Original subtitles

Thank you.

After competing in China and Saudi Arabia, F1 Academy is all set for

in the United States. Welcome to the third round of the series where the

talented young female racers compete in junior single -seaters to establish

their careers in motorsport.

And once again, it is on a challenging circuit. There are 19 turns to deal

some fast sweeping corners, but also some tricky tight and narrow sections as

well, where you need to be close to the wall, but try not to hit it. Last year,

the fastest race lap was 1 .59 .322, but the fastest qualifying lap was a 1 .58

.507, which was set.

by my co -commentator today and the reigning F1 Academy champion, Abby

Now, Abby, you've just been showing me as well the weather forecast for today.

It's slightly different to the way it was yesterday.

Yeah, I'm nervous looking outside the commentary box. It's looking really

overcast, a bit sad in the air. It's not like the Miami heat that we had

yesterday, but it's going to be a challenge for the drivers. I mean, the

temp's a lot lower. It's going to be different. It actually rained overnight,

that's an additional thing that they've got to deal with. There's going to be a

lot of dirt on the track that's been brought on, so the track evolution

throughout the session is going to be massive.

Abby, it's great to have you with us this weekend, as you are the reigning

champion of F1 Academy.

And, well, let's just see how this qualifying goes. They've had those two

practice sessions, which you were studying yesterday.

Dorianne Pan, who we saw just a moment ago, she was fastest in the first

practice session. Maya Berg.

was fastest in the second, and those two are really battling for the title at

the moment. Mayerberg is now leading the championship, but it is a close battle

as expected in this early stages of the season. And the cars now all heading out

onto the track. So track conditions, obviously, even though the weather at

moment is looking a little bit questionable, nice and dry, maybe not as

sometimes, but they've still got to warm these tyres up to get the best out of

them, haven't they?

Track temp is 15 degrees lower than it was yesterday in FP2, so a little bit

more work for the drivers, but the ambient is so hot here that it does end

helping, 27 degree air temp, so there isn't too much they've got to do, like

example the braking, you can overheat the brakes quite easily, so it's more

lateral load, you see them weaving down this second straight on the track.

Looking at a weather map there, and you can see there is rain around, whether

it's going to affect this session or not. So it is really important. Now the

track is dry. You need to get out there and do it quick, don't you?

Yeah, I mean, if there is a chance of rain, it's definitely a case of you're

going to go quicker on the wet tyres, that's for sure. So it may be that a

different... Different strategy for some of the teams. I've seen, actually, some

of the teams have scrubbed in a set of tyres. Some of the cars don't have the

white stickers on the tyres. That means they've gone out on a script set that

they've done an outlap on yesterday.

So it may be strategic. They want to put the new set on earlier, the more newer,

let's say, set on earlier in the session.

Straight away, push straight away.

It's going to get the rain. We are going to get it in a few minutes. So full

push.

Well, there we are. They are being told to get on with it. And actually, they're

all out together. So, yeah, try not to get all tangled up.

There is Dorianne Pat, and she's just going past Ava Dobson. Ava Dobson is the

wildcard entry, by the way, American, the fourth American now in the series

this particular event. She's just doing the one -off event, and we'll see how

she gets on. Chloe Chambers, number 14, you're looking at at the moment in the

Red Bull livery, and Chloe can be very rapid, as we know. She was on pole

position last time in Saudi Arabia, ended up finishing second despite

the line first with some penalty, but Chloe Chambers, one to watch here, Abby.

Yeah, and she's got prime of place as well. Obviously on the pit lane there,

they're further forward.

They're the first in the queue and she's got clear track ahead of her. That's

going to help so much, especially as we see a few spots of rain on that camera,

I think.

It's looking like it's really, really important to get your lap in early and

putting it together.

And it seems that it's going to be decided potentially in this first 10

if the rain does come.

Yeah, look at that. Even more drops of rain on the next camera. So as you say,

it's absolutely... Absolutely crucial to get these first laps absolutely as

quickly as you can because if the track's going to get wet and slippery,

no way you're going to be able to improve.

