Round 1 Post-Sprint Race Press Conference

FIA Formula 3: Hello from Melbourne where we're joined by the top three finishers in today's FIA Formula 3 Sprint Race. In third place we have Roman Bilinski for Rodin Motorsport. Second is Martinius Stenshorne from Hitech TGR and your race winner is Santiago Ramos for Van Amersfoort Racing. Santiago, congratulations, your first victory in Formula 3. How does that feel?

Santiago Ramos: It feels really good. I’ve waited for this moment for a long time. Last year we were close in Barcelona. We were close in Imola, but never quite there. I’m super happy to start the year like this. I think it's a big confident boost, not only for me, also for the team. It's great to start like this. Also with the new car, I think it's the way to go.

FIA Formula 3: You've got to talk us through that first lap because after a bit of defending in Turns 1, 2, and 3, you then disappeared to lead by four seconds. What happened there?

Ramos: Yeah, so I had it clear what I wanted to do for this race. So the strategy was just to try to pull out of the DRS range from the guys behind. So after I managed the situation not to get overtaken in the first and second corner, I said, ‘okay, now I will go’. So I started pushing more and more and more and obviously using more of the tyres, but I knew that once I pulled out away from them, it was going to be really hard for them to catch me. So I just kept pushing. I made a good gap and then I was really hoping not to have any safety cars. Unfortunately, we did. But anyway, I think it was still a good strategy.

FIA Formula 3: Well, as you say, you had a number of safety cars, but you did also then get one at the end. How relieved were you by that? How tough was it holding Martinius off?

Ramos: Yes, I think at that stage I was struggling a bit with the tyres because I pushed so much in the beginning. So at the end I was struggling a bit more. So it definitely helped me a bit at that last Safety Car. Otherwise, I think the racing would have been really hard towards the end of the race.

FIA Formula 3: Well congratulations, well done today. Martinius, second place for you today, your third podium in Formula 3. How would you sum up your race?

Martinus Stenshorne: Yeah, it was a good race. I started P4, I got into P2 after lap one, so I had a good start and then obviously with the safety cars, caught up again. I had my tyres in quite a good window throughout the whole race, so I wish the Safety Car didn't come. But yeah, P2 is still a good result, so happy with that.

FIA Formula 3: And the first lap looked pretty intense from the outside with all the dicing for second place. What was it like inside the cockpit?

Stenshorne: Yeah, it was fun. I made a small mistake in T3. I broke a bit too early, but luckily, I gained it back around T10 and T11

FIA Formula 3: And it looked hot out there today. It could be wet tomorrow, but you showed good pace in the dry today. What does it say for tomorrow's race if it is dry, or would you prefer it to rain?

Stenshorne: I'm happy if it stays dry, to be honest. We had good pacing Qualifying as well. We were purple sector one when the Red Flag came out, so it was a bit of a shame. But still we were in the top 10, so that was all right. I think the pace today was quite strong as well. So yeah, I think if it's a dry race tomorrow we can move forward.

FIA Formula 3: Great stuff, well done today. Congratulations on second place. Roman, thanks for waiting. A podium on debut for you, you must be pretty pleased with that start?

Roman Bilinski: Yeah, definitely. It's a good start for sure. It could have been better. I made a couple of mistakes, but for the first race in Formula 3 to be on the podium I think is all that my team and I could ask for. So we'll try and keep building on this, and we'll see what happens.

FIA Formula 3: And you were right on the tail of that lead battle in that second part of the race when we got some clean running. Were you willing for that Safety Car to go in and let you have a shot at the win or were you happy with third?

Bilinski : No, for sure I wanted to go for the win. I was kind of managing a little bit, just staying in the DRS waiting for those last few laps. So a bit of a shame a Safety Car came out, but of course you can't predict these things. These things happen and it's what it is.

FIA Formula 3: Well this year Formula 3 has a new car and you're stepping up into the category. Just how comfortable do you feel with this new machinery?

Bilinski : Yeah, definitely. I feel pretty good to be honest. We had three very good days of testing in Barcelona with Rodin and I think we all did a good job. The preparation before was good, so I think we can be proud of ourselves for this and it's going to be a bit difficult going to a couple tracks, I don’t, but it's part of racing. Just have to get on with it, learn and do it.

FIA Formula 3: Well thanks very much and well done today.