Hello all, and welcome to today's press conference from Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia, for the 2nd round of the 2021 Formula Virtual Championship. Today we have, on the top row, Alex Easton of Royal Phoenix Motorsport, Lilly Westwood from deep breath Samsung Galaxy S Porsche UK Team Westwood Racing Technology, and Arthur Lapierre of Coca-Cola Porsche Team Mathershaw. Joining them just below are FIRST Motorsport's Adam Blocker and Jamie Franklin from JFPT Franklin Honda. Great to have you all here, so let's get started! Scott Parkin - FVTV: We'll kick off with the man in the top left - Alex, it was a rather chaotic start to the season for Phoenix. Firstly Thierry Xylander couldn't make the race, then James Thompson had his... incident, and Dominic Hanson drove on the hards to finish last. Has this “musical chairs effect” for the second seat affected your preparation for the opening rounds of the year?
Alex Easton: A slightly chaotic start is definitely one way of putting it! I’m proud of how we got through it as a team though, I was also incredibly pleased with how Dom did. The hard tyres were clearly never going to get him anywhere - just look at North Star last year - but he kept his nose clean and brought the car home with some great data. In terms of it affecting our preparation for the opening rounds; no, it hasn’t affected things too badly. JT and Dommo would’ve done pre-season testing anyway as that’s their job, the only thing it’s set back is Thierry’s start to the year, but I’m sure he’ll be able to get up to speed in no time. SP - FVTV: We'll see how it goes for Thierry this weekend. Thanks Alex, now onto Lilly - an entirely new driver line-up for you this year after your return last year, but it's a familiar face in the form of Tumo Kinnumen. He last raced for you 3 years ago and has had stints in both top and backmarker teams. Would you say he has changed since you last worked with him, and do you think he's progressed as a driver since then? Lilly Westwood: Tumo showed in his time with us that he's constantly adapting and evolving, and his time away from the team has been no exception. He's not necessarily different as a person, but I believe he benefitted incredibly from his stints at other teams, and that reflects in his driving ability for sure. SP - FVTV: Plenty of praise there, Tumo must be happy to be back home. Arthur, well, it's been quite the start for you so far - quite fast in testing, one car in 3rd and the other outside the top 15 in qualifying and had one car lead the race briefly before ending up not scoring any points at all. How has all of this compared to your expectations over the winter, and are you feeling optimistic or worried about the rest of the season? Arthur Lapierre: I think our position in the field is quite clear - we’re not at the front, and we’re not at the back. Where we fit within that is kind of up to us now, as we know we have the team at the track to maximise the performance, as well as the team back at the factory both at Le Mans and Weissach to develop and improve. I can’t say we’re either optimistic or worried, because either would just be sensationalising the truth. We work as hard as we always do, and there are fourteen other top class racing teams that we compete with, so it’s natural to have years where more teams come to the fore - especially with how close the regulations make the field, it’s just about how we react to that. SP - FVTV: Fair enough, we'll be interested in seeing how Mathershaw develop from here. Moving on to Adam, for FIRST, it's been a steady rise up the order over the past 3 years - top of the midfield in 2019, a top 3 team in 2020 and now, potentially a title contender based off results in testing. While the first race didn't go fully to plan, Felix Perez certainly showed glimpses of good pace - would you consider the championship your main aim this year? Adam Blocker: Our minimum goal is to finish top 3 in the constructors' again. Obviously it would be nice to challenge for a title, but we will have to see what our form is like over the next few races to decide if that is a realistic target or not. My feeling after the first race is that we could have been in a stronger position this year if we hadn't made some mistakes on resource allocation - but we need more race weekends to collect data on ourselves and our competitors to know for sure. SP - FVTV: It seems like most are unsure about where they stand. Finally, on to Jamie, not the most ideal of opening weekend for you, but the car seemed to have some serious pace with a fastest lap in the hands of Nick Addison. A lot of people were expecting Franklin to be up there this year and it looks that way, is that what you were expecting or are you slightly surprised at the pace you've shown? Jamie Franklin: Yeah, the weekend wasn't smooth, that's for sure. Traffic was an absolute nightmare on Saturday and we just couldn't get a decent run of it. That being said, as you say, the car looked great in race trim and Nick showed that on like for like tyres, he could pull out a better time than Klaas in the Downton. As for where we thought we'd be. We had seen the