You're riding on board with Chloe Chambers right now as we're heading up

that tighter section of the track now, turns 11, 12, and then it all gets quite

complicated here. Just talk us through this, Abby.

This sector is the slow speed sector too. It's all mainly in second gear,

collection of corners, but you can see she's struggling for grip. It's not as

comfortable. as the onboards have been in this sector.

And it looks like there's a bit of understeer when she's pushing the

And then the rear comes out around turn 11, we saw, as they're all towing each

other along down this back straight, helping each other out.

Nina Gaidman is saying it's raining a lot. So this is where, potentially, the

track position for Chloe is going to come in really handy.

Crossing the line first, the track's the most dry for her.

Absolutely right. Yeah, Palmosky behind her had set the fastest second sector.

Somebody else has now gone slightly quicker with that. And actually, I think

it's Leah Block who's done a good second sector.

But let's have a look at how these times are looking as they come across the

line. This could be crucial, as you say.

Still just over two minutes rather than in the 1 .59s or 1 .58s, which they were

doing yesterday.

And if it does get wetter, it's going to be even harder. Leah Bloch, as I

mentioned, with that fastest middle sector, she goes third fastest. So Chloe

Chambers has set the initial pace. Let's have a look. Dorian Pan has popped up

to third and still quite a few more to set that initial time. This is really a

crucial time, isn't it? This could be a really, really good thing for Leah,

actually. In front of the home crowd, she obviously has a really big pass in

rally driving. So if she has the less grip, she may be feeling the most

comfortable she's felt all weekend.

the home crowd she's obviously going to want to do well in and it's not easy to

be able to jump in in such a high pressure situation here with the rain

down it's going to be tough

As we see a lot of traffic as well for Dorian, track positioning seems really

vital. Yeah, that does make life tricky. I mean, OK, if you get a tow, then

fantastic, but it's going to slow you down through the corners. You really

want to be in a group of cars, on the other hand, when if there's rain coming

down, you cannot afford to slow down and wait for a quick lap. And so Dorian

Pan's having to work really hard at this. This is unusually qualified. It

like racing, doesn't it? Because in qualifying, you wouldn't normally get

situation like this, but she's got to, hasn't she?

This is hampering more than helping for sure, but you can see how slippy it is

on the on -board as the car's off. I think that's... Ava Dobson. Yeah, Ava

Dobson or potentially even Leah. Oh, it might be Leah, yeah. Gittles here. Yeah,

Leah. They all missed the braking at Leah.

Yeah, yellow flags, that means also the drivers can't improve in this sector,

but it doesn't look like they're even going to because it's so wet out there.

Yeah, and actually the second sectors are all slower now. So the first sector,

there were a few people who improved on that first sector, but now the second

sector is definitely slippery. And that means that that line -up that we've got

already, that could well be it now. I think it's going to be incredibly

difficult to improve on that.

I don't think they will.

The strategy now is, okay, you've got to stay out and keep tie attempt because

if they box now, they're going to drop tie attempt. They've got to wait to try

and get the track to dry and come back to them maybe at the end of this 20

minutes.

Yeah, it's going to be tough.

Yeah, but look at where Maya Verg is, down in 10th place.

The championship leader, she did not... There she is, look, number 64.

The Ferrari -backed car, she is down in 10th. Now, remember, the top eight will

take a reverse grid for the first race, but if you're down in 10th, well, that's

it. You'll be 10th on the grid for both races. And look how wet it's getting out

there now.

Yeah, on ice. It looks like an ice rink as we see a replay of Alicia Palmowski

here going into turn 11. One of the biggest braking zones on the track here.

Getting a bit out of shape, I'm going to imagine. Everyone following the leader

onto the runoff.

Not ideal situation here.

No, I mean, she's done a good job. She's second fastest, remember, and they were

both at Sheffield Chambers, so it was the top two.

They were the first out on track, and that was an advantage, as you mentioned,

think, getting out first from the grid. That was the spin for Leah Block, so she

got caught by the damp conditions, but Leah is fifth fastest, and that does

the way it's going to be. That was Dorian Pan coming through that group of

Thankfully, oof, everybody did just manage to avoid her. That was a little

close with Emma Felber. Meyer but it all sorted itself out and no one else made

damage there so that's good.

