Good morning and welcome to Dubai, United Arab Emirates for the Team Representatives’ Thursday press conference ahead of this weekend’s Emirates V-Prix – round ten of the 2022 Formula Virtual World Championship. Joining us today, from left to right, are; Harry Westwood of Samsung Galaxy Red Bull Westwood Racing Technology TotalEnergies Peugeot Sport Engineered, Alex Easton from Royal Phoenix Motorsport, Arthur Lapierre of Coca-Cola Porsche Team Mathershaw, Adrian Arnello from Arnello Milner & Ronson Autosport, and Dylan Lopez from Lopez FV Team. Welcome to the five of you. Scott Parkin – FVTV: Arthur, once again congratulations on a fantastic race in Turkey, with Adrien leading home the one-two for the team. What is it about Turkey that Adrien – and the team – loves so much? Arthur Lapierre: Thank you! It’s certainly a circuit that has rewarded us over the years, and while we’ve always had the pace and our cars have always worked, I’d say it’s always just been somewhere we’ve executed well, in particular with Adrien being so good there - his driving style suits the complex nature of the corners, and it’s very pleasing to see him get all of that success over the years. SP – FVTV: He’s certainly a master of the circuit. Adrian, coming to you now, Finn was unfortunate in Turkey to retire from twelfth with an engine failure. After seeing how the rest of the race panned out, do you think he would’ve been on for points? Adrian Arnello: Shame, ain't it? We reckon we could have been up there for a couple yeah, but that's just how she goes sometimes. Oleksandr did a great job right there at the end, almost had 'em! The lads will bounce back next round for sure. SP – FVTV: Excellent stuff. Alex, a third race in a row with a podium for Phoenix, the team must be on cloud nine! How are you all adapting to being a top team in Formula Virtual? Alex Easton: Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here, Scott! Yes, we’re having a good season, no, an unbelievable season for a team with our resources. But, to be classed as a ‘top team’, I believe you need to be consistently challenging at the top for a period of time in the same way that FIRST made themselves into a top team over the last few years before this season. However, to answer your question about how we’re adapting to fighting where we are; well, honestly, I don’t think we are really. Okay, yeah, Sven coming into the team has undoubtedly made us a more professional, organised outfit with much better planning going into every single race weekend, but the team is still virtually exactly the same. We’ve been in a battle with Lucas and Ingram all season for third place in the Constructors’, fighting with the likes of Nathaniel, Vasquez and Mattson as well as the Porsche and Downton boys, but we’re still approaching the battles and pressure in the same ways that we went about battles with Judson Sikes and Viktor Ostberg for seventh in 2018. At the end of the day, this is all a bonus for us at Phoenix, so we’re enjoying every second of this mad but beautiful world of Formula Virtual. SP – FVTV: That’s an interesting way of looking at it, very philosophical! With all the engine talk recently, it seems more chaotic than ever as we find ourselves in the depths of silly season. But, for Peugeot, Harry, how are things progressing? Are Peugeot looking at potential customer teams or solely focussing on the factory team for now? Harry Westwood: We definitely are in one of our most interesting silly seasons yet! Peugeot are looking to expand operations and supply one or two customer teams. We've had some talks with a few teams to varying levels and I'm intrigued to see how it all unfolds. SP – FVTV: Very intriguing, it’s going to be incredibly exciting seeing how it all pans out. It’s been a tough season so far for Lopez and there’ve been plenty of rumours flying around recently about engine supply. Dylan, has there been any development with regards to if Lopez’s allegiance will lie with Porsche in 2023? Dylan Lopez: I don’t know what rumours you’ve heard but they’re certainly news to me! But this isn’t a topic I’m prepared to discuss with the press and wider community until a later date. SP – FVFV: Fair enough, that’s understandable. Okay, we’ll do the Fan Questions now. First one here is for you Harry. “With Xylander rumoured to be heading to Westwood following Highwind’s departure at the end of the season, is it a straight fight between Tumo and Jules for the other seat?” HW: We're weighing up our options with who will be racing next season in our car. Xylander is a seriously impressive talent and to be linked with him is something I consider quite the compliment. I can't confirm any specifics to you today on driver line-ups. Whatever happens though I do promise you this - both Tumo and Jules will be on the grid in 2023. SP – FVTV: Interesting to hear that. Okay, the next one is for you, Arthur. “While the Mathershaw name will depart, the Porsche will not. What can Porsche achieve in the future? Are they well equipped to continue to fight for titles