Just before the departure of the Sprint Race of Formula 2 of Hungarian GP, we had the chance to to interview one of the protagonists of the preparatory category: Zane Maloney. A season, the 2024 one, started in the best way for the team driver Rodin Motorsport, which in Shakir takes the top step of the podium in both races. In the Sprint Race of Melbourne does not reach the points zone by a whisker, but the following day – during the Features – manages to get the third position. Even in the first race of the next round, that is Imola, the Barbadian driver cuts again the finish line in third place.
A fleeting look at the Silverstone weekend
After some not easy stages, finally the Silverstone comes the turning point. Maloney returned to the top positions of the standings with a double podium, a double silver medal which underlines
"It was great. Obviously starting the year with a podium almost every round and then in the last three rounds before Silverstone we struggled a bit. In Monaco there was a traffic problem in qualifying, in Barcelona we were in the points and at the Red Bull Ring we struggled a bit with the pace. So being back on the podium was a fantastic feeling and to do it twice in the same weekend, with a lot of work from both the team and myself, was great. It's also nice to get back to speed and be in the top positions of the grid".
Hungaroring: difficult circuit with very high tire degradation
Number #5 knows the Hungaroring well, here in fact has already raced in 2020 in the championship of Euroformula Open and achieved a fourth and third place. In the 2022 flew to Budapest to take part in the sixth round of F3. Finally raced here too last year on the single-seater of Formula 2 by Rodin. It is a technical, difficult circuit and the high temperature they will yield further the races are treacherous.
"It is a nice circuit, with slow corners, the opposite of Silverstone. We come from a fast track and here it is slower. It's always hot when we come there, too From a physical point of view it is a difficult track. The tires in qualifying don't hold up much, so you always have to manage them and it's important where you push, when you push and how you push. Generally I've always done well here, I arrived second in F3".
The meetings were held on Friday F2 Free Practice of the Hungarian GP, session in which Zane Maloney set the pace. In qualifying he managed to get theeighth position.
"Le Free tests were excellent, I felt at ease straight away and we were the fastest for almost the entire session. It's always nice when you start a weekend like this because it helps you in terms of confidence throughout the weekend. We knew we had one Good car and I was driving well. Unfortunately in qualification I got the eighth position. I did a error with my second set of tires, then both the car and I should have been higher up. I made a mistake when it was important not to do them, qualifying so I will be in the center during the Feature e today I will start third. Silverstone I left ninth and second, still managing to achieve two podiums, so anything is possible".
Zane Maloney talks about his approach ahead of the Hungarian GP races
Thanks to 'Grid reversal, Zane will start third in the Sprint Race of today. An important opportunity for him to return to the podium and gain fundamental points from a championship perspective.
"It's a bit of an unknown for everyone how the race will go, no one knows what to expect. There will be someone with soft tires in today's race, someone with hard ones, while tomorrow there will be different strategies to put into practice. It will be tough, it depends if you want prioritize the start or end of the race, this changes a lot for us. We looked at the data a lot to understand what it might be like, it will be physically difficult. It's less hot today than yesterday, which is good, it means less heat in the car. Generally in these cases you push as much as you can while managing the tyres, so everyone is in the same situation we will see".
Currently, the reserve driver of Stake F1 Team, is located third in the general classification, with 101 points, 16 behind Paul Aron and 32 from the current leader Isack Hadjar. However, Budapest is only the ninth stop of the 14 destinations that Formula 2 will visit.
"In my career I never focused on the championship. When I saw British F4, the only time I focused on the championship was the last round. There too I needed to win the race to be able to win the title and that's all I needed and wanted to do. I think having a championship-focused mindset is the wrong mindset. That might mean not making moves because you're thinking about the championship, which we do as drivers in general is not making moves that might not work. During the race I won't do anything stupid to get involved in an accident. I will go for whatever I think is possible and if I had the championship on my mind I would think twice and Usually I don't think twice but I just throw myself into it. Obviously this choice is paying off for me throughout my career in general so far and so we'll see how it ends".
