Victor Martins is one of the most well-known names in junior racing. The Frenchman who now races with ART Grand Prix in Formula 2 has taken the time to reflect on his career thus far.
Acknowledging a difficult 2024 campaign, Martins has embraced the lessons it provided him with. Remaining optimistic that he will carry those insights to meet his dream of racing in Formula 1.
Looking back on his journey, Martins admitted that climbing the motorsport ladder has been much more difficult than he once imagined.
“I think it’s going well, not as I expected at first, because you always want to jump up the ladder quickly, take the Championships and then go into F1.”
After entering Formula 3 in 2021, the then Alpine Academy driver learnt valuable lessons for his future in the series.
“We didn’t have the best package in 2021. The goal was to shine as much as possible and be consistent, but it was tough on certain tracks.”
Despite the ups and downs of 2021, the following season was a different story. Martins clinched the F3 title, beating rivals such as now F1 driver Ollie Bearman. This feat remains one of the highlighst of Martins’ career so far.
“The second year was about getting everything right, even if it wasn’t perfect every time. It was about being consistent, confident with the team, and honest in communication.”
With one championship under his belt, the French driver is eager to secure the F2 title in 2025. Setting himself up for his ultimate goal, racing in F1.
“Winning F3 is a great achievement, but I want to win F2 and do it with dominance to make the step to F1.”
Lessons from a tough 2024 Season
Martins openly acknowledges that 2024 was a tough year for him. He finished the season in seventh, 107.5 points behind the championship winner, Bortoleto. Martins had a run of bad luck, with several pointless weekends over the campaign making it harder to challenge for the title.
“You’re always surprised when someone tells you the truth. The first reaction is to push back, but then you remember: our goal is to be P1, so how do we get there?”
At times, Martins found the feedback confronting. However, as he and ART began, reflecting and having honest conversations on where to improve, the pair strengthened their bond ahead of the 2025 season.
“We built a big relationship. I’m honest with them, they’re honest with me—whether I performed well or not.”
Image credit: Victor Martins via Instagram
In building this relationship, Martins emphasised that his path to success has been both rewarding and challenging.
“It’s been a long but enjoyable journey. There have been some big highs but big lows at the same time, and now I have a lot of pressure to get back on top with the team.”
Martins believes that his greatest growth over the past seasons has been his mentality. His performances earned him opportunities with Alpine, including the chance to drive an F1 car, and now he’s moving to a new chapter with Williams.
“It’s time to achieve the big thing this year, so that we can make that step up.”
Looking ahead for 2025
With six rounds of the F2 season completed, Martins is fully focused on making 2025 his breakthrough season.
“In myself, I’m keeping all the negatives to work on them. During the winter, we did a lot of work to debrief where we were going wrong.”
With extensive preparation behind him, Martins is confident about the rest of the season.
“It feels like I’m coming straight from 2023, and 2024 doesn’t exist. I know I will have the car this year. Everyone worked so hard during the winter—even myself—so it’s all good.”
