Victor Martins has exclusively explained to insideF2 that the Alpine Academy is fully behind his #RoadToF1. The team’s support is not only pivotal to the Frenchman’s overall career objectives, but also to his potential move into the FIA Formula 2 Championship with ART next season.
“It’s an extra support on every aspect. They [Alpine] are trying to give me the best chance possible to succeed in everything – they try to put me in the best team, obviously to win, and show my potential.”
Speaking exclusively to insideF2 during the end of season F2 test at the Yas Marina Circuit, Martins explained in compelling detail the essential Formula 1 experience Alpine provides their academy members.
“At the [Enstone] factory I’m doing the simulator and seeing the engineers quite often. I attend some of the races at the factory to be with the engineers.
“We call it the ‘ops room’. The engineers are in communication with the race engineers who are far away at the track. You can hear everything; What the drivers are saying, what are their plans, how they work, how they manage over a real season, and how they help the driver to be at the top. Also Alpine is French so I would say it’s a nice relationship.
“We have a nice project together, I know they are fully behind me, since the beginning. And they give me the time also to succeed. They are quite confident I think in myself. It’s a great support. It’s the best I think I can get and that’s good also to think about the future and what is going to happen.”
Other academy benefits include a fitness training programme, essential to a driver’s career.
“At Enstone there’s a gym, so I do a training camp with our physical trainer of the academy. Everything is there that we need. I hope I will do a lot more [at the Alpine Academy] in the next year. But, for sure it will be a long season, so I’ll focus 100% on F2 and see what is after.”
Image Credit: Dutch Photo Agency
