Welcome to the GP3 Qualifying Press Conference from Monza. On pole position we have Jimmy Eriksson from Koiranen GP, in second Dino Zamparelli for ART Grand Prix and in third Nick Yelloly for Status Grand Prix.
GP3 Series: Starting with you Jimmy, P1 – congratulations! How was the session for you?
Jimmy Eriksson: “The session was quite ok for me. I was not really on it for the first set of tyres, the time wasn’t there. The second one was already a good effort, I was in P2 and close to P1. On the third set of tyres I was able to do two push laps. The first one was quite good and the second one was a bit better and that was pole.”
GP3 Series: When you set that laptime, did you feel sure you had pole or were you unsure?
Jimmy: “No I wasn’t sure. After I made that lap I went down to T1 to try one more lap but I out-braked myself so I backed off. Then there was a yellow flag in sector 2 so I just slowed down.”
GP3 Series: You said you can do two push laps on these tyres, so tyre degradation here is not as high as other tracks?
Jimmy: “I don’t know actually. We will see this afternoon. Here it looks like you can do one or two warm-up laps and still do two push laps. The track doesn’t look too hard on tyres.”
GP3 Series: Talking about the race, you had a great start to the year and a few issues the last few rounds. You look on a strong pace here, what do you expect for the race?
Jimmy: “The speed is there, I’ve been struggling a lot in the last two race weekends. Despite the pace being there, a lot of bad stuff happened to me meaning I didn’t score hardly any points. So now, I’m very happy to score this pole position and the four points with it. I think we will be at the front in the race but I will need to see what happens at the start and the first corner.”
GP3 Series: Congratulations Jimmy, good luck this afternoon. Dino P2: Well done, how was your session today and what was missing from you to snatch pole?
Dino Zamparelli: “It was strange. We did four push laps in a row on the second set of tyres and I was behind Eriksson and knew I had to keep pushing. I was really on the limit. In the end I made a fairly clean lap – we only used two sets today, we saved a set yesterday so I will start on a new set this afternoon. I think this will be a good advantage for the race. Obviously ART Grand Prix have given me a great car, it’s just a case of I must keep pushing and avoiding the danger zone. I just got away from the danger zone today.”
GP3 Series: What will it take to beat Jimmy today or challenge for victory?
Dino: “It’s tough to know what the race will be like for overtaking, I’m sure there will be opportunities but as we know the start in GP3 is absolutely vital. We will see how we get on. 7 hours before the race. Lots of time to brief and sleep ahead of the race and see what we can do. It was an early start this morning as always” he said laughing.
GP3 Series: Enjoy your sleep Dino and good luck this afternoon. Nick: P3 today, we thought you were going to take your first pole position today?
Nick Yelloly: “So did I which was a bit annoying. It was a really good lap from nowhere. On the second set I got one lap in and that was provisional pole after we were right down the back on the first set. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a second lap in. P3 isn’t a bad place to start and we have saved a new set for the race so that’s good. It’s usually the way to go here which I’ve learned previously and ART GP did that back in 2011. I’m looking forward to getting going, making a good start, battling it out with the boys and trying to get our first win this year.”
GP3 Series: Why didn’t you get a second push lap, was it traffic?Nick: “Yes traffic. It was quite bad here. There were a few drivers who were quite a bit slower who kept getting in the way. On cool laps they weren’t checking their mirrors properly and I think it caught out some of the others. But we did get a lap in and we’re in the top three.”
GP3 Series: What do you expect from the race, you look like you have got a good car underneath you?
Nick: “To be challenging at the front. I think we’ll be able to get a good start. We’ve been working on our starts a fair bit, and we’re pretty happy with them.”
GP3 Series: Alex Lynn was challenging for pole until he got caught out by the yellows, do you think you had enough within you and the car to prevent him from taking pole today?
Nick: “I think for me if I’d had a second lap you would expect to go a fair bit quicker because on the first lap you don’t really have any references from that set. From what I hear Lynn was very fast but he’s starting P6 so he’s got to overtake a fair few guys first and to be honest I’m not really worried about the guys behind.”
GP3 Series: To Jimmy Eriksson: Are you worried about the guys behind?
Jimmy: “No!”
GP3 Series: “And what about you Dino, are you worried about the challenge from the back?
Dino: “It was so close today and was just a case of getting a lap in. I’ve been a bit unlucky in qualifying this year so I’m on the right side of luck here I hope!”