simulations, and we very much used last year as a reset and a testing bed for this year's car, so we had confidence that the car would be up there, but you can never really know until it comes to crunch time. SP - FVTV: Thanks Jamie. Before we move on, we've got one fan question for today, it's for Alex, bit out of date though - "Has Santa Claus any chance of lining up in the car this weekend?" AE: Ha! If it wasn’t for the three driver rule, I reckon we would’ve given him a chance! If anyone sticks around our team long enough, they seem to eventually end up in an FV race! laughs SP - FVTV: You can say that again! Anyways, we'll now move on to questions from the media. Hans-Jurgen Zoller - Auto Motor und Sport: Question for Lapierre and Westwood, of the 3 Porsche powered teams, you two struggled with no points, but there was success with Lopez, a pole and a podium. The engine certainly doesn't look like it's struggling, though perhaps it isn't class leading like last year. What are your thoughts, and are you happy with Porsche on the whole? AL: I think struggle is incorrect and oversimplified in our case. We weren’t up there with the Lopez, but in a different situation we believe some OK points were very possible. Also, we’re the works team, we know everything there is to know about our engine, after all we’re the ones who build it in conjunction with Porsche in Weissach. I think what we are seeing is the car Lopez have built is a very good base, the car looks good in the aerodynamics in particular, and the Porsche MRV-21 is very much among the class of the field that they can take advantage of as a Porsche Customer Racing team to give them a further edge. The same goes for Westwood - they raced well, and in the current circumstances they just need to keep working like us to carry on improving. LW: I agree with Arthur here that Lopez simply seems to have arrived with a strong initial package which looks aerodynamically sound, and is able to extract plenty out of what we know to be an impressive power unit in the MRV-21. We made up ground in the race and will continue to make up ground in the season, as in racing it's not about where you start but where you finish. And we're absolutely happy with Porsche here, they've been a pleasure to work with especially since we've moved our partnership to a new level. Kurt West - FOX: For Adam, last week marked your first race after FIRST Robotics sold their shares in the team to Palmetto Racing Group - the announced reason being for better funding. Has that extra money helped push the team further this year, and what was Palmetto's reaction to the team's first race with them involved? AB: Of course the additional funding has helped in the short term, but there is also quite a bit of investment going into things that will help us long term. An example of that is the new factory we are moving to in Rock Hill, SC in a few months time. Overall I think the general feeling in the team, including the ownership, was disappointment after the first race given where we expected to be. But with how close the grid is this season, the fact that Will had a uncharacteristically poor qualifying session, and the soft tire was not optimal for Felix in Fuji, I think that we have more potential than our Japan result suggests. Regardless of the results this season though, I'm confident that the new owners are in it for the long term - they know what they are getting into. Edgardo Agretha - Play Virtual: Alex, Xylander was confirmed to return, though over the last two years Sergio Alvarez has had the upper hand on him. The Belgian is still highly rated though, enough to have garnered interest from other teams. As someone who has worked with him a lot in FV, what are your thoughts on him and how good he is? AE: I’m sure you’ll understand I can’t say too much about the interest from other teams just yet as they’re in the midst of contract negotiations and nothing is finalised, but it’s certainly looking like this might be our last year with Thierry. As his Team Principal, he’s been a joy to work with for the last two seasons and I’m sure the rest of this season will be fantastic too. He’s a very quick driver and, given the fact he’s never had a great car underneath him during his time here at Phoenix, he’s had some fantastic performances. Last year was obviously pretty horrible for the lad, in fact I’d go as far to say that last season was one of the unluckiest full season’s I’ve ever seen in Formula Virtual for one driver, but he stayed strong mentally and I’m sure he’ll show the world his talent again this year. Sometimes with drivers, especially when they’re young, you just get a feeling around them and you know they’re a special talent, I absolutely see him going on to have a great career in Formula Virtual. Freddie Star - Manchester Evening News: Another question for Phoenix. As a team, you've been consistently up there in the midfield, with two 7th place finishes and a 9th so far in your short history. You seem to be around that area this year as well, though there's some formidable teams in that battle. Are you worried you'll be shunted out of the top ten this year despite some good pace? AE: