Photo: Alejandro Alonso Lopez
FIA Formula 3 champion Victor Martins wants to stay with ART Grand Prix for Formula 2, but has “work to do on the financial side” to move up.
The Alpine junior joined the Formula Scout Podcast after wrapping up the FIA F3 title at Monza last weekend, and discussed his 2023 intention of stepping up to F2 with ART GP, and what needs to happen first for him to secure a top seat in the series.
“I really want to be in that car,” said Martins. “Of course after getting that title, I feel I have the right to believe in it, to want it also. I know what is my potential. I really want to be in F2 next year. I really want to try this car first in the post-season test, which is in Abu Dhabi after the weekend.”
F2’s post-season test will take place as usual at Yas Marina Circuit on November 23-25, the week after the final round is held there.
“When I got the title in F3, maybe now I’m more thinking about driving in F2. I want to fight next year for the goal I will have. I’m already thinking of the next step. Of course the F3 title is good, but it’s done and now it’s time to focus on the next one,” the Frenchman affirmed.
Martins also won the Formula Renault Eurocup title in 2020 with ART and has had an even longer relationship with team boss Sebastien Philippe.
“All the titles, I have won them with them [ART], and if you have that, you want to keep the same team, the same approach, the same relationship. I have a really close one with them, and if I’m in F2, I would like to be with them for sure.
“I would like to be with them, to be winning with them, just to drive in F2. For sure I want to say to myself maybe one day ‘I won all my young categories titles with one team’. It would feel good to get this.”
When asked whether an agreement had already been reached, Martins replied that “nothing is done, especially for the season” but could still be seen in one of the team’s F2 cars soon.
“Of course next year is still a bit far, before there is the post-season test. So if you see me in the post-season test with ART GP, it could say that maybe next year I will have some chance or some more opportunity to race with them, but we still don’t know.
“There is still some work to do on the financial side. It’s quite big to be in F2, so it’s a big decision, a big project behind also. My goal is to be in F2 with them, that’s for sure. There’s nothing else I can say today because I don’t know more, but I feel that I did everything to put myself into a good position to get it.”