Zak: “I’m really enjoying my second year at Williams Racing”

It was great to get my first-ever Formula 3 race win in Melbourne.

It’s my second year in the championship and I feel like that first victory has been a long time coming, so it was a very nice feeling to get it in Australia.

While it’s nice to get the win, it was a shame not to win it on track. I enjoyed a strong Sprint Race and it was good coming from P8 all the way up to P2. Regardless of the strange circumstances, we showed we had the pace to fight at the front.

I got the news that evening, so I was still able to savour the moment and I had a bit of time for it to all sink in. It was a nice confidence boost! I wouldn’t say I was lacking confidence, but for sure, a win is always a good thing.

However, it didn’t really change too much for the rest of the weekend in Melbourne. Hopefully there will be a few more wins to come throughout the year.

I’ve really enjoyed my first couple of months at PREMA, I’m feeling pretty settled in now as the season has progressed. The results seem to be coming as well which is nice!

I would say my season so far has been OK. Bahrain was a bit of a tricky weekend, where everything seemed to fall against us. Melbourne was a bit more in line with what we need to repeat for the remainder of the year.

It’s a long season - with ten rounds - so it’s important to stay consistent and that’s what I’m hoping to do. It’s going to be crucial to regularly pick up points because anything can happen really in this championship.

I’m really enjoying my second year here at the Williams Racing Driver Academy. Of course, my first year was about getting to know everyone, and probably around halfway through 2022 I felt very familiar with all the faces.

For me, year two is about building those relationships, using all the tools I have available with the Academy, and making the most of it all as best I can.

It’s been cool competing against two other Academy drivers in Franco and Ollie. Last year it was only me competing in F3 and Logan in F2.

I’ve raced Franco a couple of times on track now as we’ve been in more similar positions. I haven’t come up against Ollie yet, but I’m sure he’ll be up there a bit more later in the season.

Even though we’re not racing again until Imola 19-21 May, I’m keeping busy. We have two in-season tests - one in Barcelona and the other in Imola.

Both will be interesting. It’s a chance for the field to potentially close up and work on any issues they’ve had in the first couple of rounds.

Apart from that, the usual really - keeping fit, a bit of simulator prep with Williams Racing and PREMA, and working on a few details with Kokoro Performance to maximise our next race weekend.

I guess you’d say the racing driver essentials!