I think we’re out of position currently in the championship, a top ten finish this year would be incredibly optimistic. Our main goal this year is to do our absolute best to qualify for every race when we inevitably drop into Q1, but we’re ready for that battle and we’ll crack on with a smile on our faces as we always do. Layton Smith - thegrid.net: To FIRST, Will Hoskins has performed very well for you last year and his struggles in the first race were largely down to him starting far down the grid. However, he is now 35, and not getting any younger. At what point do you start to think about the future and who you would like to have partner up with Perez in FIRST? AB: We are always thinking about the future and scouting opposition drivers. However, we are confident Will can still get the job done - just look at his results last season. I can't comment on any specific drivers. Matt Stevenson - WTFV: For Mr. Franklin. Traditionally, since Elroy Wagner left the team, you've had one driver who performs very well and another who sometimes can't keep up. This year you've got to feisty young drivers who look to be closely matched. Are you glad to have two cars performing now at the same level and can you keep the relationship between the two calm? JF: You're not wrong. We went through a period of essentially being a one horse team where Enrique was our focus because we knew he could deliver. Unfortunately with our high expectations, those in question didn't match up. Not to write off our history, but I believe we are in a great position now, our two drivers are incredibly motivated, and they work well together too, so I don't see needing to keep calm being a problem. Obviously if a title comes into play, then things could get tougher but we will deal with that when the time comes. FS - MEN: To the other Manchester team, Westwood. Scott mentioned Kinnumen before, but you've got a rookie in Jules Barclay in the other car, though he's arguably one of the most highly rated rookies to enter FV. Qualifying didn't go the way he would have wanted but he had a solid race. Have you been impressed by him so in far in the short time he's been a FV driver? LW: Jules has been working with us on car development for some time now, and given his success in lower formulae, we know exactly what he's capable of. Qualifying was unfortunate but he drove extremely well in the race; before the stops shook everything out he had caught back up to Tumo! But he has a lot to learn, and part of why he has impressed me is I reckon he'd tell you the same thing. Neil Allenby - FVTV: Question for Jamie. Your car garnered a lot of attention in pre-season testing, with various aerodynamic devices. It also didn't seem to lack in engine power down the straight in Japan - it looks like Honda have improved over the winter. Are you happy with the gains made and where do you think you stand versus Downton, Ford and Porsche? JF: Our engines have done a phenomenal job with the new regulations. I don't think any team has equalled us in terms of the gains we've made from last season to this year, and the results speak for themselves so far I'd say. As for Honda, we can't praise them enough either. There was a lot of talk about our car being too draggy due to the aforementioned devices we have on the car, yet clearly we didn't lack power in Japan, so that in itself is a testament to Honda. So if our car really is as draggy as they say, then you tell me if Honda matches up to the other engine manufacturers... Rebecca Parnell - XtremeV: Arthur, you're certainly not looking terrible this season but it has been slightly below your high standards. Are the drivers or the team struggling to be as motivated as usual with less success on the line, or do you feel they're pushing more now to make up for the deficit? AL: The fact where we are falls below our historic standards just shows how good we are as a team. The drivers are as motivated as ever, pushing both on and off track, searching for the car’s limits and also to help increase those limits. The factory knows we have a big task to make up ground, but we’ve got some of the best in the world working with us, and we also know this work is not all about one season. Ultimately, we work to a set of goals which exist outside of any media input, and we will continue to do so. SP - FVTV: That's all we have time for, thanks to everyone for the question. Now before we start wrapping up, a question for all 5 gentlemen and woman here. We saw the shorter race format for the first time in Japan, and despite some concern at the announcement of it last year, it seems to have been generally accepted in the paddock after the race last week. Do you think it's been a good change and do you believe that FV should be open to trying more major changes like that? AL: We are fans of the traditions of racing, but embrace change where there is a good reason. The reasons for the FVA changing the format have to be seen as good from an organisational sense. On the sporting side, I think it is a bit of a shame because what we had fit tradition very nicely and the racing was incredible, but what we must applaud the FVA and Nic [Morley, Series