or have you gone the way of Franklin and spent all the money on one last hurrah?” AL: Porsche have all the potential to keep performing at a high level - Sven is switched on and learning very quickly, while I know the budget is there to continue at the very top. Just because we personally announced our departure, it is our responsibility as the works team this year as with previous years to ensure the quality of next season’s entry, which has now passed to the Weissach factory and Sven’s control. We certainly haven’t spent everything to win in 2023, though I’m sure it’s not a surprise to learn that the Mathershaw side of things has one single focus! SP – FVTV: One would expect nothing less of Mathershaw, to be fair! It’s been another successful season for AMR with the building process clearly continuing, Adrian. How much of the improvement in form would you put down to linking up with Ingram under the Jaguar partnership? AA: It makes a big difference having that partner in crime, same as with Ford! We're grateful to have that companionship and shared tech knowledge. Jag have not only changed the car colour; they've changed every aspect of the car, so we think we'll keep pushing upwards as we learn and let everyone do their thing! But yeah, big help! SP – FVTV: It’s great to see the partnership going so well. Okay, final Fan Question now, for you Alex. “Congratulations on building undoubtedly the best Phoenix in your team’s history. Are you looking to exploit this performance and take a historic first victory? You are losing a key member of your team in Sven Schubert and, if rumours are to be believed, your star driver Allar Kangur. Surely you have to make the most of the opportunity you have in front of you!” AE: Thank you very much! All credit for the outstanding PX5 goes to Gary [Haythornthwaite – Phoenix Technical Director] and his team, they’ve done an unbelievable job and continue to work wonders in developing the car throughout the season, working with such a tiny budget compared to other teams. Of course we’re looking to capitalise on the position we’ve found ourselves in this season, a first win would be an absolute fairy tale for us. However, we’re not going to get carried away chasing a certain position. We always go out each race with the aim to maximise our strategy and race pace in order to achieve the best position possible, whether that’s trying to finish fourteenth or win the race. Sven has certainly helped the team a huge amount this season – I have nothing but good things to say about him – and he will be greatly missed, of course, but we’ll be looking to fill his position with someone who can do an equally great job for us. With regards to us losing Allar at the end of the season, I can confirm the rumours are true that he won’t be driving for Phoenix next year. There’s obviously no doubt whatsoever that he’s an absolute top line driver who will bring good results to whichever team he drives for, but I have every faith in the drivers we’ve signed for next season who will be announced very shortly! SP – FVTV: We’ll all keep our eyes peeled for that then. Okay, the Team Representatives will now take questions from the floor. Hans-Jurgen Zoller – Auto Motor und Sport: Adrian, Zozulya has struggled to match Schnyder so far this year, but, how happy are you overall with Oleksandr as your second driver? AA: We're happy with how he's going. I think it takes time to adjust to a totally new team and car so we're willing to keep letting him learn. Just gotta keep the pace and we're sweet! Theo Parker – VM Magazine: Harry, Dylan; both of you find yourselves down at the foot of the standings at this point in the season on no points, with neither team really looking like challenging the usual teams for the top ten. Is it now just a straight battle between Westwood and Lopez to avoid finishing bottom? That’s with the exception of Scuderia Meteor, who are at present not classified. HW: I'd be lying if I told you any different - at the end of the day you have to manage your expectations. Right now for us that means no chance of points on pace in what is one FV's most competitive seasons yet. But don't think for a second that means the effort slips; never anything less than 100% commitment! DL: For us it’s about getting the car to the circuit and extracting everything we can and maximising all opportunities that come our way. Whether we’re fighting for podiums or qualification that’ll never change. Results will then look after themselves. Hugues Antoinette – Canal+: Arthur, we have learned recently of Adrien’s plans to retire after the season. It is important that he retires on the highest level after another year winning races at the top. How do you personally see his future after Formula Virtual? AL: He is a legend of the sport, and seeing him retire at the top means the world to me as not only his team boss, but a great friend as well. I personally look forward to continuing to work together, before our plans changed he was certainly set for a role in the FV team’s senior management, and