We had the opportunity to sit down with Matt Palfrayman, the UIM Formula 2 driver who clinched a stunning victory at the Brindisi race. In this exclusive interview, Matt shares insights into his race weekend, the challenges he faced, and his plans for the remainder of the championship.
1. Can you walk us through the race weekend in Brindisi and describe briefly how you managed to clinch the win?
The race weekend for me started very relaxed. We arrived at the race venue around midday on Thursday, which allowed us to take in the beautiful location of Brindisi. For me, Brindisi is one of the best race locations, not only for the tight and rough racecourse but also because the local town is always great to visit.
We started the weekend with free practice, which for me was one of the biggest hurdles we needed to overcome. I had tested the boat alone at home in the UK and with one or two other boats but never with 18 other competitors. This was the biggest challenge for me, as I wasn’t sure how I would perform in the rough water and with lots of fast competitors around me.
We took our time in practice, testing propellers, and the team allowed me time to feel confident in the boat and understand the conditions. In truth, it was a lot to take in, in a very short period. After practice, we decided on how to attack qualifying, and it worked perfectly. With each session, I felt more relaxed and confident in the boat and the setup we had as a team.
Our goal for the weekend was to make it to Q3 and finish in the top six. If we achieved this, we would have been happy. Once we made it to Q3, anything above this was a bonus. To finish P3 in qualifying added some additional confidence but also some pressure.
The race went perfectly for us. The engine started beautifully, and the boat rocketed from the start line. We left space around the first corner and stayed in clean water. Once we made it to P2, we had only one focus: the lead. Three corners later, we were alongside the leader and powering down the back straight to take the lead. Once we were in the lead, I believed we could control the race from the front, but only time would tell. The first 8 to 10 laps were good, and then we started to come up to lap drivers who were fighting their own battles on the water, which is always tough. As we were in the middle of this fight, the yellow flag came out, which bunched everyone back together. This happened a few times during the race, but we managed to see it out. My radio man controlled the yellow flag situations perfectly, and we managed to keep our lead through the whole race, from lap 1 to lap 38.
Honestly, as weekends go, it couldn’t have gone any better. The whole team worked relentlessly to ensure we had the best opportunity to win. I cannot thank the Kingfisher Team enough for the opportunity to race for them.
2. With the championship having five more rounds to go, how do you and your team plan to maintain your momentum and capitalize on your recent success for the upcoming races? What are the strategies?
Regarding the championship and the next races, we had not planned to attend Tonsberg as our Team Owner Ian has a British championship race which unfortunately clashed with the dates. But Ian has given up his chance at the British Sprint Title to allow me to race at the next race, for which I will be forever thankful.
Our plan is to take each race at a time. A lot can happen over the course of the full championship, and we just need to be consistent and competitive. I truly believe that we have the equipment, the team, and the support to achieve this.
Tonsberg has always been a good race place for me; I’ve had a few podiums here, and I hope we can repeat this success!