F3 - Post Race 3 Press Conference
F3 - 2021 Round 1 in Barcelona - Race 3 Press Conference transcript
Thoughts from Dennis Hauger, Jack Doohan and Matteo Nannini
FIA Formula 3: Congratulations to the top three finishers of Race 3 of the FIA Formula 3 Championship here at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain. In third place Matteo Nannini for HWA RACELAB, in second place Jack Doohan for Trident and taking his first win in Formula 3 our winner, Dennis Hauger, for PREMA. Dennis, many congratulations, I'm going to say it one more time, winner in Formla 3. How does that feel?
Dennis Hauger: It feels really good, we were really close yesterday and it didn't pay off. I think we just had to keep it cool today because we had a really good opportunity to score some good points. In the end I didn't have the best start, but then I got off pretty well into Turn 1, I just had to keep it deep on the breaks. From then I was trying to manage it and create a gap behind without DRS. So I’m really happy, of course.
FIA Formula 3: Tell us about that run to Turn 1. You guys were four wide, were there any nervous moments in the cockpit?
Hauger: Well, when you're going over 200kph, yeah you've really got some speed. It was so close, four wide into Turn 1 and I was really reaching for deep there and trying to be the latest one to break and it paid off. After that it was just head down, but it was quite nervous going into Turn 1 that's for sure.
FIA Formula 3: As you say head down, you'd opened a one second gap by lap one. Were there any more dramas for you?
Hauger: No not really, I just had the back markers that I had to get past. The two first laps were quite important in getting out of the DRS range and I knew that if I didn't do that it would be harder to stay in front. We managed from then on and had the good win of course.
FIA Formula 3: It's been an eventful weekend for you, but you're leading the championship. Just a few words on that?
Hauger: I think yesterday in Race 1, were just having a decent race overall starting from P12. Going into Race 2 I think we could have scored some really good points for the Championship, but I've just got to use that as a lesson, take it with me and move on. I think coming out of the first round as P1 in the Championship is a really good start and hopefully we can keep that momentum going.
FIA Formula 3: Many congratulations to you Dennis, and well done to you as well Jack. A great run to second place, you had to work for it though?
Jack Doohan: Unfortunately, I didn't get the start that I wanted to. Well to be fair, I thought I got the jump slightly on Dennis. We both bogged down, but I think the guys behind us got a slightly better start. I saw Matteo then pull into the pit lane and if had stayed where I was he would have been on the grass and I also had Dennis on the left of me. So, we were four wide going into T1 and I was planning to hold my ground, but everyone started to concertina so I felt like I needed to yield or it would have been a big crash. After yesterday's result with the clutch in Race 1 and then in Race 2 only getting three points it was important that I got points today. I didn't think I had the pace after the first couple of laps, but the guys at Trident got the car to come on perfectly and I was able to get those two positions back. But by the time I got to P2 Dennis had already done an awesome job for the first half of the race so it was very difficult then to pull him in.
FIA Formula 3: Race 3 is the first time this weekend that we've actually done 22 racing laps, with no safety car. What state were you tyres in by the end?
Doohan: By the end the front tryes started to go, but the rears were as well which was kind of helping me. I did think in the first half of the race that I might suffer in the end due to being close to the guys behind and having to push to make clean overtakes. As we saw yesterday those half moves that people were making in T1 weren't really working out for anyone. So, I really wanted to make sure I had a clean move, which meant pushing in the last sector. Luckily, the tyre kind of recovered once I hit P2. I was driving a little be rough when I was trying to break the DRS from P3 but luckily once I did that, I could keep it going.
FIA Formula 3: Well done today Jack. Many congratulations to you as well Matteo. How important was this podium finish today after what happened yesterday with Dennis?
Matteo Nannini: For sure it was very important because yesterday we were very close to the end. To finish the race in that way it was not happy for both of us, and it was just one and a half laps to the end. At the start I just wanted a good start, and I think I did it. Obviously arriving four wide into Turn 1 I didn't want to take too many risks after what happened yesterday. I tried to stay as close as possible to Dennis at the beginning, but he was just too fast for me in Sector 3. So, my goal at that moment was to create enough of a gap to the car behind so that they didn't have DRS. Then Jack caught me because he was faster. I tried to follow him, but I didn't have any more rear tyres. But it's a good podium and a lot of points gained for the Championship. I'm looking forward to Paul Ricard!
FIA Formula 3: Looking forward to Paul Ricard, but before then, you're going to be jumping back into Formula 2 in Monaco. How difficult is it to reset after an F3 weekend and focus on Formula 2?
Nannini: To be honest, I had the chance to try it at the tests here in Barcelona. I did two days in F3 and then straight away three days in F2, it was not a big issue. The biggest difference is the tyre management because in F2 it's much higher and you have to be able to save the tyres through to the end of the race. Obviously the F2 car is also much bigger and has much more horsepower, and different breaks, but I felt quite confident. Also, I am really looking forward to Monaco because it's a unique experience I've never raced there before!
FIA Formula 3: I hope you enjoy it, well done again today Matteo!