It's like a dream to hear the anthem on the podium: Santiago Ramos after his victory in Imola

Santiago Ramos , a Guadalajara native from the Van Amersfoort Racing team, claimed the podium at Imola after a spectacular race that came down to the final four laps. It was a victory that felt like revenge for Ramos , who last year, racing for the Trident team, took pole position but didn't take the win.

For the 21-year-old from Guadalajara, hearing the National Anthem at the Enzo e Dino Ferrari Racetrack was a dream come true , according to what he said in an interview with El Informador.

"The truth is, it's like a dream come true for me. Every time I hear that anthem, it motivates me to keep preparing and keep striving for more victories. We're going to give it our all over the coming weekends to hear it again."

Ramos said the key to achieving victory was staying calm and focusing on making no mistakes.

"The truth is, it was about using our heads, trying to keep our thoughts and our objective clear, and not making any mistakes. I think that's what ultimately got us the win. And, obviously, the tire management we did at the start also helped us build that extra pace at the end."

With this result, Santiago moved into fifth place in the Formula 3 drivers' championship . However, his next challenge will not be easy: he will face the demanding Monaco circuit, where he will need a near-perfect weekend to try to repeat his triumph.

"Monaco is a different story, very demanding. Qualifying there is key because overtaking is almost impossible. We're going to prepare everything with great care, arrive focused and confident that we have the pace to be ahead again. Winning helps a lot with morale, but we can't let our guard down. We have to keep pushing."

The Guadalajara native also expressed his gratitude for the outpouring of support he received following his victory and encouraged his fans to stay tuned for his upcoming competitions.

"First of all, I'd like to thank all the fans who stayed up late to watch the race, and I want to let them know that they can follow me on Instagram as @santiago_ramosoficial, as well as on the Telmex and FIA F3 social media channels."

Santiago Ramos will return to the track next weekend , when he competes on the iconic Monaco street circuit.

SV

• Motoring
• F3
• Santiago Ramos