Interview – Victor Martins, on the momentum of the French Grand Prix
The French driver from the Alpine Academy made a strong impression at the end of June at Le Castellet with 2 podiums in 3 Formula 3 races.
He was the only Frenchman on the podium of the 2021 French Grand Prix! Behind Formula 1 Victor Martins stepped onto 2 Formula 3 podiums, the other single-seater category offered to the 15,000 spectators present at Le Castellet during the weekend of June 18-20.
Victor Martins precisely showed himself on Saturday, the day of the two sprint races. A 2nd place won in the morning and a 3rd place in the afternoon! Double performance accompanied by a 4th place in the rain on Sunday morning during the main race.
At just 20 years old (he just celebrated them on June 16), Victor Martins is one of the two main hopes of French single-seater motor racing, along with Théo Pourchaire, winner in Monaco at the end of May in Formula 2. The ART Grand Prix driver had also opened up on our website in November 2020.
Today, focus on Victor Martins. The driver from the Paris region welcomed us at the Renault workshop on the Champs Elysées. Next to him, an Alpine A521, the F1 single-seater driven by Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon. But before thinking about Formula 1, Victor Martins looks back with us on his brilliant weekend at Le Castellet, and what could change for the rest of his career. Interview conducted just before leaving for Austria and the third round of the Formula 3 season, from July 2 to 4 at the Red Bull Ring circuit.
Interview with @VictorMartinsFR and https://t.co/N8YNLFueNb at @AtelierRenault before next #F3 #FIA race in 🇦🇹.@renaultgroup @AlpineRacing @alpinecars pic.twitter.com/GNpweqaDvy
— Christophe Deville (@RNO_Christophe) June 29, 2021
Hello Victor! Thank you for taking the time to answer us… You’re coming off a very convincing weekend at Le Castellet… Just before heading to the Red Bull Ring, how do you analyze your performance at the French Grand Prix in hindsight?
« I think it was a very good weekend, with a good performance. We already had a bit of this feeling with my team (MP Motorsport) in Barcelona at the first meeting. I manage to exploit my potential well in the car. The team helps me by providing me with a performing car. For now, it’s positive!
In detail, which image do you remember in particular from this weekend at Le Castellet? The comeback in the first race (from P12 to P2)? The one from race 2 (from P11 to P3)?
« I remember the two comebacks, and especially the overtakes I made! To be honest, I’m not used to being like that, so aggressive and opportunistic. I was working on it in my previous seasons. Same in Barcelona at the first meeting: I was holding back too much. I had to seize the opportunities! »
For example, we can think of your overtaking in the last corner for P3 during race 1 (on the 16th lap out of 20)… Did the support from the fans and this “home race” aspect help you?
« Sure thing! I was wondering if I would feel the pressure while driving at Paul-Ricard. Honestly, I think I handled it well. I drew strength from the French crowd, looked forward, and had fun. It was all about control. Every overtake was clean. I need to keep it up!”
« Everything was under control. Each overtaking was clean! »
Like Max Verstappen in Formula 1, did you also make a pass at the North Chicane to take the lead of the race? Do you remember that moment?
« Yes, against the Russian driver Alexander Smolyar (ART Grand Prix). I also made an overtaking maneuver on the outside at turn 12, the Bendor turn (after the double right of the Beausset). That one was pretty good! It’s always easier with a good car, you look ahead. »
But what did Alpine Academy boss Mia Sharizman tell you during the debrief? Was it “Well done” or “there are still things to improve”?
First of all, well done! There is always a well done after races like this. But Mia reminded me that I could have been smarter in the first race and waited to overtake and seek victory. It’s not criticism, it’s just to make us better. I take all the advice he has to give me.
»
« On my side, I’m not necessarily disappointed. I told myself “there, I’m trying to overtake, to get ahead.” It didn’t happen. I didn’t win, but starting twelfth, I think no one could be disappointed with my result in the end. »
🔷 #AlpineAcademy Update🔷
It’s P2 for @VictorMartinsFR in this morning’s @FIAFormula3 race 👏👏👏#FrenchGP pic.twitter.com/0H0pUDiyU0
— Alpine F1 Team (@AlpineF1Team) June 19, 2021
You are in any case the first Frenchman to climb back on the podium in single-seater at the French Grand Prix since the late Anthoine Hubert in 2019. Have you thought about it under the helmet from the deceleration lap?
