Victor Martins ended a two-year Feature Race victory drought with a commanding win in the F2 Qatar GP Feature Race,delivering ART Grand Prix a much-needed boost. The Frenchman controlled the race from lights to flag, resisting relentless pressure from newly crowned F2 champion, Leonardo Fornaroli. His triumph marked a long-awaited return to the top step after a difficult 2025 season.
Controlling the race from start to finish
Martins executed a flawless strategy throughout the Qatar F2 Feature Race. Speaking during the post-Feature Race press conference attended by Pit Debrief, he admitted the victory brought considerable relief.
“Definitely a relief. It’s been a long season. We have been waiting for that to happen. We were always up there, trying to get it done earlier this season. I think this weekend, we felt we had it on the table. Then it was all a matter of putting everything together.“
He held his composure despite Fornaroli’s constant pressure and praised both his own execution and the team’s clarity on the radio.
“Today, from start to finish, everything was under control. On my side, on the team side, communication was, was on point. I think we just delivered the job that we needed to do to get this win. But definitely, it feels good to be back on the top step,” he stated.
Managing strategy and traffic
Pace management proved central to Martins’ F2 Feature Race success at the 2025 Qatar GP. He pushed when necessary while dealing with those running the alternate strategy. He described the strong early performance on softs before switching to the harder compound.
“I think the pace was great. All race I just needed to manage the pace with the guys on the opposite strategy, but definitely on the Softs, we were flying and then on the Hards, it was just a matter of managing the traffic. But in the end, I managed my race, and we got it done,” he stated.
A slightly slow pit stop briefly threatened his lead, yet he rejoined ahead of Fornaroli and controlled the race from there. Traffic on the hard tyres became his main challenge during the second stint.
Reflecting on a difficult season
The Qatar victory offered rare vindication in what Martins admitted had been a tough season. When asked about his F1 ambitions, he acknowledged the setbacks while emphasising pride in certain key moments.
“For sure, it’s been a tough season. I think it was definitely the year to put everything together, showing my full potential to go and get an opportunity in F1,” he stated.
Supported by Williams throughout 2025, including an FP1 outing, Martins expressed satisfaction with how he performed when given the chance.
“I joined Williams. The support I got from them from this year has been great. I think they gave me a chance to do FP1. I showed what I had to show during this FP1. I think I was super happy and proud of myself during that session. After I got some TPC days, they all went really well.“
Although his season fell short of title-contending expectations, he remained proud of what he demonstrated.
“So in terms of what I had to show for my potential to get an opportunity one day in F1, I think I have no regrets. I’m super proud of that. Of course, my F2 season has not gone to plan. Let’s say the goal was to be there always fighting for the title and get it. For sure, it’s not where we are. We are quite far from that.”
Moving forward from disappointment
Martins explained how he reset once he realised the championship had slipped away. Instead of dwelling on missed chances, he focused on maximising each weekend.
“But definitely from the moment I felt it was not possible, what I had to do is just forget about it, trying to maximise myself in the car, putting everything together.“
“At some point, there have been things in the race where I cannot explain. I think no one could explain it. That’s it. Sometimes you need to accept and move on to the next stage.”
His Qatar triumph reflected the progress made by both driver and team. He highlighted the development work that finally translated into a result.
“Today, it’s just a matter of putting everything together, showing that the team, we are developing things, we are improving myself also in the car. For sure, it feels good to win this weekend. There is a next one coming in Abu Dhabi.”
Martins now heads to Abu Dhabi for the season finale with renewed confidence, aiming to build on the momentum from his long-awaited Qatar GP victory.
