Paatz eyes more in Montreal after maiden F1 ACADEMY podium

Mathilda Paatz was overjoyed to start her Montreal weekend with some silverware, as the Aston Martin driver achieved her first F1 ACADEMY podium in the Opening Race.

Starting from fifth, Paatz moved up one place off the line after Emma Felbermayr stalled on the grid and took advantage of Payton Westcott’s unsuccessful move on Megan Bruce to slide up into P3.

Reflecting on her achievement, Paatz admitted that her success tastes even sweeter after a disappointing opening round in Shanghai.

“It’s super special,” she began. “I'm super proud. After struggling in Shanghai, having such a comeback is really awesome. I’ve been working really hard with Aston Martin Aramco, with the PREMA team and getting all the support, not only from the teams, but also from home with my friends and my mum. It just feels very special to share that moment after having struggled so much.”

Crucially, while Bruce and Westcott fought over second, Paatz kept herself firmly in their mirrors throughout the opening stages. At the same time, she had to contend with the pressure of holding off a train of cars behind.

“I wouldn't say it was a calm race, quite stressful to be fair,” admitted Paatz. “We were all so close coming for P2, but I think we kept a cool head and maintained our position which was pretty good.”

READ MORE: OPENING RACE: Palmowski drives off into the distance for lights-to-flag Montreal victory

Qualifying fifth overall, Paatz has set herself up well for all three races, with the Aston Martin driver lining up on the second row for the Reverse Grid Races. Looking ahead to this afternoon’s race, Paatz believes she has the speed to fight for a spot on the podium once more.

“Starting from P4 is definitely not bad,” she said. “If we can get off with a good launch as we did now, I think there's definitely a chance to fight for a podium again and maybe a bit higher than P3.”