And of course, FP1 and FP2, it was dry. It was dry for the first time that the

drivers are on this track in these conditions. So it'll be interesting to

whether they actually put the wets on and they decide, I might actually give

a go on the wets. Not to improve on lap time, but just to learn. The races could

potentially be wet. So they need to get as much information as possible.

Then there's the argument again about the tide then. But to be honest, I don't

think with how heavy it's coming down outside this comms box, it's going to be

really anything.

they can do about it i'll tell you what though with my other 10th fastest and

very unlikely to be able to improve on that we're going to have two mega races

possibly because my other gabby is going to have to work so hard in both races

having only set the 10th fastest time she's the championship leader but she's

going to have to do a lot of overtaking this weekend yeah i mean speaking to

maya and knowing her from last year she does love uh overtaking however

Not when you're leading a championship. She did say to me yesterday, it's the

most comfortable she's ever felt. She's at the top of the times and at the top

of the championship or the series, sorry.

She's the one to beat, but...

She's really, really found herself in a bad situation here, not even reaping the

benefit of the reverse good race. If it ends like this, she's going to be

starting seventh in both races, and it will be a lot of work to do for her.

Her main rival, of course, only seven points behind her in the championship at

the moment. Dorianne Pan is third fastest at this stage, which is actually

good place to be.

Maybe not on the front row for the second race, but it means she's slightly

further ahead for race one. Left point.

for the reverse grid race when you do that. But nonetheless, I think Dorianne

Pan will be relieved in a way that she set a good early pace. And Lloyd doing

excellent job. Fourth fastest as well.

Aurelia Nobels has done a good job in sixth place. And Rafaela Pereira, that's

impressive. Seventh fastest because she was a little bit further down the list

in free practice. She was 12th in practice one.

And she was 15th in practice two.

Yeah, Raffaella with Campos Racing, she was one of the first three out on track,

so maybe that's helped her get a bit more confident in the better conditions.

But I just want to point out how close it is in that top four.

Seven hundredths between the four of them. It just shows how important that

was to get the lap in, and it's from Chloe Chambers to Alicia Pinn and then

Lloyd. So all of them really, really making the most of that first.

one push lap yeah absolutely they are putting wets on as you can see as you

mentioned we might see that a little bit uh else going on with alicia

palmowski's car they haven't put the well they are now beginning to take the

slicks off and put the wets on so let's just see if they do decide to go out of

course part of this will be thinking well if there's rain over the weekend

we're racing in the rain we really need to get a feel for the car

Exactly. Getting as much data as possible. I mean, they want to try and

car for the setup, but also for the drivers to get into it.

There is still a chance that we have more sleek laps at the end of the

Well, that's interesting to hear. So we've still got just under 20 minutes to

go. It would have to be stopping raining very much now, I would think, for it to

dry off enough. But let's wait and see.

I mean, the rain has stopped here where I am in the comms box. I'm situated at

the start of the pit lane. So there's nothing here. So the teams will see that

there's no rain in the pit lane. However, it's looking like there's a lot

spray out there as we go outboard shots of Leoblon going into turn four.

Yeah, Leah Block, one of the Americans racing, of course, this weekend. She's

had a really tough time in qualifying until now, but right now she's fifth

fastest. She started at the back of all four races that we've had so far.

The first event she got taken out in the early part of qualifying, and so she

didn't get to settle that. And then she went off herself in Saudi and didn't get

to settle that there either. So this time, thankfully, where she's in the

home turf, and she has done a great job, fifth fastest. But this is interesting,

Abby, to have a look now on the wet tyres to see how the cars react in these

conditions.

I'm really excited, actually, to go on board here with Aurelia Nobles and see

what the track's like in the rain. I'm almost a bit envious, to be honest. It

looks like a really exciting track. As we see, the sun is coming out a little

bit, but it doesn't look like it will be enough to dry. I mean, maybe we'll see.

