As Formula 2 heads to Imola for the first of the triple-headers this season, Italian driver Gabriele Minì is poised to build on his consistent start to the F2 campaign. The PREMA driver has been a model of reliability, scoring points in every round so far, but is now looking to step up to the podium positions that have thus far eluded him in 2025.
Preparations ahead of the triple-header
Following a month-long break since the Saudi Arabian GP in Jeddah, where Richard Verschoor claimed a brilliant Feature Race victory with a masterful strategy, Gabriele Minì has been utilising the time to analyse and improve his performance ahead of the F2 Imola GP.
“In the end, we had quite a good break, as you said. Almost a month. We managed to review a bit everything that went well, everything that didn’t go as planned,” Minì explained during the pre-race press conference. “To be honest, I think both me and the team have been working again quite hard about it. Already the last few days, we’ve been doing quite a lot of tests in the simulator. Both for my driving and just to learn the tracks for the triple headers.”
The demanding schedule of three consecutive race weekends presents unique challenges for drivers, requiring careful preparation and mental fortitude.
“The preparation is quite similar for all the weekends. This time we just do maybe more days, more tracks, sorry, in a shorter amount of time. So maybe not as much time, you know, to test,” Minì noted. “But me personally, I decided to just straight away after the races go back to the simulator and do one full day there to try and maximise everything before the actual race.”
Mental approach key to success
When asked by Pit Debrief about the mental strain a triple-header can lead to, the young Italian emphasised the importance of maintaining the right mindset during the intense period of racing ahead.
“In the end, it’s all about the mind, the mindset that you have, to be honest. You have to make it in a way that if you have a good weekend in Imola, let’s say you try and keep the momentum, so you try to keep the positiveness,” he shared.
“And in the same way, if you have a negative weekend, you just try and, you know, as always, analyse, try to see what could have been done better, what went wrong and what went well, and then try to improve for the next weekend. As I said, I think the mind plays the biggest role in this, I’d say.”
Building on consistency
When asked about his consistent points-scoring form and how he plans to translate that into the kind of standout performances he showed in his F2 debut at Baku last year, Minì remained confident.
“Well, for the moment, as I said, we’ve been quite consistent, consistently in the points, at least. To be honest, I think they said to come all together. There’s not one thing that, let’s say, has been fault, really, when we were missing a bit of pace,” he reflected.
“I think the team is doing quite a good job, to be honest, and I’m quite happy with my performance so far. We know they’re not in our control always, sadly, but I think, once again, we are back in Imola, we have a triple header, we are trying to bounce back with this.”
Minì’s connection to Imola
With rumours swirling about Imola potentially losing its place on the Formula 1 calendar—and by extension, the Formula 2 schedule—after this year, the race carries extra significance for the Italian driver.
“I mean, in the end also for me, it’s been a special track. I won my first championship in single-seater in Formula 4 here. I’ve had my first win in Formula Original and last year was quite a good comeback, let’s say, after the start, the stalling,” Minì said.
“So I think it will be a bit different. It’s always a home race, as you said, having one home race less in the calendar would be, if it doesn’t get renewed, a bit more sad, let’s say. But, of course, once again, we try to just enjoy this weekend, do our best, try to, if it doesn’t get renewed, hopefully end it on a good one, you know, and then we will see what the future brings.”
New Pole Position award
Gabriele Minì also expressed enthusiasm about F2’s newly announced pole position award, which will provide additional recognition for qualifying results.
“Well, I think it’s something very cool. You know, you used to see all the times it’s in F1, but not in F2 and F3, so now I think it’s very cool having something, you know, awarded,” he commented. “It’s just really, for the look of it in the end, whether you receive a prize or not, getting a pole is always good, but in a battle like this, you know, something extra cool, let’s say.”
As he prepares to take on the challenging Imola circuit, Gabriele Minì will be hoping to convert his F2 consistency into a breakthrough podium finish and deliver a memorable performance at his home event.
