Before competing for the Formula 2 title in 2022, Frenchman Theo Pourchaire and Brazilian Felipe Drugovich had already shared the racing environment since their karting days. The Frenchman recalled the beginning of his time with the Brazilian and revealed an unusual memory he keeps of the category champion.
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“I have known Felipe for a long time, since karting. I remember the first time I met him. It was in Lonato, Italy. He is a little older than me, so he always competed in the next category,” he recalled while talking to F1MANIA.NET at a Peugeot event, the current team of the Frenchman in the WEC (World Endurance Championship), in São Paulo.
Pourchaire’s most striking memory, however, does not involve a race: “I remember his mother was at the kart track and gave me a cake she had made at home. They were a very nice family,” he highlighted.
Years later, the two met again in Formula 2 and fought an intense battle for the championship in 2022. Drugovich won the title with MP Motorsport, while Pourchaire was runner-up with ART Grand Prix.
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For the Frenchman, the battle with the Brazilian was an important moment for his development as a driver. “I think it was very important to have this battle with Felipe in 2022. It was a lot of fun fighting against him and I have great memories. I also had a lot of bad luck with mechanical problems in the car. I think we could have had an even better battle until the end of the season,” he concluded.
Theo Pourchaire was champion the following year, still with ART Grand Prix. Afterwards, he raced in other categories, such as Indy. He currently competes in the World Endurance Championship alongside Malthe Jakobsen and Loïc Duval.
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