Karting memories and learning experiences: Josep María Martí on the moments that made him

Josep María Martí has had an up and down year so far in what has been his rookie Formula 2 campaign in 2024.

The Campos Racing driver talks to us about moments from his career that have helped shape the driver and person that he is, as well as how past adversity has prepared him better for this season.

Working with coach Genis Marco

“I think the first moment was when we got in touch with my current coach, this was back in December or around there, late 2017. I’d finished racing in the regional championships, and we wanted to go to Spain to race national go-karts.

“We got in touch with my coach, Genis Marco, who probably is the most knowledgeable person in the world of karting in history. We got in touch with him through a common friend and my parents met him for breakfast and he said if you want to go into karts, we have to go international.

“It’s a step you have to be ready to take because, not just financially but the time involved is massive. Genis is still with me today coming to the races, and he’s been supporting me ever since. He’s family to me. He’s incredibly smart, really determined and has a clear mind – knows what’s good and what’s wrong.

“He’s always been very clear with me, if I’ve done something wrong or if I’ve done something well. I think that’s what’s made me grow into the ambitious, racing person I am today. You have to be that little bit self-centred to be a competitive athlete, selfish when you race and think for yourself. Genis brought that to me.”

Martí says his move from karts to single seaters was an important season in his career

Move up to single seaters

“I’d just started working with Fernando. I had met him once and then, out of F4 I met him again and we started working together as well. But I think the jump in 2021 from karts to single seaters – I fell in love with the way you drive cars.

“Really quickly I understood how to drive them. In my first full season, I was racing in F4 UAE and qualified P2 and P2 for my first races. Then I had a massive shunt in race one so went to a spare chassis for the rest of the Championship. It wasn’t the quickest with the spare engine, but I was quick. I remember that from the get-go.

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“Then in Spanish F4, I had the first year of the now four-year co-operation with Campos and that was the start of becoming part of the family. I fell in love with the team, the way they were working, and it was our first season, not just as a driver but as a team. We had to learn on the move, and we struggled a bit in the beginning.

“But I remember we were rockets at the end of the year and that was really, really cool. I think that was the chance to grow in a new team as well and as a rookie driver in the Championship. I felt I was allowed to make mistakes which took a lot off my shoulders, and I was really, really quick.

“If I look back, I could have finished second quite easily and could have fought for the Championship. But I was a rookie, and I made mistakes. I learned from them and I’m the driver that I am because of those mistakes in those days. It was a special, special year.”

The Campos driver says his F3 title bid was a huge learning year

2023 F3 Season

“It started off really well, super competitive, Australia was the biggest comeback through the field in F3 history up to that point. Winning in Monaco in the Sprint, winning the Feature in Barcelona. That span of four of five months where I was juggling my last year in school, I had a lot of pressure on myself and I was really determined and working really, really well.

“It also helped me to get into the Red Bull Junior Team, which was a massive achievement for me. It’s important to keep on building, to keep on getting better and I’m working alongside probably the best team in the world helps you to grow a lot. I’m hoping I can keep up this partnership for a lot of years.

“It was quite a tough year as a whole. We were fighting for the Championship and in the last three rounds, things just didn’t really go our way. In Budapest I qualified 13th, just one place outside reverse grid pole and I got spun around on Saturday.