Interview: Ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, Victor Martins speaks about his Formula 2 debut and his future

How do you experience working with Théo (Pourchaire) since the beginning?

Very good. When I started karting, we were a bit against each other. But when I look back on it, we were always against each other in my early national races. We knew each other, but we were adversaries. We tried to compete against each other and against other drivers. We didn’t necessarily have a relationship between the two of us. But everything was going well. I remember that from a young age, it pushed me to be better and to work to be able to beat him and the others.

We then moved to the international level in 2016, where he was on a factory team and I was on a Belgian team, competing in OK-Junior. We raced against each other all year, but the competition was at a crazy level, so it wasn’t just about racing against him. However, our relationship has always been good. We never had any issues except for the first time we ended up on the track together and collided during practice. There was never a problem, but there has always been this rivalry where we want to be better than each other.

We have never really raced together or against each other in single-seaters. There has always been a category gap: when I was in F4, he was in his final year of karting. When I moved up to Formula Renault, he had just transitioned to F4. I stayed in Formula Renault while he went straight to F3. We haven’t had any real moments where we raced against each other. This year, however, we are reunited. It’s nice because we know each other well and have a lot of respect for each other’s driving skills.

Has the role of the FFSA been important in your relationship?

Yes and no. I wasn’t at school either. The FFSA internships, we were lucky enough to start doing them only since last year. They had stopped this project where we weren’t doing much anymore. I remember a winter internship, where we went to Val-Thorens. It is one of the first ones we did again with the FFSA Academy, in the school environment.

Afterwards, there were the training camps with the French team. I know that the FFSA wants to resume these camps for cohesion, for the experience, and to learn things. But it’s relatively recent. The relationship between Théo and me at the FFSA was only for school. We weren’t in the same class, so we saw each other very little. We were just in the same place at the same time, that’s all.

“What did you learn when you arrived in F2?”

I arrived as a rookie. I told myself, “I’m going to give it my all, I’m just going to push.” I didn’t have any questions. But F2 is more complicated than that. F3 can work like that. And that’s also why we see so many rookies being fast. But F2 requires more thinking, especially at certain moments. It’s not always about being at 100% and it will always work. I was able to see that again in the last race in Baku. I’m still learning about it. Pushing to the limit, because I think it’s necessary, but knowing when to do it, in the right phases, because mistakes can happen very quickly. The car is difficult to drive.

Does the F2 work less on instinct than the F3?

I think that the F2 has more physical limitations. The car, at some point, accepts more what we want it to do. Whereas the F3 is lighter, it has aerodynamics, it is an efficient car. The car is very performant in terms of power-to-weight ratio. I find it easier to drive with an F3. It always recovers if we make a small mistake. There is some tire overheating but it is moderate. Everything is easier to manage. With the F2, there is a turbo engine to understand, which is complex. The car is heavy, it is big. The 18-inch tires are also difficult to manage and warm up. It is harder to understand and exploit.

What feedback do you take away from your Formula 1 test?

The test, for me, was more about discovering, getting initiated to single-seaters, seeing what it represents. I had expectations, I already had the simulator. So the testing day was more for me. Afterwards, the team was also able to draw conclusions from it. The lap times are not representative. Even if I set good lap times, the team won’t decide that I am the next driver to race. The objective of this day was really for me, to discover and see what it’s like. It has made me even more eager to be there in the future.

What is your plan to access Formula 1?

I think that I have learned during the previous years. I also go through learning phases in Formula 2 this year. But I don’t think that 2025 is too early. I want to see how this year goes. My plan is not to spend two years in F2. If the budget was there and I had the assurance that I would still be in F2 next year, then I could do one more season. But today, that’s not the case. That’s not what I’m telling myself, so I’m giving my best this year, to learn as much as possible and to score big points. I don’t see why I would set myself up for two years when I see my performance.

Does not being sure if you have the budget for F2 next year put pressure on you?

I have known this pressure from the beginning. I have constantly learned and known which team I would be joining at the start of the year for the season in question. I have always spent the winters in uncertainty, not knowing where to go because budgets are not easy to find.

Do you have any other F1 tests scheduled?

For now, I don’t have any. But I hope to have some later. It’s not necessarily the main objective. But as I said, I know it will depend on the results and not just on the performances because they are there. But I’ll have to score points. If I do what it takes, they will give me other opportunities to ride, to continue learning and to deepen the experience gained on the first day.

“What are you expecting from the Monaco Grand Prix?”

I know the track. I came in Formula Renault in 2018 so I know it a little. It has been over four years since I last drove. But I have no apprehensions, no doubts. I won in Formula Renault and had two podium finishes in my first year. I love city circuits, it is also my favorite track. I am eagerly waiting to come back to this circuit and drive on it. The preparation is going well, and I think it will go well.