But it's going to be a really big challenge. There's a really high -speed

1. Rubber's been laid down from the Formula 1 and all the support races that

have been out this weekend. So it's going to be really slippy online.

And it's going to be a challenge for the... for the drivers to adapt and

out where the best possible places to put their car.

Absolutely right. Yes, that's what you can learn from all of this. How many wet

races did you do last year in F1 Academy? Were there any?

Great question. No wet races, but there was a moment at Zandvoort where we were

sat on the grid and the heavens opened and the race actually got postponed even

to next morning. Qualifying at Zandvoort, also wet.

These cars in the wet, it requires a bit of finesse.

The tyres are quite soft, to be honest, so there is a lot of... grip available,

but around a street circuit like this, maybe less so than a more normal circuit

like Zandvoort.

Yeah, no, I can understand that. And that means that on a track like

if it's drying, you've got to perhaps run it onto the wet to keep those tyres

cooled down a little bit. That's not really something they need to worry

right now. Right now, it's just finding where the grip is, isn't it? And driving

in the wet on any racetrack, it's always about trying to identify where are the

drier patches.

They can be in strange places, can't they?

Yeah, no, there can be little bumps in the road and it can create standing

and you go for a puddle and the rear will step out. Of course, these guys

like going through moats that go across the track sometimes.

But it's making sure you're looking at them. And it's actually really important

if there is any standing water for these drivers to be checking out, because if

it is starting to dry at the end of the session, they'll want to be cooling down

these wet tyres. But then when it gets to slicks, you want to be avoiding them.

Absolutely right. On board with Aurelia Nobels here.

And she's done a good job so far, going sixth fastest.

First sector, six seconds down on the fastest first sector in the dry earlier

on. Six seconds, not a huge surprise when you can see the amount of water,

amount of rain. I think it's... unlikely that we're going to see quick laps by

the end. Just look at the amount of water that's out there.

It does seem Sector 2 has particularly been really affected by this rain. There

is a significant amount of spray that I don't think is going to go. As we see

Aurelia fighting the car into Turn 11 and then getting it back to the left,

the rubber, so going very wide here, middle of the track, as she sets up Turn

13, 14 and 15. This chicane is really tight. These curbs are very slippy over

the pavement. and doing a really good job to try different things, try and get

the accelerator down, find where the traction is. Yeah, 12 seconds, not...

going to see an improvement on overall pace for sure. No, but we'll maybe get

idea. It'll be interesting to see who is going to be quick in the wet at this

point. And we'll see, because just in case we get rain either later today or

Sunday, we'll get a little bit of an idea who's going well in the wet

conditions. But just under 15 minutes to go, it does look as though the

qualifying setup is done. But it's always fascinating driving on board in

wet conditions like this with these...

formula four cars as they are effectively in tattered cars and as you

saying the wet tires They work well. They're reasonably soft, so they're

them a reasonable amount of grip.

Two minutes, 15 seconds. Yeah, so we are looking at 15 seconds, basically, off

the pace in the dry. That's no great surprise.

Oh, and Leah's just gone a little bit wide once again.

Yeah, doing some sightseeing. It looks really wet off on that painted section

the track, but it seems like it's going to be, I think, a lot of fun out there

for the drivers, to be honest. As you said, it's...

For the races, making sure they're set up and understand where they need to be.

For whatever reason, if it is wet, as we go on board with Maya, who, yeah,

she'll be wanting to move forward, so getting as much data as possible. And if

the race is wet...

knowing where she can go offline to make them overtakes, fighting the car around

turn three here, all flat out in the dry, maybe potentially a little lift in

wet.

Yeah, and of course, she's one of those drivers into her second year. That's one

of the rules of F1 Academy, is you're only allowed to compete in F1 Academy

two years. Last year, she developed her talent very, very clearly, taking a win

at the end of the season, and she's been very much... on the case now

championship leader as we mentioned she finished third and second in the first

two races of the year and then second and first last time out in saudi arabia

excuse me um but she is leading the championship but down in 10th place is

she's going to have to work hard but she looks pretty confident in these

conditions doesn't she in the way

Yeah, I mean, her last lap out was at 2 minutes 20, and I've seen some of her

drivers on a 2 minute 14, so that was Leah Block, actually. So Leah looks the

fastest in these conditions at the moment, but Maya on her first proper

imagine the last lap was probably a prep lap, why the gap was so big, but we'll

see going through Sector 2 now how she'll fare against the other drivers.

