Race Report
FIA FORMULA 4
ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP, Rounds 01/02/03
Circuit: Imola (ITA); Length: 4.909 km, 21st – 23rd April 2023
www.autodromoimola.com
JENZER MOTORSPORT 2023:
Ethan Ischer (CH), Hwarang Kim (KOR), Ariel Elkin (ISR)
Start of the F4 Italian Championship in Imola
The first of seven meetings in the Italian FIA Formula 4 Championship took place on the characterful track at Imola (I). With 37 competitors present for the meeting, their expectations were as high as could be ahead of the start.
Qualifying
Friday, 21/04/23, 17.30 – 17.50 Group 1, Weather: Overcast, 13°C
Friday, 21/04/23, 18.00 – 48.20 Group 2
As the number of participants exceeded the capacity of the track (maximum 36 drivers), the format got changed for this weekend. Drivers were divided into two groups and each group had one 20 minutes qualifying session. After that, the drivers were divided into three groups, which drove a total of three qualifying races. The best 36 drivers were allowed to drive the final fourth race at the end.
Hwarang was in the first group and obtained a 12th place in his session. After him, it was Ethan and Ariel’s turn to get in the car. Ariel qualified 15th in the group, while Ethan was in a good 10th place. Unfortunately, according to a new rule, his laps times got deleted after he involuntarily caused a red flag at the end of the session and had to start his qualifying races from the back.
| Results Qualifying Group 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Kacper Sztuka (POL) | US Racing | 1:44.124 |
| 2nd | Arvid Lindblad (GBR) | Prema | 1:44.160 |
| 3rd | Brando Badoer (ITA) | Van Amersfoort | 1:44.222 |
| 12th | Hwarang Kim (KOR) | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:45.372 |
| 27th | Ethan Ischer (CH) | Jenzer Motorsport | 2:01.654 |
| Results Qualifying Group 2 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Ugo Ugochukwu (USA) | Prema | 1:44.002 |
| 2nd | Nicola Lacorte (ITA) | Prema | 1:44.367 |
| 3rd | Akshay Bohra (SGP) | US Racing | 1:44.534 |
| 10th | Ethan Ischer (CH) | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:45.107 |
| 15th | Ariel Elkin (ISR) | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:45.702 |
FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship
Race One (25 minutes + 1 lap) Group B / Group C
Saturday, 22/04/23, 12.10, Weather: Cloudy, 18°C
The first race on Saturday morning was between Group B and Group C, with all our drivers taking part. In very warm temperatures, the lights went off and the first of the three qualifying races started. Our drivers got away well and immediately managed to gain positions. Hwarang started in 16th place and was up to 14th place already by the end of the opening laps. Ariel also got off well and moved up to 15th place, right behind his teammate. Ethan was set to a very good recovery race, moving from 24th to 20th in the first lap. Unfortunately, a puncture meant he had to visit the pits for a quick tire change. Halfway through the race, Ariel overtook Hwarang and the two drivers settled in 13th and 14th place respectively. Taking advantage of a crash in the final stages of the race, Ariel crossed the line in a very good 11th place, followed closely by Hwarang in 12th position. Ethan managed to recover quite some places despite the puncture and crossed the line in 20th place.
| Race One Results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Kacper Sztuka (POL) | US Racing | 28:07.034 | |
| 2nd | Brando Badoer (ITA) | Van Amersfoort | Gap | 0.641 |
| 3rd | Nicola Lacorte (ITA) | Prema | Gap | 8.314 |
| 11th | Ariel Elkin (ISR) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
| 12th | Hwarang Kim (KOR) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
| 20. | Ethan Ischer (CH) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
| Fastest lap: Brando Badoer (ITA) in 1:44.521 | ||||
FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship
Race Two (25 minutes + 1 lap) Group A / Group B
Saturday, 22/04/23, 18.20, Weather: Cloudy, 20°C
The race Group A / Group B
| Race Two Results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Ugo Uogchukwu (USA) | Prema | 28:05.370 | |
| 2nd | Arvid Lindblad (GB) | Prema | Gap | 3.422 |
| 3rd | Zachary David (AUS) | US Racing | Gap | 4.073 |
| Fastest lap: Ugo Ugochukwu (USA) in 1:44.280 | ||||
FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship
Race Three (25 minutes + 1 lap) Group C / Group A
Sunday, 23/04/23, 10.00, Weather: Sunny, 21°C
The third race of the weekend got underway on Sunday morning in very warm temperatures. As the lights went out at the start, disaster happened with one car hitting another car hard from behind. Luckily the drivers involved were unhurt. The race got immediately red flagged. Back to the pitlane and to the grid, we got underway again, with now 20 minutes + 1 lap to go. Hwarang was on a mission to gain as many positions as possible. The South Korean driver immediately started to make moves and soon was up to 13th place. Behind him, Ariel was also progressing well when he had to come to the pits and retire his car due to a damage. Ethan was also on the charge and quickly moved up to 19th place. Fighting in the middle of a big group, Hwarang brought his car home safely in 12th place, with Ethan crossing the line in 19th place.
