feel? Santiago Ramos: I am very happy; we knew we were fast this weekend. We have the pace. After coming from Melbourne, I wasn’t super confident because it wasn’t the best weekend for us. We knew it was going to be a tough track with the modifications to the new curbs it was going to be tricky. I am happy to be able to say I am on pole today. FIA Formula 3: Just how good was that final lap, there was a lot going on at the end of the session and a lot of improvements? Ramos: I think it was very strong. I never really aimed for pole at that stage, I was just trying to put a solid lap together. I knew that everything was going to be tight like it usually is in Formula 3. I knew with this track, these tyres, and this car it was just a matter of limiting mistakes. I tried to do a clean lap, and, in the end, it ended up being a really good lap. I pushed it to the limits at all the high-speed corners, and everywhere else. I think it was a really good lap and I am really pleased. FIA Formula 3: Earlier today you started strongly in Practice, is this a circuit you feel suited to, one you like?Ramos: Yes, I really like this circuit, it is the circuit that I did my debut in Formula cars in Europe back in 2019 when I as in Formula 4. It is a special circuit for me, I knew I was going to be fast here, but I wasn’t sure how fast. I am happy to see that we are this fast. FIA Formula 3: Congrats well done to you, Leonardo to you, nearly back-to-back poles for you, are you satisfied with P2? Leonardo Fornaroli: Yeah, P2 is still a very good result. It was a very tricky session, this track is very difficult. There is no room for mistakes. To be back in the first row is a very good result for me. FIA Formula 3: You were on provisional pole before Ramos finished his final lap, did it feel like there was much more time left on your final run or did you think you got everything out of it? Fornaroli: Maybe a little bit, because as I said on this track there is no room for mistakes. Especially with the new upgrades, the gravel exiting T9 and T15. I just wanted to put a clean lap together without any mistakes. Maybe there was a little bit of time, but I am still very happy with my lap. FIA Formula 3: You are currently equal on points with Luke Browning in the Standings, starting from where you are starting, what is the aim for the rest of the weekend, is it to leave here as the Championship leader? Fornaroli: Yeah, why not, tomorrow I will be starting from P11 so I will just try to take as many points as possible without taking silly risks. We will see for the Feature Race on Sunday. FIA Formula 3: We look forward to seeing how it goes, Sami your best Qualifying result of your rookie season, is it good to bounce back from Australia in this way? Sami Meguetounif: Yeah, I started well in Bahrain with a good Qualifying. In Melbourne, the potential was there, just like Bahrain and here in Imola, but I made what was for me a silly mistake. I threw away the good race that was possible. So, it does feel good to be back where the potential was. For the team it feels like a super job to share this result. FIA Formula 3: You mentioned Bahrain you converted 4th in Qualifying to 4th in the Feature Race, do you think you can go better on Sunday and secure a podium? Meguetounif: In Bahrain, given it was my first weekend it was full of learning. Now I start in a better position with more experience. It is only two more races, but it is a lot when you are a rookie. Of course I will target a better result for a podium. My first podium would be nice. We start as teammates so of course we will not fight stupidly, but the fastest guy will win the race. FIA Formula 3: I can’t ignore the fact we have three Trident drivers up here, what do you think is the key for Trident to have all of you in the Top 3? Meguetounif: I think there is no secret, the work we have been doing since the start of the season, actually started at the end of last season. It is not just luck, we work hard, we push each other as well. We have been lucky to have Leo as a second-year driver to help us to learn faster and catch up with the pace. We spend a lot of time on the simulator especially for tricky tracks like here. I think it pays off a lot. FIA Formula 3: Great stuff, thanks very much all.