CEO] for is the fact that rather than just make the change, they worked tirelessly with Goodyear to ensure the tyre strategy still produced races that were exciting. It makes it very frantic at times, but that’s no issue really. As for other big changes, I think as long as the reasons make sense and there is a general consensus among the teams, fans and other shareholders in the sport, everything can be discussed to try to make it better. JF: Arthur said it perfectly there to be honest. Not really much I can add to that. I definitely echo the tireless efforts that FV management have gone to ensure the series can continue to progress and change when necessary. AB: I want to see more of the races with a short format before I make a judgement. The Fuji race didn't lack anything because of it, and I think the series did a good job of working with Goodyear to balance the tire compounds for the race distance. Personally, if it were up to me, I think I would have left the race distance alone because it wasn't broken before. I think we need to be careful about major change given how competitive the field in 2021 looks right now. I think some subtle changes for 2022 will make that season less competitive. AE: I can only echo what’s already been said on this. I have to admit, I was one of those who was pretty sceptical about the race length being changed when it was announced, but Nic and the FVA have done tireless research into why it’s necessary and how to make the best of it, and I think they’ve done a great job from the looks of it. I’d always be cautious about other big changes in the future, but I think as long as the FVA continue to consult the teams and tread carefully, I’m not too concerned about any hasty decisions being made. LW: I think big changes are important to shake up a sport, and you have to be able to step back and assess objectively whether something is broken and then put plans in action to fix it. Behind the scenes the work on the tyres has paid tremendous dividends and we were treated to an action packed race featuring a nice strategy convergence at the end; I've said before that the race feels a bit unnatural being shorter at the moment, but when you're used to something different for almost a decade, change will take time to adjust to. SP - FVTV: Plenty of interesting answers there. Apologies for the rush but we're coming close to running overtime, so for our final question today - what are your hopes for your own team and expectations for the round as a whole for Malaysia? RM: I hope we’ll have a stronger weekend than Japan, not because of a better approach necessarily, but just the execution of the race and perhaps some factors falling in our favour after difficulties previously. We have the drivers, the strategy is always a factor in Malaysia particularly when the always threatening weather arrives, and we’re unlocking new gains in the car all the time to reduce that deficit going forwards. In front of us, I think it’ll be a close race between Downton and Franklin, and maybe FIRST, and it’s simply a case of whether the other teams in the upper midfield can do their job better than we can do ours albeit with a small advantage from the first race. JF: For us, I think it's important to have a clean weekend. With the circuit layout, qualifying should be more straightforward, but the threat of rain still throws in some unpredictability. But make no mistake, we are still aiming for podiums and wins. Downton are going to be strong again, and FIRST will be looking to recover. Lopez are questionable...we know what their habit is after the first race. Then of course Mathershaw could always spring a surprise so I think it's going to be a very interesting weekend. AB: Hope is to get both cars in the top 5 with one on the podium. Prediction - if it's dry I think Downton are the favorites unfortunately. I expect Franklin to also be strong, but I am optimistic that we can take the fight at least to Lopez and Mathershaw. If it's wet we could see anyone from like 5 or 6 teams win. AE: For us at Phoenix, we definitely need to keep our noses clean again, nail the strategy, and hope we’re in amongst the back end of the midfield. As I mentioned before, our goal this season is to do everything we can to qualify for every race, but beforehand we’ll do our absolute best to keep ourselves out of Q1. So that means we need to assess who our main rivals will be, and try to keep finishing above them. As for predictions for the one you’re all interested in, I’m gonna predict Franklin to bounce back after their qualifying in Japan, I think they’ll take the win here with Downton in hot pursuit. LW: Points would be fantastic, but to be honest I just want us to keep our noses clean, gather some useful data, and maybe pick up the pieces of any who fall off the road in front of us if we can. SP - FVTV: So it seems Downton and Franklin are the main favourites, but with rain forecasted as a couple of you mentioned, who knows what will happy. Thank you all for joining us today, FV will be back tomorrow for practice around the Sepang International Circuit. Until then, goodbye!
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