| Race Three Results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Nicola Lacorte (ITA) | Prema | 22:49.182 | |
| 2nd | Arvid Lindblad (GB) | Prema | Gap | 2.290 |
| 3rd | Ivan Domingues (POR) | Van Amersfoort | Gap | 3.002 |
| 12th | Hwarang Kim (KOR) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
| 19th | Ethan Ischer (CH) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
| DNF: | Ariel Elkin (ISR) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
| Fastest lap: James Wharton (AUS) in 1:44.658 | ||||
FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship
Race Four (25 minutes + 1 lap) Final Race (36 drivers)
Sunday, 23/04/23, 18.00, Weather: Sunny, 23°C
The final race, with a full field of 36 drivers, started very late on Sunday afternoon and in very warm temperatures. The start was successful and an exciting race began. After a few laps, two drivers collided and went off the track. The safety car had to be deployed. Up to that point, our drivers had already been doing very well and didn't miss the restart either to gain positions. Hwarang was now 16th, Ariel 18th and Ethan already up in 22nd. Hwarang was now battling with Beeton for the next position and the two came together, which ended the race for Hwarang in a gravel trap. A pity! The Safety Car took over the field one more time. At the restart, after which exactly one racing lap remained, there were more accidents. Ariel and Ethan, who were already 15th and 17th respectively, managed to bring their vehicles safely across the finish line. Ariel was 14th and Ethan, who had started from 33rd place, had improved to 15th place recovering the positions with great moves.
The second race meeting of the Italian Formula championship is scheduled for the weekend of 7th May in Misano (I).
| Final Race Results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Arvid Lindblad (GB) | Prema | 28:07.034 | |
| 2nd | Alfio Spina (ITA) | BVM | Gap | 0.641 |
| 3rd | Ugo Ugochukwu (USA) | Prema | Gap | 8.314 |
| 14th | Ariel Elkin (ISR) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
| 15th | Ethan Ischer (CH) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
| 31st | Hwarang Kim (KOR) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
| Fastest lap: Brando Badoer (ITA) in 1:45.208 | ||||
Ethan Ischer (CH)
Hwarang Kim (KOR)
Ariel Elkin (ISR)
© Photo Pellegrini
Championship Standings
FIA F4 Italian Championship 2023 after 3 races:
1st Nicola Lacorte (ITA), 40 points; 2nd Arvid Lindblad (SWE), 36 points; 3rd Brando Badoer (ITA), 30 points; 4th Ivan Domingues (PRT), 27 points; 5th Kacper Sztuka (POL), 25 points; 6th Ugo Ugochukwu (USA), 25 points
Rookie-Standings:
1st Nicola Lacorte (ITA), 50 points; 2nd Arvid Lindblad (SWE), 43 points; 3rd Zachary David (PHL), 33 points; 15th Ariel Elkin (ISR), 4 points
2023 Italian FIA Formula 4 Championship
| 21/22/23 April | Imola (I) | |
| 05/06/07 May | Misano (I) | |
| 26/27/28 May | Spa (B) | |
| 23/24/25 June | Monza (I) | |
| 21/22/23 July | Paul Ricard (F) | |
| 29/30 Sept – 01 Oct | Mugello (I) | |
| 13/14/15 October | Vallelunga (I) |
More info:
