Race Report

FIA FORMULA 4
ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP, Rounds 01/02/03

Circuit: Misano (I), Length 4.226 km, 08^th/09^th/10^th April 2016
www.misanocircuit.com

JENZER MOTORSPORT 2016:
Diego Ciantini (ARG), Marcos Siebert (ARG) & Giacomo Bianchi (CH).
Guest drivers for Misano: Jan-Erik Meikup (EST), Job van Uitert (NL), Kevin Kratz (D) & Fabio Scherer (CH)

Season starts in Italy: 41 entrants at Misano
First pole position for Siebert and wins the final race.
Van Uitert claims two podiums.

The first of seven meetings in the Italian FIA Formula 4 Championship took place at the Misano World Circuit near Rimini (I). With 41 competitors present for the meeting, their expectations were as high as could be in advance of the start. You can follow the races live on sporttube tv.

Qualifying

Friday, 08/04/16, 16.20 – 17.10, Weather: Rain, 16°C

Because of the massive number of participants the regulations had to be changed. The drivers are divided into groups, and first run in two 40-minute free practice sessions. Then follows a qualifying session of 20 minutes per driver. The program continues with two qualifying-races. Each driver competes in these races and the best 36 (on this occasion as that is the limit that Misano can run) compete in a final race.
The fastest lap times per driver from qualifying are used to make up the grid of qualification race one, the second fastest lap times per driver determine the grid for qualification race two. The third qualification race starts based on the results of race one, but with the ten first finishers in reverse order.
Two free practice sessions were held in the morning, first in the dry, but then on an increasingly wet track. More rain fell just at the start to the qualifying sessions.
Meikup, Ciantini, Bianchi and Scherer started in Group one.
Van Uitert, Siebert and Kratz started in Group two.

FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship

Qualification Race One/A - B (25 minutes + 1 lap)

Saturday, 09/04/16, 11.05, Weather: Cloudy, 17°C

For the first race of the season the sun came out. 28 drivers of a total of 41 were on the grid, some of them already well known from last year, but also some new competitors. The first pole of the season belonged to Marcos Siebert after he set the best lap time overall in qualifying. The start went well, and Marcos took the lead initially, but then lost some places before holding steady in 5^th all the way to the chequered flag. Fabio, who started well from 10^th place in his very first formula race, got involved in a first lap incident and had to pit for a new front wing. He rejoined the race and was able to bring it home in 25^th place. Kevin started 13^th and soon made up some places. He was fighting for 9th place throughout the race but got sandwiched on the final lap and ended up crossing the line in 10^th. Jan-Erik made a good start from 18^th and spent the race fighting over mid-field positions, eventually ending 16^th after a good race. Diego and Giacomo were both handed penalties after qualifying and had to start right at the back of the field. Diego drove determinedly and put in a spectacular race to move up from 26^th to 11^th by the end! Giacomo, another driver competing in his first ever race in a single seater also managed to improve his position steadily. Starting from 28^th, he worked his way forward to 18^th which meant all our drivers made it to the finish line.

FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship

Qualification Race Two/B - C (25 minutes + 1 lap)

Saturday, 09/04/16, 17.20, Weather: Rain, 14°C

Just as the F4s were getting ready on the pre-grid, a thunderstorm passed through and it started to rain heavily. Wet weather tyres were mounted immediately, and the race was declared a “Wet Race“. This field contained 27 contestants and the start took place behind the Safety Car. Even so Job, who had great plans, managed to spin off and by the time he got back on track was back in 13^th. When the Safety Car came in and the race start Job set off on a furious scrap for positions. In just four laps he had recovered to 4^th place and soon managed to overtake Correa. A few laps before the end he also passed Bertonelli to claim a sensational 2^nd place in very difficult conditions! Fabio started from 9^th and immediately moved up the order, holding 7^th for a long time before losing ground and slipping down the order. He improved his position again towards the end and finished the race in 13^th. Jan-Erik started from 17^th and was on hid way forward but then he went off track and unluckily got stuck in the gravel. That brought his race to a premature end. Diego started from 25^th place and shone once more in a super race that saw many clever overtaking manoeuvres. This time he made it into the top ten with 10^th place to score his first points. Giacomo worked his way forward from 27^th to 20^th, but shortly before the end fell back a few places to take the chequered flag after a very demanding race in 23^rd place.
We were very pleased to be able to celebrate a podium on the very first race day of the new season!

FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship

Qualification-Race Three/A - C (25 minutes + 1 lap)

Sunday, 10/04/16, 12.15, Weather: Sunny, 18°C

The sun finally came out again on Sunday. The third qualification race started on time with 27 participants but there was an accident at the start involving several cars. The race had to be stopped and restarted and the second start was much more successful. Marcos led from Job, and Kevin, who started from 13^th but quickly moved up to 9^th. Marcos and Job set a good pace, but from about mid distance Guzman began to make up ground. He first managed to pass Job, and shortly before the end he also passed Marcos, meaning they finished 2^nd (Marcos) and 3^rd (Job). Kevin was battling it out with Hasse-Clot and Altoe throughout the race and was 10^th when another car spun and hit him side on, Kevin flew off, while other car ended up stuck in the middle of the track. The race was red flag and because the time had already run out it could not be restarted. However this time we had two drivers on the podium!

FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship

Final Race (25 minutes + 1 lap)

Sunday, 10/04/16, 17.20, Weather: Sunny, 20°C

All seven of our drivers qualified for the final race, in which the best 36 drivers were eligible to start. Mick Schumacher stalled at the start and the Safety Car had to be deployed, leading the field through the pit lane. At the restart Marcos was 2nd from Guzman. Marcos wanted revenge for the last race and was giving it maximum gas, soon putting pressure on Guzman, taking the lead on lap 6. Later on he came under pressure from Vips, who was running on newer tyres. However Marcos was not to be distracted and made no mistakes to win the first final of the season. Job drove an equally good race and secured 6^th place. Kevin had to battle it out again in the midfield and crossed the finishing line in 17^th. Diego had moved up to 16^th and was on his way forward when he had to retire after his fire extinguisher went off. Fabio was unlucky too, picking up a puncture and thus needing a pit stop. He was classified in 26^th in the end. Jan-Erik had already moved up several places when another driver shot across the track and knocked him off, ending his race for him. Giacomo drove a courageous race to work his way forward from 34^th to 24^th position.
It was a successful weekend for our team and drivers to start season with several podiums and a victory!

Championship Standings

FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship 2016 after 3 races:
1^st Mick Schumacher (D), 60 points; 2^nd Marchina Guzman (MEX), 58 points; 3^rd Marcos Siebert (ARG), 53 points; 4^th Job van Uitert (NL), 41 points; 5^th Juri Vips (EST), 34 points; 6^th Manuel Correa (USA), 27 points; 20^th Kevin Kratz (D), 1 Punkt; 21^st Diego Ciantini (ARG), 1 Punkt

2016 FIA FORMULA 4 ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP - CALENDAR

More info:

• www.acisportitalia.it/F4/
• www.italiaracing.net