AIX Racing’s Emerson Fittipaldi Jr. claimed his season-best result with a P10 finish in the first-ever F2 Qualifying session at Madrid. After having a lap time deleted for exceeding track limits, the 19 year-old faced the pressure to deliver on his final attempt and secure a strong starting position for both races. Putting the pieces together when it mattered, Fittipaldi Jr. broke into the top ten and secured reverse-grid pole for the Sprint Race later today.
Reflecting on his session afterwards, the Brazilian said: “I’m very, very happy. I can only thank God for this result. It was a very stressful and chaotic qualifying as everybody saw.”
“It’s a very technical and difficult track and finally we got the car in the window where we could be competitive and in the top 10 and that’s amazing.”
“Because no one’s been here before, I think that really helped level things out. Most of the other races this season, it was my first time there when all the others had already raced there, so that has been a big disadvantage.”
“Today was very fair and the team managed to give me a very nice car and finally we have a top 10 and reverse pole tomorrow, so it’s an amazing weekend already.”
Final push lap proved enough for the top ten
On top of a track limits violation, Fittipaldi Jr. faced the added pressure of setting a competitive lap amid a session interrupted by three red flags. With everything coming down to his final attempt, the AIX Racing driver gave it everything and delivered when it mattered to secure his best qualifying result of the season.
“Up until the last push of the whole qualifying session, I didn’t have a lap in. I was dead last, so it was very, very stressful. I got track limits and red flags here and there and you’re like, ‘oh my God, what am I going to do now?”
“Then in the last lap, I was like, let me give it everything I have and that was enough to put me in top 10, so that was good.”
Fittipaldi Jr. looks ahead to first F2 race at MADRING
Starting from reverse-grid pole, the 19 year-old hopes to maximise the opportunity and achieve the best result possible today. Placing his trust in the team and the work they have done behind the scenes, he is pleased to see their efforts and potential finally beginning to translate into results.
“Hoping for the best result possible. I don’t want to add any extra pressure, just enjoy starting from the front row and do the best I can.”
“I know that the team will give me the best car that they can do because the engineers have been working so hard this year and we’ve been working so much to try to develop and improve to be closer to the top teams. Finally, now we’re getting there.”
On a tight circuit where overtaking could prove difficult, Fittipaldi Jr. anticipates that much of the movement through the field will come off the line at lights out. With his sights set on maximising the opportunity, the Brazilian knows he is in a strong position to secure a solid points haul.
“I think it’s going to happen mostly off the line, that’s where most people are going to get their overtakes done. I’m in a pretty good position, I think, for tomorrow’s race because it’s a track where you really cannot overtake easily and it’s very challenging.”
“I’ll just do the best race I can tomorrow and see where we finish.”
