Oliver Goethe has continued his resurgent form in F2, qualifying in P6 on the grid for the final round in Abu Dhabi. Whilst the MP Motorsport driver would have preferred a higher starting position, he expressed satisfaction with the competitive nature of his qualifying effort, which represents another demonstration of the progress he has made in recent weeks.
Following the session, Goethe reflected on a campaign that has seen him develop into a consistent challenger in the Qualifying battle. Despite frustrations with circumstances beyond his control, the German driver believes his underlying pace speaks volumes about his credentials heading into the remainder of the season and beyond.
“I’m very happy with how the second half of the season went, maybe not results wise—unfortunately I’ve had quite a lot of bad luck when I had the pace like in Monza and last weekend as well in Qatar,” Goethe said. “But overall, the pace has been getting stronger and stronger. The consistency in Qualifying has been there. Apart from in Baku, I think the last five rounds I’ve been in the top 10 in qualifying, which is usually what you need in Formula 2 to fight for the Championship.”
Goethe’s observations underscore a notable upward trajectory. His improved consistency on Friday has become a defining feature of his second season in the category, offering genuine hope for future campaigns.
“So, I’m glad and I know I have what it takes to fight for it,” Goethe continued. “It’s good to be building up this confidence now for myself and for my engineers and the team going into next year.”
The road to improvement
When asked to identify the specific factors behind his improved Qualifying performances, Goethe suggested that there was no single breakthrough moment. Rather, his resurgence has been the product of patient, methodical work between himself and his engineering team. Early season struggles with the car have gradually given way to understanding and adaptation.
“I think it’s just keeping at it, we’ve kept working hard,” he explained. “It’s a tough car to get used to, but I feel like slowly, I’ve gotten better and better, and a lot of it’s to do with confidence.”
Confidence, Goethe stressed, remains paramount in extracting performance from a F2 car. Without it, even drivers with the requisite pace can find themselves working against their engineers rather than with them.
“It’s quite a tricky car to drive, so if you don’t have the confidence there, and you’re a bit lost with your engineers and what to change with the car, it makes everything more complicated,” he said.
However, that situation has now turned a corner entirely. Goethe’s recent string of strong Qualifying showings has coincided with improved understanding between driver and team, manifesting in competitive performances across the session categories.
“Now we’re in a good position where we’re always up there in Free Practice and in Qualifying. Race pace is always strong. Starts still need a bit of work, but overall, the pace is there to fight for podiums and wins.”
Eyes on the prize
With the season’s final round in Abu Dhabi now upon him, Goethe has set his sights on a fitting conclusion to a first full F2 campaign that has promised much despite delivering inconsistent results, especially in Qualifying. Starting fifth in the Sprint Race, the MP Motorsport driver believes he possesses the machinery and capability to secure a podium finish.
“In the Sprint I’m starting P5, so it would be nice to get on the podium. I think I deserve it,” Goethe stated. “I’m starting in a good position in both races, so I’ll give it my all and try to end the year on a high.”