Yeah, it's going to be fascinating to see. You've got to be so careful through

these chicanes, trying not to run it too much. That was a lovely little bit of

four -wheel drift out onto the exit as she comes down the long main straight

here. 12 seconds down. So as you say, I think this is potentially going to be up

there with the 2 minute 14 that we have seen so far as fastest. I think this

could be a little quicker, but are we actually going to see this track drying

up? I think that's more difficult. This section into the final section that we

are in now, definitely.

a little bit drier in section two. As you said, sector two of this track is

definitely the wettest part of it.

Yeah, it's going to be a little bit of managing the tyres, actually. They'll

start overheating at this point in sector three, where it is drier, and

sector one, where we're going into now as we finish the lap. The spray, not

much here, whereas in sector two, it is very significant, as Mayavug does a two

-minute 16 .4, so still a little bit of time to find compared to the lap that

Leah was able to put in, but a lot of drivers actually come... Coming into the

box and sitting out as well, Leah, after going off in the box.

But here we see Tina Houseman. She's decided to stay out, wants to learn a

little bit more as we go up to the final corner.

Yeah, Tina Hausman with the backing from Aston Martin, running with the Prema

team. And Tina Hausman has a good time last time out in Saudi. It was all a bit

tricky for her in China. There were penalties in both races. But she

sixth in both races last time out. She is now seventh in the points. So she's

doing a good job. And having set her pace earlier on, she was ninth fastest.

she has just missed out on that top eight reverse.

Unfortunately, she's been eighth. of course, then there would have been pole

position for race one, but it hasn't quite worked out. But she still is

to keep an eye on. She has great ability. So let's see what happened to

at Nobels a moment ago.

She's in the pit lane. Oh, that was a little bit tight, wasn't it, Abby?

Yeah, not pulling into the grid box as maybe she would have liked.

Luckily, it wasn't too big. It was just a little jink out that maybe wasn't

expected. Yeah, Eva Anagnostiadis, who just went a little bit deep. There she

is. But no damage done in the end to either car, so that was fine.

And, yeah, Anagnostiadis is down at the bottom.

She didn't really get a quick lap in on the dry tyres.

And, of course, those going out later were in a real group of cars. It was

difficult to get a clear lap in, as we saw.

But there is Leah Block, having done that great job in the dry fifth.

and then showing great pace, as you said, in the wet, doing a 2 minute 14,

nobody else has quite matched, although actually Hausman has done a 2 minute 12.

I was going to say, yeah, so Nina Gaidman actually did a 2 minute 13 dead,

is 0 .0, and then Tina Hausman managed to one -up her and do a 0 .9, so them

two seem to be a step quicker than everyone else so far in these wet

But it is drying up a little bit, isn't it? So if you're still out there, there

is a chance perhaps.

to go even faster. We're on board with Dorian Pan, major championship

second in the points at the moment, having led after the first round.

Second now to Mayerberg, but in a much better position for...

The start of the races, having been third fastest so far in this session,

we still think is very unlikely to change, even though the track is drying

slowly, it's very hard for it to get to a full dry session once again, with the

clock ticking away, under 10 minutes to go, and Maya Verg is back into the pit.

She will be challenging this, and mentally a tough one, but it was just a

situation to go out in that whole group of cars, wasn't it?

Yeah, it's not ideal.

It's the...

The position you are in the pit lane, it can help you sometimes or hinder you.

And I think definitely Maya being done over a little bit, it's nothing that she

could do within her control. So that would be the big thing that she needs to

think about as we see the frustration there on the replay, hitting the wheel.

