Rennbericht

FIA FORMULA 4
ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP, Rounds 13/14/15

Circuit: Vallelunga (I), Length 4.085 km, 12^th/13^th/14^th September 2014
www.vallelunga.it

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

Podium for Valente at Vallelunga

The fifth of seven meetings in the Italian FIA Formula 4 Championship took place on the interesting Vallelunga circuit. 20 drivers were present, and they were very keen to take up the latest challenge. The races can be followed live on sporttube tv.

Qualifying

Friday, 12/09/14, 17.50 – 18.30, Weather: Sunny, 26°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 it was hot as the first qualifying session after the long summer break started. Our drivers were pushing hard, but it was very difficult because the whole field was very close this time. Alain was two tenths adrift of 2^nd which put him 7^th, while 14 drivers were within a second of the provisional pole time.
In the second session, which ran straight after the first one, our drivers improved steadily, but none of the other drivers were caught napping either. The picture in the end looked similar to the first session.

FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship

Race One (28 minutes + 1 lap)

Saturday, 13/09/14, 16.20, Weather: Sunny, 28°C

It stayed sunny and hot for the first race. Alain made a good start and gained a place, then managed to overtake Pulcini on the second lap. That put Alain up into 5th place and running well. He was able to maintain a reasonable gap to Pulcini, but on the very last lap Pulcini tried everything to regain the place. He came flying up and hit Alain in the sidepod, sending him onto the grass. Pulcini was through and Alain crossed the finish line in 6^th, but when the incident was investigated after the race Pulcini was awarded a time penalty for his actions and Alain was reinstated in 5^th, gaining extra important points as a result. Lucas started well and moved up to 15^th then got into a fight with Baruch and Matveev. From the mid-point of the race Lucas was 13^th and was able to defend this place all the way to the chequered flag. Nico also gained a few places, but then had to fight Dante, getting past shortly before the end to cross the finish line in 15^th. Ali drove well and set some very good lap times before running wide and spinning in one of the corners. He managed to stay on track and was able to continue racing, reaching the finish in 17^th place.

FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship

Race Two (18 minutes + 1 lap)

Sunday, 14/09/14, 09.35, Wetter: Sunny, 19°C

Alain again got a good start and gained two places, but then there were more changes at the sharp end of the race, when Stroll passed Alain, and Alain overtook Haxhiu. A few laps later the positions were Stroll, from Fontana, Pulcini, and Valente. Alain drove very well and piled the pressure on Pulcini. He got alongside and stayed there through the corners, until he was positioned just right and was able to get by. Alain reached the finish line in 3^rd, justifiably proud of himself. Lucas also got off to a good start, but then left his braking to late and tangled with Kasai, who was able to continue. Matveev was right behind them and couldn’t avoid Lucas. They both spun off, and while Lucas was able to continue, it was only once the rest of the field had gone by. He finished the race in 17^th and was later awarded a grid penalty for Race Three for causing a collision. Nico started well and immediately moved up to 11^th, holding station for most of the race, until he managed to get sideways in the chicane and couldn’t avoid a spin. That dropped him right back and gave away many good positions to the others. He took the chequered flag back in 16^th.

FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship

Race Three (28 minutes + 1 lap)

Sunday, 14/09/14, 17.10, Weather: Sunny, 26°C

There was action right from the start in Race Three with Alain coming round 9th at the end of the first lap and fighting for places with Russo and Fontana. Russo stayed in front, but Fontana dropped back, allowing Alain through to 8^th, the position he held for the remainder of the race. Nico also got away well, overtaking almost immediately, only to get onto the marbles when he went off line, sliding and bumping over the kerbs. This damaged his suspension and he had to return to the pits and retire from the race. Shortly afterwards Ali spun and had the same happen to him when he got onto the same dirty part of the track as Nico. He too had to return to the pits and park up for the rest of the race. Lucas started very well and was able to overtake a few of his fellow competitors in the early laps. He was soon up to 15^th and when Ragunathan and Dante both dropped back he moved into 13^th place, making no mistakes as he came home safely in that position.

The next race event for Formula 4 takes place in two weeks, on the weekend of 28^th September at Monza (I).

Championship standings

FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship 2014 after 15 out of 21 races:
1^st Lance Stroll (CAN), 295 points; 2^nd Andrea Russo (I), 153 points; 3^rd Leonardo Pulcini (I), 150 points; 4^th Alain Valente (CH), 127 points; 5^th Mattia Drudi (I), 123 points; 6^th Takashi Kasai (JPN), 83 points; 15^th Lucas Mauron (CH), 18 points; 20^th Nico Rindlisbacher, 2 points

Italian F4 Trophy for drivers over 18 years:
1^st Brandon Maisono (F), 242 points; 2^nd Ali Al Khalifa (BRN), 165 points; 3^rd Keith Camilleri (M), 138 points

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