Qualifying for the 2025 Formula 2 round in Qatar produced a memorable finale under the Lusail floodlights. Ollie Goethe topped the session to claim what would have been his maiden F2 pole position. However, the MP Motorsport driver was later handed a three-place grid penalty for impeding Martinius Stenshorne at Turn 6, dropping him down the order for both the Sprint and Feature Races.
Before the penalty was announced, Goethe spoke to the media, including Pit Debrief, about one of his strongest performances of the season and reflected on his up-and-down campaign.
“I was expecting a good result”
Goethe had been consistently competitive throughout qualifying, and he revealed that he arrived in Qatar confident in both his pace and preparation.
“I was expecting a good result, to be honest. I feel like slowly this season we have been building momentum. It has been a tough season overall, but in the previous rounds, except for Baku, like Monza and Budapest, I had really strong pace.”
“Over the long break, I was working really hard, so I had a good feeling about this weekend. I was expecting something good. We were quick here last year, so maybe not pole position, but I knew I was capable of it.”
Feeling increasingly at home behind the wheel, he added, “Yeah, for sure. Like I said, throughout the season, I feel like the pace has been getting stronger and stronger. A lot of results did not go my way like in Monza, but overall the pace has been improving. I feel like I am in a strong position now where I can fight for the race wins.”
The right tools
Goethe believed he had the tools to deliver a major result from the front of the grid. “I have a pretty good chance starting at the front,” he said. “The race pace has been strong in previous rounds, as well as here last year. I am confident going into the races.”
“Of course, on this track, there is a lot of things that can happen. The deg is quite big, so I have to manage it well. I am looking forward to it.”
The significance of the result was not lost on him.
“It means a huge amount, really. It has been a tough year. A lot of downs this year. I am happy for myself, for my family and for the whole team. They have been working really hard to get me back up. I have been working really hard, so it feels really good.”
Why Qatar suits Goethe
When asked by Pit Debrief why he performs so well at the Lusail circuit, Goethe admitted he simply feels at one with the layout. “To be honest, I do not know. I really like the track. It is quite a high-speed circuit. Not many low-speed corners. I do not know if that is what I like,” he said.
“But I feel like it is a track that suits me and also suits the team. Both me and Richard were strong here last year. I am not sure where Richard [Verschoor] finishes here. But I feel like we had a good car underneath us today as well. So I am really happy with how it went. I like the track a lot. I guess it suits me.”
Adapting to changing conditions
Drivers went from a hot daytime Free Practice on hard tyres to a much cooler night-time qualifying on softs. It made the transition challenging.
“It is quite tricky, to be honest. Because we went from the hard compound to the soft compound. And really hot conditions to cool conditions. So overall, the grip changed quite a lot.”
“I mean, it was similar last year, but it is quite tricky. Everything becomes faster. Usually, there are some small changes in balance and grip. And it is just how well you adapt to it. So I prefer these conditions where you go faster.”
Learning from Verschoor
Goethe also credited teammate Richard Verschoor for supporting him during a difficult campaign. “He has been helpful, to be honest,” he admitted. “He has a lot of experience. So he knows what he is talking about with this car. I try to learn as much as I can from him.”
“This season, he has had a strong year. So at most times, he did a better job than me. And I tried my best to learn from it. And he has been helpful to me as well. So I am thankful for that.”
Consistency is key
Responding to another question from Pit Debrief about what makes an F2 champion, Goethe agreed that avoiding poor weekends is just as important as pure speed.
“Yeah, for me, that is a good way of putting it. It is a very competitive championship. All the teams are capable of being up there.”
“So there are a lot of highs and lows for all drivers but the champion is going to be the one with the least lows. I have not been in that position this year. It has been quite a struggle for me.”
“But it is good to be here now. And my aim is to continue that throughout this weekend and next weekend as well.”
Goethe’s three-place grid drop in Qatar after Qualifying, means he will no longer start from pole in the Feature Race and will also lose positions for the Sprint. Even so, his pace suggests he remains a serious contender at Lusail.
With confidence building and clear affinity for the circuit, Goethe heads into the rest of the weekend determined to turn his renewed speed into points.