But again, like I say, need to not be hard on herself. There wasn't much she

could have done. She was in a gaggle of cars that was unavoidable if she had

gone out and waited.

let the cars go to get clear air, it would have been wet. So she would have

in the same situation, not been able to get a lap time in.

20 -year -old from the Netherlands who has that backing from Ferrari and

with MP Motorsport.

So no chance of going back out with slicks on, Lloyd.

Being told.

So they had put the slicks on, but now they've decided no point at all because

of the time clicking away.

And I do understand that. It really doesn't look likely that you're going to

able to get back out on slicks.

And there's no point in risking it, is it really, Abby? Because, you know, if

you hit the wall at this point in the session where really you can't improve

anyway, then it's just no point.

No, the last thing you want to do is having to rebuild a car after

going into a race. You've got no time to do a lap to make sure everything's

running okay.

But it was quite an ambitious call to put the slicks back on the car. I worked

with Zimba, Ella Lloyd, engineer last year. So I admire the gamble there. But

yeah, I think it's probably the right decision to not.

go out again but we'll see it's looking quite dry on this pit straight now but

around the back I think it's just too still too wet absolutely right yeah very

very interesting and

Well, at this stage, Aurelia Nobels is still out on track. She is sixth in that

lineup, which is excellent for her. And there's every chance, therefore, that

she could be scoring some points, which she hasn't managed to do so far this

season. And for the ART team, which she runs with, that would be good news if

they can get some points for them, too.

I spoke to Aurelia yesterday, actually, and she was up there, I think, in FP2.

She was P5, one of the best position seats she's been in all season.

So she was hoping to continue the form forward and was really happy. She had a

bit of bad luck last year here at Miami, and she wanted a bit of redemption.

So it's nice to see her in the top ten of the session so far and

trying to learn as much as possible on these wet tyres.

Yeah, absolutely.

We shall see how it all goes, but still learning about the track is important,

no doubt about it. Don't forget, though, it is Chloe Chambers who has set the

outright pace, and it really doesn't look... Oh, a little bit of a lock -up.

actually dealt with that well, Aurelien Nobels.

Yeah, that was fine. It's not surprising that you're going to lock up.

Change of brake balance, presumably in the wet conditions. You've had to have

done that before. Well, you can always adjust it when you're out there, but you

would have done it coming out. And she's using the kerbs a bit too much. Yeah, I

don't think that was meant to happen. I think just a little mistake there in

these conditions. But as you say, yes, the brake bias.

As soon as it would have rained, they would have gone back on the bias. At

that's what I would have done. Even on the slick tyres, you'd need to. to be

ready for anything in the braking zone. Less grip. You've got to really manage

that on the bias.

When they boxed for wet tyres, they would have then gone back out. You run

around 60 % in the dry.

Now they'll be running about 50, 55, sorry.

Okay, yeah, no, good point.

Another one to mention, Ava Dobson, the wildcard entry. She's done a pretty good

job in being 15th fastest because the wildcards...

Drivers have generally been down at the back of the grid in the races we've seen

so far. But she does have three -place penalty in both races. So it does

actually, sadly, put her back down. There she is. There's Ava Dobson. But

does have a three -place penalty.

But she's done a reasonable job there, hasn't she, in qualifying?

Yeah, for a wildcard, it's not ideal having to carry the penalty forward in

races. This is her one event of the year, but hopefully we see her more in

future. But it was a silly little mistake that you've got to pay quite a

for. But she's doing a great job here and managed to improve on her positions

from where she was in practice.

And as you see, Aurelia, again, she's living these conditions, it looks like.

Definitely, yeah. Really making the most of it and looking as though she's got

good control, even though this was just a little bit too much over the kerb.

Just grounding the car a little bit. Thankfully, it didn't knock it off too

wide. Turned into a skateboard on a half pipe there. Yeah, absolutely.

Meanwhile, Leah Block's been looking pretty impressive in these conditions

hasn't she?

Yeah, Leah, as I said, a background in rallies. So with the wet conditions, I'm

sure she'll be in her element and actually finding the limit, going over

there at turn 14 and cutting the chicane, bailing out quite early. A bit

than what we saw Aurelia do where she went over the kerbs.