there’s always a place for him here. I know he’s keen to take some time away, then come back for some one-off appearances in events such as the V24, which I cannot wait to see! Matt Stevenson – WTFV: With Lucas leaving Formula Virtual, where does this leave Phoenix’s deal with Wilson Oils? AE: Ah, yeah, honestly it’s been a bit of a tough time regarding that. I’m sorry to disappoint but all I can say at the moment is that there’s no news, but negotiations are ongoing. Lucas, the team, won’t be competing in Formula Virtual next year but that doesn’t mean Lucas Wilson doesn’t have any less enthusiasm for the series, nor does it mean his passion for Phoenix is in any way diminished. Rebecca Parnell – XtremeV: This week we have had the sad news that yet another team will not be returning in 2023; this time it is the extravagant Lucas V-Prix. Regardless of whether you love, hate, or are totally indifferent to oil tycoon Lucas Wilson, it cannot be denied that he – and the team as a whole – were always a big presence in the paddock with the lavish events held at the huge purple motorhome and the various antics that regularly occurred. So, to all of you, how sad is it to lose another team, especially as we will now have just three original teams in 2023 – if we differentiate between the original Meteor and Scuderia Meteor. AL: It’s a huge shame to lose a team like Lucas, a proper personality in the paddock and one I’m sure we will miss. However, FV evolves and moves with the times to ensure it not only survives but thrives, so we have to look forward. As one of those teams departing, we are very pleased to be doing so on exactly our own terms, and look forward to seeing FV continue on the strong path it is currently on. AA: It's incredibly sad. Lucas was a great competitor and dedicated to his team and drivers. While it opens that exciting new chapter for another team, we're losing a bit of history, you know? We'll miss the parties, that's for sure! DL: It’s a bit strange saying goodbye for a second time to a team. Personally I didn’t have or need a lot of interaction with the Lucas team, but I didn’t like seeing them disappear in the way they have on multiple occasions now. HW: It is sad for a multitude of reasons. Sad because there are so many jobs lost in an instant - thankfully between a few being poached by the remaining teams such as ourselves, or the new start-ups, they'll find work. It's sad that Nic was forced into the position he ended up in. It's also sad to see them depart in the exact same way as they did seven years ago. I hope Lucas is well but he has a lot of growth to undergo, which would include learning some common decency. AE: I certainly couldn’t sit here and solely think about criticising the way things have panned out for Lucas. Of course, I’m not defending the way that things have ended – it’s really not good at all – however people have to understand that events in a person’s life must’ve been quite extreme to cause this to happen. At the end of the day, sport isn’t the be all and end all in life, what matters is that Lucas and his family are doing okay and everyone in the team is being taken care of, which I believe they are. As for how sad it is to actually be losing Lucas as a team off the grid, of course it’s terribly sad. We’ve built up a great relationship with them since their return so it’ll be incredibly strange to not see them on the entry list for 2023. Thankfully, we’ve got some excellent new teams coming into the sport to inject fresh enthusiasm and optimism, so I think the series is in an absolutely fantastic place overall. Neil Allenby – In the last few days, the FVA have announced that Brno will definitely not return in 2023 and that they are on the lookout for a new circuit to go to. Where would you all like to see FV head to? HW: Yes, and I think the paddock simultaneously rejoiced! I personally would love to see us go back to China - it's a good circuit, and we have great memories there of our first win! AL: I saw the rumours of a Nordic or Scandinavian circuit, so maybe Anderstorp in Sweden, or a dream event maybe something like a street race in Göteborg, Copenhagen or Helsinki like we’ve seen in various series historically! DL: When did FV Spy take over this competition? Anyway if you’re asking what circuits I’d like to race at… maybe another Asian race like Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand. Heck, let’s make our own American street circuit while we’re at it. AA: The world's the oyster! We could be anywhere, so long as the racing is good and the beer flows strong! AE: I agree with Adrian there, somewhere with good beer! But yeah, I think Dylan and Harry have got it right with another Asian race, I’d love to go to somewhere like Indonesia or Singapore. SP – FVTV: Some very interesting suggestions there! Okay, that’s all for the Press Conference today, thank you very much to everyone for attending. Make sure you join us tomorrow for Friday Practice ahead of the Emirates V-Prix!
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