The Red Bull driver completed the three-day test in Barcelona with satisfaction, finishing second in the overall standings.
"I'm very happy with the performance of the car, although we want to keep improving and understanding every detail. It's a new category for me and everything we are learning is important, especially how the car responds to changes in both short and long runs".
Formula 2 held this week the second official test of the season at the Circuit de Barcelona - Catalunya. Pepe Martí and Campos Racing carried out three days of hard work, from which they came out satisfied and with a good result.
The first day was a starting point, where they were testing many variations, trying to find the ones that best suited the Red Bull driver. Pepe Martí left the test with the second fastest time (1:23.549), after being the fastest of the second day, with a time of 1:23.681. During the last day, the Barcelona-born driver carried out several race simulations, with optimistic and enlightening results about the behaviour of the car and the tyres. Over the three days, Martí completed a total of 205 laps.
The 18 year old driver, who is still only 18 years old, assesses the test and how he has started his first season in the intermediate category. "The first day was a bit more complicated, we had some difficulties that helped us find the right settings we needed to be comfortable with the car. We managed to have good speed, so much so that in one run we were already competitive. I am very happy with the performance of the car, although we want to keep improving and understanding every detail. It's a new category for me and everything we are learning is important, especially how the car responds to changes in both short and long runs. We are trying as many things as possible, making changes that maybe you won't see so much here (in Barcelona) or in Imola, but later on for sure. We hope to make progress little by little and get the results we want".
A calendar with long breaks
"This kind of test is very important. You've been out of the car for a long time and it's difficult to get the feeling back, but once you're in the car, you feel like you're part of it again, and everything goes back to normal. It's also true that in qualifying and after tyre changes with different compounds, it's sometimes difficult to get the feeling back.
The dream of winning at home with the F2 car
"Although the test went well, at the moment I am not thinking about the result I can achieve in the race in June. I am aware that the test factor does a lot. The teams can put more weight... and also the fact that some are hiding their cards. There's a bit of everything. It's difficult to know exactly where you are. But it's true that the 'home' factor helps. I like this track a lot, especially after the renovation with the fast corner. It's a circuit where I have a lot of fun. Being able to race at your home track always helps. For example, being able to sleep in your bed, but it's still just another track where you have to work and try to learn and be competitive.
Improving qualifying when the race weekend comes around again
"The main thing that needs to be sorted out for when we get back to racing is the qualifying. That's what we struggle with the most. In this test we have improved and we have been understanding what we need to be fast. To put the car in the top 5 is difficult for me but on the other hand, in the race I always make a step forward. Little by little we will find a way to change the situation and go fast in qualifying to make it easier in the race".
The start of the season
"In Bahrain it went very well but in the following races we had to learn and gain experience from every situation. But in the end... as they say 'the harder I work, the luckier I get'. It's a saying but it's a great truth. It's difficult to put into words whether we have been better or worse than expected... The speed is good and what is clear is that I am now a much more complete driver than I was before. Two years ago when I was a rookie in F3 I was a kid who had just been put in a car that was very fast. Now I would like to think that I have grown as a driver, that I think about things more and I always prepare myself 100%, to the best of my ability. With that we will try to work to have the best possible conditions to achieve results".