But actually, Leah in Zandvoort, I remember seeing her up there with us in

the wet conditions. So I'm sure she'll be living it out there right now. I'm

excited to talk to her after the session.

I hope it will be wet in race one, Tim.

Yeah, me too.

Nina Gaidman happy with the pace she has done in this wet session.

And certainly she didn't manage to get a good lap, particularly in the dry, down

in 13th place. So she's actually hoping it will be wet so she can make up a bit

more time.

But interestingly, some drivers opting to not go out at all on the wet. So I

don't believe Chloe Chambers or Alicia have really done too much. A lot of them

sitting in the pit lane.

Yeah, that's right.

Let's just see what Alba Larson ran wide over the kerb.

Dealt with it fine.

Didn't spin the car.

That was sensible, wasn't it? Because sometimes some people overreact if they

run wide.

Yeah, it is really easy to overreact to any input. Even in the dry, you can

overreact to the oversteer that you're feeling. So it's a really, really mature

decision from Albert to bail out and just go straight on there. It's a very

-speed section of the track, one of the fastest corners, so good decision

-making. You're watching Courtney Crone at the moment, number seven with the hat

backing, another of the ART team.

Hasn't qualified quite as well as she would have liked, but 11th is not bad,

actually, because she's had a few ups and downs already this season. That

actually will be the best qualifying she's done so far. She's been 14th on

grid at all previous four races, so that will be an improvement.

But there is Chloe Chambers, who is fastest overall.

She's done a very good job. She raced here last year. She finished third in

first race, so she got a podium, having qualified seventh. She finished fourth

in the other one.

also raced in the W Series here in 2022.

So that experience, but also, I think, as you were mentioning, Abby, getting

first onto the lap, that was probably even more important than her experience

here.

Track positioning was so important in that. Of course, she's done a lot of

here and raced in championships previously in this track and she's got a

knowledge behind the home crowd.

The clear track, I think, really, really paid in her favor, which this is

Gabriela, the team manager, as we see.

Maybe not as happy as I'd expected to. We'll see his smile maybe once the

checkered flag goes out. But, yeah, the Campos team, they're having a really

great result so far.

Yeah, and you're back on board with Alicia Tarmoski here, who is second

part of that same team.

And with the Red Bull racing back up as well.

They were very close. As you mentioned, I mean, the top three were so close. But

these two were just 0 .018 apart from each other. So there is Chloe Chambers.

That's how close they were. That's not going to change now. But it means

going to be on the front row together, which is going to be fascinating.

And let's not forget, Alicia Palmosky won the first race of the year.

Yes, it was the top eight reverse grid. And also, there was sadly a problem for

Ine Gaidman.

She deserved a great result. She got the win and she's going to be starting up

on the front row. Could be another chance for her, couldn't it?

Potentially. I mean, I know Alicia. She's a British racing driver and I've

across her a few times before even F1 Academy. And she's really, really a

talent of the future and so keen and enthusiastic as we see the session

So definitely, definitely wasn't possible for the slicks to go on for

hopefully in race one, we'll see.

If it will dry out, I imagine it will if there's no more rain to come.

Yeah, I would imagine so too. Yeah, that was a 2 minute 12 by Amoski as well.

So that's the sort of pace that we've seen in the damp conditions, but the

have all been set very briefly in the dry.

Alba Larson having another little moment.

Did she stay off the wall or not?

We saw actually an FP1 or 2 brushing the wall. So there, that's as close as you

really want to get. Can't fit a coin between that. But yeah, that's probably

of the tightest parts of the track there, turn 16. It's really tough,

in these conditions.

Okay, Chloe. So that's it.

P1. P1. Not the way we wanted, but yeah, you did a good job pushing from the

beginning. And I will take it, Alicia.

So, yeah.

Anyways, good job.

That was an exciting session.

Oh, well, a win is a win. Whatever.

Very, very good indeed.

And in fact, of course, it means that she has now had pole positions back to

back because she was on pole position last time. Dorian Pan, though, who is,

course, well up in the championship.