« Yes and I often think about Anthoine, whether it’s in everyday life or in the car. I learned a lot from him, about his way of working hard to reach the goal. I try to be a little like him. I dedicated my podiums to him, I did it with love! »
« I often think about Anthoine (Hubert). I dedicated my podiums to him. I did it with love »
We also felt a communion at Le Castellet between you and the French audience…
« It was amazing. I didn’t even know there was an audience when I arrived. And honestly, it was packed, even for Formula 3. I could see that the audience was supporting the French drivers like us in F3 (note: Victor Martins and also Clement Novalak, Pierre-Louis Chauvet, and Reshad de Gerus). I wanted to do well. It was great, I made the most of it, we don’t always have that chance. I really tried to be in the moment, focusing on myself and thinking about celebrating with everyone afterwards!
P2 – P3 – P4 ✔
Avec deux podiums et beaucoup d’émotions offertes, le pilote de l’Équipe de France FFSA Circuit @VictorMartinsFR a réalisé de belles performances sur le circuit Paul Ricard ! 🥈🥉
BRAVO pour le week-end Victor ! 💯#FrenchGP 🇫🇷 / #F3 pic.twitter.com/VdEdO682MQ
— FFSA (@FFSportAuto) June 20, 2021
Victor, is this successful French Grand Prix already a turning point, a strong moment in your young career?
« It can kickstart a season! For sure, in terms of confidence, for me and for the team, it can give us a lot of strength and serenity in our work. We need to keep going like this, but we will have to confirm after each weekend. We are on a positive note. About launching a career? I don’t know. In motor racing, if we have an extraordinary weekend followed by a weak one, everyone will remember the last one, the weak weekend. I have to stay focused first. »
Super Saturday for the home hero! 🏡🙌@VictorMartinsFR took home a P2 and P3 finish from our first two races this weekend ✨#FrenchGP 🇫🇷 #F3 pic.twitter.com/oJhfTIksic
— Formula 3 (@FIAFormula3) June 19, 2021
What triggered the change at Le Castellet?
« I think I have already worked a lot during the preseason tests. I felt comfortable in the car right away. Even though I was very tense in Barcelona at the first meeting. It was my first qualifying with 30 cars! Here at Paul-Ricard, I was much calmer. I built my qualifying better (finished in 3rd place). I also noted everything I needed to improve. Especially my confidence, by looking ahead more often than behind me. At Paul-Ricard, that’s what I did and that’s what I have to keep for my next races.
« I also try not to think too much about the tires in the first few laps, because no matter what you do in Formula 3, you can’t really attack at the end, the tires still degrade. So you need to be opportunistic and aggressive right from the start. Push the tires intelligently. Work on the data, have confidence in your engineer, who is like my buddy, we tell each other everything! All of this makes a difference. But you have to keep going and aim higher.
« At Paul-Ricard, I looked more often forward than behind me! »
“Looking beyond your current second place in the drivers’ standings before the third meeting at the Red Bull Ring? The title race?”
« No, I think it would be a mistake to think about the title right now! It’s working well for the moment not to think about the championship. I just have to focus on my development. Even in 2020 and 2019, I tried not to think about the title. It’s when I thought about it the least that I went to get the victory in the end. And that’s where I had the most fun in the car. So for now, I’m taking things race by race, and session by session. It’s the consistency that might lead me to the title or to a good position in the championship.
Can we wish you a first victory in Formula 3 as early as this weekend from July 2nd to 4th at the Red Bull Ring? Is success possible on a particular circuit with your car?
« Victory is achievable anywhere if we work well calmly and start the weekend well. But I don’t want to say to myself “it will be this weekend”. If it has to wait, it will wait. The idea is really to continue in my good form. To be regularly at the forefront and to score points. But if I can take a pole position or a victory as early as this weekend, I won’t hesitate! »
« The idea is really to continue on my good form. To regularly be at the forefront and to score points. »
Championship leader = @DennisHauger 👑
Meanwhile @jackdoohan33 jumps to P3 💪#FrenchGP 🇫🇷 #F3 pic.twitter.com/GzbaPY3ELd
— Formula 3 (@FIAFormula3) June 20, 2021
