‘I would like a trophy’ – Montoya targeting podium after improved Qualifying in Barcelona

Sebastián Montoya is hopeful of getting his hands on some silverware in Barcelona after Qualifying in the top 10 for the first time this season.

The Campos Racing driver put together a strong Qualifying session and had been fighting for the top positions before a costly last couple of corners on his final lap saw him end up 10th.

Reflecting on the afternoon after jumping out of the cockpit, Montoya admitted that he had mixed feelings about the result.

“It's really difficult because this year it's been quite hard for me, especially in Qualifying,” he explained. “We really haven't been able to put it together and today in Practice I was really quick. I made a couple of mistakes on my lap, but I was still top five, so I was really happy about that.

QUALIFYING: Mansell beats Lindblad to take last gasp pole position in Barcelona

“I knew we had the pace, and the team has historically been really quick, and I was coming for pole until the last two corners.

“It's really difficult when your best Qualifying this year was P15 and then you go for fighting for pole and then you make a small mistake, and you end up P10. Like yeah, it's good but it could have been better.

“But honestly, I’m really happy with it. I've worked really hard since the last race and I slowly started to get there bit by bit, and in the test, we were missing some speed, we’ve worked really hard, but it wasn't to be.”

One of the things that pleased Montoya about the day is the way he was able to navigate the difficulties of Qualifying. With plenty of traffic in the final sector while also trying to get to their tyres in the right window, the drivers had a lot on their plate.

He admitted that all made it quite “fun” and he also acknowledged that after a difficult start to the season, performances like the one today are beginning to fill him with confidence.

“It makes my life a lot easier,” said Montoya of improving his Qualifying form. “For example, Australia I was fighting for top five, and I started P15, so imagine starting from the top 10, it would make my life so much easier.

“It's really funny because in Imola the degradation for me hit like nine laps from the end, and I was P12. I was like imagine ‘how easy it would have been if 16 laps ago and I started here.’

PRACTICE: Stenshorne leads the way in Barcelona “People see it, the speed is there, I know I am fast, so feels good to show it on a Friday and not just rock up on the weekend and be fast on Saturday and Sunday, so I am really happy with it.

“But honestly, we just need to keep working at it. I know I am fast, obviously pole position is nice, but I am happy to see a step, happy to see a bit of progress, it has been a while since I've seen that in qualifying so just need to keep working at it.”

While Qualifying may have been a struggle this year, Montoya’s form over a long stint has been quite the opposite. The Colombian has finished in a higher position in every race he has started apart from the Imola Sprint Race.

That gives him hope for the weekend where he is targeting at least a first podium of the season.

“I feel quite good about the rest of the weekend,” he said. “I feel quite relaxed and quite confident with the speed we have. It's a difficult but also an easy track to overtake at, depending on the degradation and how it hits.

“But we just need to work on it. I know that if we do everything right, we have a good chance to be fighting for the win tomorrow and if not just finish on the podium, I would like a trophy.”