I mean, all three of them are. Chambers is not far behind Dorian Pan. The gap is

five points between those two.

Maya Verg is the championship leader, but is not in that top.

Group, of course, as we mentioned, Maia Berg down in 10th place. So we could

well see a change in who's leading the championship after the two races this

weekend. It's going to be fascinating to see. But what we do know is Chloe

Chambers and Alicia Palmofsky are going to be on that front row together with

Dorianne Pan right behind and Ella Lloyd. And, Abby, you've been working

Ella a lot. I think she'll be pretty happy with being up on that second row,

won't she?

Definitely, and the gap is so tight. She maybe will be coming back in thinking,

oh, I should have done this a little bit more or done that. But a really great

result for Ella, obviously getting her first win out in the reverse good race.

So hopefully maybe getting some silverware in the main race as well.

Absolutely.

Yes, a solid result for the team. 1 -2.

Amazing. That's great.

Well done.

Yeah, it is good news for the team. There's no doubt about it. And that is

best qualifying so far this year. I mean, she's been strong, as you said,

the way through this season after that great performances in GB4 in the UK last

year. She's qualified well.

She's been fifth, fourth, and now she's gone second. So she's been moving up

every time she's been out qualifying.

Getting the timing right, following Chloe James, I think, as well, was quite

helpful, wasn't it?

Definitely. And for championships, that consistency that she has is really

important. And it will help her in the long run to be able to score good points

in every race. So this is, yeah, going up and chasing Chloe down. It almost

sounds like on the team radio from Chloe that...

Her engineer was very happy that she overtook Alicia and took that track

position in to make sure she had that clear track. So maybe if Alicia had kept

in front, maybe it would have helped. But a great result nonetheless for her.

Yeah, very, very good. And who knows how it's going to go in the race when they

both start together on the front row with those times so close. But they will

have Dorian Tan behind.

who is experienced and very rapid and looking to try and sneak ahead in the

championship. And we'll have Mayerberg down in 10th place, leading the points

the moment. But we could see the frustration from her.

And she's going to have to work hard to try and move up the order. Alba Larsson

a bit further down than we might have expected. Nina Gaben down in 13th. But

many of them had an issue on that opening couple of laps in the dry where

were in traffic. And it was so difficult to put. a quick lap together when they

actually had the pace but that's the way that it lines up the grid and we're

going to be looking forward to later on of course the top eight will be reversed

on the grid for the first race but then it will be in that order for the second

race and there's still a bit of cloud out there who knows abby what's going to

happen to this weather

No, I'm excited. I can't wait to see what's going to happen for race one. And

the girls now have got a bit of experience in the range, so they're

whatever comes.

They are, and it could make it all very, very interesting to see who's going to

be able to take command and who's going to be coming through from further down

the grid. I think we will be watching not just up front to see who's leading

race, but who's going to be fighting their way through to try and gain some

points. Let's have a look at the qualifying result then.

Pole position has gone to Chloe Chambers for the second race in a row, or second

meeting in a row. Alicia Palmosky, excellent in second place, but Dorian

there in third. currently second in the championship. Ella Lloyd, fourth.

And then Leah Block, very much her best effort in qualifying so far this year,

up into fifth.

Aurelia Nobel in sixth place, ahead of Raffaella Ferreira, Emma Felber -Meyer.

Tina Hausman in ninth place. Remember, the top eight will reverse for race one,

but ninth and tenth. Tina Hausman and Maya Verg, that's where they will start

for both races.

Courtney Crone in 11th place, held of Alba Larson. Nina Gaidman, 13th. Chloe

Chong, 14th.

Ava Dobson, 15th, but with penalty. So she will be knocked down ahead of Nicole

Havrida, Joanne Cicconte and Eva Anagnostiari.

So there we are, seeing the ones that will be out later on. There's a bit more

rain falling now. Who knows what's going to be happening here. Thank you, Abby,

for joining us. And we will be looking forward to getting into the race a

bit later on. I do hope you can join us for that. We could be in for some

fascinating battles going on. But it's Chloe Chambers who went fast.