(Photo from FIA Formula 3)
How was your first experience of driving a Formula One car on a Grand Prix weekend?
It was a childhood dream come true. It’s something I’ve been dreaming of for so long, since I was a kid starting out in racing. To finally get my first taste of F1 machinery on a race weekend with the Audi Revolut F1 Team was such a special moment.
Of course, it was a compromised session, and we didn’t get as many laps as we wanted, but that’s how motorsport can go sometimes. To be fair, the one lap I did gave us relevant data, and it was actually quite a good lap. I was happy with that first push lap.
Overall, it was an amazing experience, and now I can’t wait for Brazil.
Did the opportunity to take part in the two FP1 sessions come as a surprise?
It definitely came as a bit of a surprise. I didn’t expect to be finishing my F3 season and getting an opportunity in FP1. I didn’t think it would be this year.
My management team and the Audi Revolut F1 Team know when the right time is, and they felt I was ready. I was certainly up for the challenge, and I think my general pace and the data showed that I was ready for it. I’m very excited to get some more laps under my belt in Brazil and get more of a feel for the 2026 car.
Will you head into Brazil with a better idea of what to expect?
Yes, for sure, although there’s still quite a lot to learn about how the car actually feels. As I said, I only had one proper push lap to get a feel for the brakes, the aero and the battery.
There are still things to learn because I haven’t done enough laps yet. We’ll see what it’s like in Brazil, where the different altitude should make things a little easier in terms of aero loads. It should be good, and I’m looking forward to building my knowledge.
What was it like being in the F1 paddock as a driver?
It’s crazy. The F1 paddock is so busy, with so many people all doing their own bit. What’s really impressive is seeing all the different departments within the team.
Of course, the driver makes a difference out on track, but it takes more than 1,000 people to reach that point: to get the car on track and performing well. It’s impressive to see all the effort, the structure, the garage setup and everything that goes into it.
It was very cool to witness that and appreciate it. I think it can be difficult to appreciate how much goes into Formula One when you don’t see it. When you’re there, you see the effort and the number of people all contributing their one per cent gains.
On the media side, there are a lot more cameras and a lot more going on, but that’s part of being a racing driver. It’s something I’m used to.
With your F3 season, the F2 announcement and now your FP1 debut, how do you reflect on the year?
I’m really happy. It’s been a very good year for my development. Of course, winning championships and getting good results is the aim, but this year has been really valuable in terms of learning.
Racing on F1 weekends in F3 has been a new experience. There are certain aspects of F3 that are completely different from the championships I’ve raced in before, and those lessons will be useful for the future.
It’s been a really good year for my development, and now we look forward to 2027.