Race Report

FIA FORMULA 4
ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP, Rounds 04/05/06

Circuit: Imola (I); Length: 4.909 km, 27^th/28^th/29^th June 2014
www.autodromoimola.com

JENZER MOTORSPORT 2014:
Ali Al Khalifa (BRN), Alain Valente (CH), Lucas Mauron (CH) and Nico Rindlisbacher (CH)

Podium for Valente in Imola

The second of seven meetings in the Italian FIA Formula 4 Championship took place at the characterful Imola circuit. 22 drivers signed on to race, and they were very keen to take up the new challenge. The races can be followed live on sporttube tv.

Qualifying

Saturday, 28/06/14, 11.10 – 11.50, Weather: Sunny, 25°C

The rules of the championship allow for two qualifying sessions, each 15 minutes long, with a break of just ten minutes in between. Results from qualification 1 determine the grid for Race One, while results from qualification session 2 determine the grid for Race Three; the grid for Race Two is based on the results of Race One, with the first ten finishers starting in reverse order.

The sun was shining and temperatures were rising and our drivers had to really draw on their skills, because this track is far more demanding than Adria, which was the venue of their first race event two weeks ago. In the short 15 minute qualifying sessions they were all able to improve steadily on this varied track.

FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship

Race One (28 minutes + 1 lap)

Sunday, 28/06/14, 17.30, Weather: Sunny, 26°C

It was still sunny and hot at the end of the afternoon. The start went well, and the whole field got away cleanly. Alain held his position and then managed to move steadily up the order, executing several courageous overtaking moves, and taking the chequered flag in a very good 6^th place. Lucas didn’t get away well and first lost a place, then got into a fight with Drudi and Matveev. A few laps later Nico caught up with them. He had been making steady progress and a little later even managed to get past Lucas, but shortly after he left his braking too late and went off, losing several places as a result. Towards the end of the race he managed some very good lap times, but there was not enough time to catch Lucas again and he finished 16^th. Lucas continued fighting and was able to improve his position further, crossing the finish line just outside the top ten in 12^th. Ali also had an exciting race, gaining places lap by lap, and avoiding other people’s accidents to come home 15^th.

FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship

Race Two (18 minutes + 1 lap)

Sunday, 29/06/14, 10.50, Weather: Cloudy, 28°C

Before midday the temperature was already 28°C, despite of the few clouds covering the sky. Alain started well and managed to overtake Bandeira on the first lap. Then Kasai made a mistake and got onto the grass, which was all Alain needed to get past him. He was now 3^rd. Then Maisano and Stroll caught up to him and didn’t give him a chance. Shortly after that the pair of them were all over Russo, until Maisano and Russo touched, and Russo went off, Alain got past as well and therefore reached the finish line in 4^th. However because Maisano’s result does not count towards the same championship this meant that Alain had again claimed 3rd place on the podium. Lucas started very well and was already up in 9^th place, but on lap two there was contact with another driver, and unfortunately they both ended their race off the track. Nico didn’t fare much better, spinning at Tamburello and finishing his race in the gravel trap. Ali was able to avoid all the accidents again, making good progress to finish 11^th. It wouldn’t have needed much more time for him to make it into the top ten. In the results of the over 18 year old’s series he was classified a fine 2^nd.

FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship

Race Three (28 minutes + 1 lap)

Sunday, 29/06/14, 16.50, Weather: Cloudy, 26°C

The last race of the afternoon got very heated, with many tense situations, but fortunately no big accidents. Alain was wrapped up in battles for places from the start, managing to overtake, and was soon 7^th. When he started an attack on Camilleri, they tangled. Alain had to go across the gravel trap, but was able to continue. Then he got ready to try again, and this time they ran side by side until the overtaking manoeuvre went in his favour. Now he was in 8^th place was putting massive pressure on Fontana. He tried to attack, but couldn’t get past. Even do Alain again came home to score important points. Lucas missed the start and lost several places, then fought his way back place by place, in the end being rewarded with 10^th place and thus a top ten position, which meant that he collected points. Ali made a good start, but then he left it too late to brake and got stuck in the gravel. Unfortunately that meant his race was done. Nico made up places and was putting up a good fight for positions, but he too fell victim to late braking and went off track. Although he lost ground, he was able to continue finally taking the chequered flag in a good 13^th place. After the race Fontana was handed a penalty, and that moved Alain up to 7^th and Lucas to 9^th.

The next race event for Formula 4 takes place in two week’s time, on the weekend of 13^th July 2014 at Mugello.

Championship standings

FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship 2014 after 6 out of 21 races:
1^st Lance Stroll (CAN), 118 Punkte; 2^nd Andrea Russo (I), 68 Punkte; 3^rd Leonardo Pulcini (I), 66 Punkte; 4^th Alain Valente (CH), 52 Punkte; 5^th Matteo Cairoli (I), 33 Punkte; 6^th Ivan Matveev (RUS), 32 Punkte; 10^th Lucas Mauron (CH), 13 Punkte; 18^th Nico Rindlisbacher, 1 Punkt

Italian F4 Trophy for drivers over 18 years:
1^st Brandon Maisono (F), 126 Punkte; 2^nd Keith Camilleri (M), 99 Punkte; 3^rd Ali Al Khalifa (BRN), 77 Punkte

2014 FIA FORMULA 4 ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP - AGENDA

For more information:

• www.acisportitalia.it/F4/home/ing/4882/Two-days-in-Adria-Raceway-for-F.4-teams/2014
• www.italiaracing.net