Ferreira eyeing up reverse-grid victory in Miami after best-ever Qualifying

Rafaela Ferreira was satisfied with a job well done, making the best out of a wet one-lap shootout in Miami to achieve her highest Qualifying result yet in P7.

The Racing Bulls driver was put under pressure from the outset, thrust into her first wet Qualifying of the season. Left with no time to waste and only one shot at setting a lap before the downpour hit in full, Ferreira was able to deliver seventh and crucially, second on the reverse grid for Race 1.

“It was a really good Quali,” she said. “When we were waiting for the green light, they told us that they were expecting rain in the next 10 minutes. When we were going out, I saw (that it) was already raining, so we’d have one lap or maybe two.

“I started to push from the first lap. I didn’t slow down to do the warm-up lap, I was pushing every time to finish the one lap. It was really nice because I put in good pace in the beginning. It was just one lap for everybody so it’s fair.

“I’m excited for the race today. Starting P2, it’s a really good opportunity and it’s my best Qualifying so I’m excited.”

To add to the challenge for Ferreira, the conditions were not uniform across the track with the rain heavily impacting Sector 2 and catching out several drivers around her.

“I opened the second lap and I did Sector 1 sixth tenths quicker because it was completely dry,” the Brazilian explained. “Then when I started to reach the braking point in Turn 11, it was raining a lot and I saw Chloe and Alisha in front of me. They just missed the braking point and when I braked there was no grip, so I missed it too.

READ MORE: QUALIFYING: Chambers clinches back-to-back poles during rain-interrupted session in Miami

“I finished that lap and boxed because it was impossible to do anything else with the slick tyres. We put the wet tyres on and we practiced a little bit because if it’s going to rain in the next race, it’s good to practice because we didn’t have FP1 or FP2 in the rain.”

Now lining up on an all-rookie reverse grid front row alongside Kick Sauber’s Emma Felbermayr, Ferreira is determined to shoot her shot at the victory and give Campos Racing the chance of doing the double, with teammate Chloe Chambers lining up on pole for Race 2.

“It’s important to have a really good start, try to jump for P1 in the beginning and keep the pace,” she said. “Doesn’t matter if there’s rain or (it’s) dry, (I’ll) just try to do a really good start.”