Victor Martins Clinches Pole Position at Silverstone Formula 2

Victor Martins showcased an impressive performance at Silverstone, securing pole position for the Formula 2 feature race. He outpaced his closest competitor, Alex Dunne, by a mere 0.065 seconds, while Jak Crawford trailed behind by 0.175 seconds. Following the qualifying session, Martins shared insights into his remarkable form during a press conference with Feeder Series and other media representatives.

A Unique Race Setup

The upcoming feature race on Sunday will see a reversal of the front row that became notorious during the Monaco feature race, where Dunne was involved in a significant multi-car incident while trying to defend his lead from Martins at the first corner. Since that event, Dunne has been gaining momentum in his championship bid, while Martins currently sits ninth in the standings.

Martins has consistently qualified in the top three in 10 out of the last 11 F2 rounds, a streak that dates back to the Baku event last year. However, he has not stepped onto the podium since his third-place finish in Jeddah during the third round of the current season. His unfortunate circumstances in Monaco and an earlier stall from a promising third-place grid position at Imola have hindered his scoring opportunities.

Reflecting on Performance

“I have reviewed some impressive statistics from the end of 2024 to now,” Martins shared with Feeder Series after the qualifying session. “I believe I have consistently placed in the top three, barring Barcelona, and now I’ve achieved pole. It’s clear to me how to maintain a positive mindset and approach during qualifying, allowing me to push the car to its limit without overdriving.”

As a driver for ART Grand Prix, Martins had been eagerly awaiting his first pole position of the season. Although he was elevated to pole in Melbourne after Gabriele Minì faced penalties post-qualifying, the actual feature race was canceled due to severe weather conditions.

“There are times when consecutive strong qualifying performances lead to a mindset of ‘I can do this again,’ which builds confidence and dispels any doubts. I feel like I’m at that point right now. I’m consistently performing well,” Martins mentioned.

Looking ahead, he added, “I’m confident that I’ll have a competitive car, thanks to ART, who provide the necessary performance during qualifying. As I mentioned, a significant part of it is mental—having the ability to position myself correctly mentally can make all the difference in those critical one or two laps.”

Dominating the Qualifying Session

Throughout the qualifying session on Friday, Martins was the standout driver. The 24-year-old not only topped the practice session with a time of 1:41.699 but also led the qualifying with an impressive 1:40.710. This time put him 0.067 seconds ahead of championship leader Richard Verschoor at that moment.

The session was interrupted with 18:05 left on the clock when Amaury Cordeel spun out at Club and was unable to continue. Due to his role in causing the red flag, Cordeel will start both races from the back of the grid. His initial lap time of 1:41.069 would have placed him fifth, but he ends up starting from 17th instead.

Once the session resumed, Dunne quickly made his mark by moving from 12th to third with a time of 1:40.808, just 0.098 seconds behind Martins with 13:40 remaining on the clock. After a lengthy wait, meaningful lap times began to emerge again, leading to a competitive final stretch.

DAMS’ Crawford initially took the lead with a staggering time of 1:39.971, which was 0.739 seconds better than Martins’ best effort. However, Martins responded with a stellar lap of 1:39.731, reclaiming the top spot and achieving his second pole position and sixth front-row start in the past eight rounds.

Dunne was the only other driver to come close to Martins’ time, clocking in at 1:39.796, which secured him a solid position in the top three.

Strong Competition and Qualifying Results

Following Martins, Roman Staněk from Invicta qualified fourth, achieving his best qualifying result of the season. He was followed closely by Sebastián Montoya of Prema Racing and Joshua Dürksen from AIX Racing. Verschoor, despite being the championship leader, could not improve upon his early lap and ended up in seventh place, lining up alongside Hitech’s Dino Beganovic for both races.

Kush Maini, who drives for DAMS alongside Crawford, faced damage during his initial run but managed to qualify ninth. He will share the front row for the sprint race with Leonardo Fornaroli, who narrowly beat Arvid Lindblad for the tenth position with a last-minute lap.

Track limits posed a significant challenge for many drivers during the session, resulting in nine drivers having their initial lap times disallowed for exceeding track boundaries. Gabriele Minì struggled to find his pace, only managing to set a valid time on his last lap, ending up in a lowly 16th position.

Ritomo Miyata faced mechanical issues throughout the session and did not set a competitive lap time, placing him 21st for both races, alongside Cordeel, who was demoted to the back.

Conclusion

Martins’ pole position at Silverstone not only highlights his impressive skills as a driver but also underscores the competitive nature of the Formula 2 championship. With the excitement building for the upcoming feature race, fans and spectators alike are eager to see how the race unfolds and whether Martins can convert his pole position into a much-needed podium finish. The dynamics of racing at Silverstone are always unpredictable, and with talented drivers like Dunne and Crawford close on his heels, it promises to be an exhilarating event.