Race Report

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

Circuit: Misano (I), Length 4.226 km, 8^th – 10^th May 2026
www.misanocircuit.com

JENZER MOTORSPORT 2026:
Levi Arn (CH), Elia Weiss (D), Nicolas Cortes (MEX), Bader Al Sulaiti (QAT) and as guest – Georgiy Zasov (CH)

Start to the FIA F4 Italian Championship in Misano
Bader Al Sulaiti shines, Levi Arn with Rookie Podium

The first of seven meetings in the Italian FIA Formula 4 Championship took place at the Misano World Circuit near Rimini (I). With 47 competitors present for the meeting, their expectations were as high as could be ahead of the start.

Qualifying

Friday, 08/05/26, 17.55 – 18.15 Q S1, Weather: Overcast, 20°C
Friday, 08/05/26, 18.25 – 18.45 Q S2

With 47 drivers, the number of participants exceeded the track's capacity for racing. According to the regulations, there were two qualifying series, which were drawn by lot. Each series had 20 minutes. The results of the two series were then used to form three groups: Groups A, B, and C. These groups then each competed in two qualifying races: Group B versus C, Group A versus B, and Group A versus C. The top 36 drivers competed in the final race in the end.

After Elia felt unwell during free practice, he unfortunately had to withdraw from the race due to illness.

FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship

Qualifying Race One (25 minutes + 1 lap) – Group B versus Group C

Saturday, 09/05/26, 11.30, Weather: Sunny, 20°C

The sun was shining, and the start of the first race of the new season went well. However, towards the back of the field, Zheng went off the track and came to a stop in an awkward place. The safety car was briefly deployed so the vehicle could be removed. There were a few minor incidents at the restart, but our two drivers in this race maintained their positions well. Bader, who had started from 9^th place, had improved to 6^th. Levi, who had moved up from 18^th, was now in 16^th. The battle for positions was fierce throughout the race. Bader, who had briefly dropped to 8^th, fought his way back to the finish line, securing an excellent 6^th place. Levi avoided all incidents and crossed the finish line in 13^th place after a good drive.
After the race, Levi received a time penalty for the collision with Zheng. This dropped Levi back to 18^th place.

FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship

Qualifying Race Two (25 minutes + 1 lap) – Group A versus Group B

Saturday, 09/05/26, 17.15, Weather: Cloudy, 20°C

The second race started at the end of the afternoon. Bader started from 12^th place this time, but soon worked his way up to 10^th. He had a tough battle with Killion, exchanging positions several times. Eventually, Bader was in front, but Bearman had also caught up and overtook him. Bader still finished in the top ten, in 10^th place. Nicolas started from 19^th and immediately gained several positions. He soon moved up to 14^th and had even improved to 13^th when Craigie overtook him on the very last lap. Thus Nicolas secured 14^th place. Georgiy was making good progress when Fogaca hit Georgiy's car, causing him to spin. He returned to the pit lane, where the team determined that the damage could not be repaired quickly. Unfortunately, the incident ended Georgiy's race. Fogaca had to serve a drive-through penalty, but was still able to finish the race afterwards.

FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship

Qualifying Race Three (25 minutes + 1 lap) – Group A versus Group C

Sunday, 10/05/26, 08.30, Weather: Overcast, 17°C

It had rained during the night, and the track was still a bit damp in the early morning. However, the entire field started on slicks. There were still a few slippery patches, but it dried out considerably during the race. The field first drove two laps behind the safety car before the race was restarted. Levi started from 18^th place and quickly improved his position. Nicolas initially held 21^st place, then he too gained positions. Georgiy steadily increased his speed and maintained 24^th place for a considerable time. After a safety car period shortly before the end of the race, he moved up to 22^nd place, which he safely brought home. Levi had worked his way up to 14^th place, meaning he ultimately finished a very respectable third as a rookie on the podium. Nicolas made several more daring overtaking maneuvers during the race and finished a solid 17^th.

FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship

Final Race (25 minutes + 1 lap)

Sunday, 10/05/26, 13.50, Weather: Overcast, 18°C

Bader, Levi, and Nicolas had qualified for the final race. Since only 36 of the 47 drivers could start in the final, and he suffered a DNF in one race, Georgiy unfortunately narrowly missed the final.
It began to rain lightly during the starting grid formation. Although the rain fell steadily, the entire field started on slick tires. Fortunately, the rain eased off halfway through the race. At the start, Bearman stalled, resulting in a heavy crash involving three cars, including Nicolas. The cars sustained significant damage, but thankfully, the drivers escaped unharmed. The safety car took over until the debris was cleared. After the restart, Bader was in 10^th place. Over the next laps, he lost some momentum and fell back a few positions. Following a safety car period, Bader then managed to climb back up to 12^th and defended that position until the finish. Levi had escaped the start crash unscathed and held 20^th place for some time. During the race, he worked his way up to 16^th place, and this position he held safely to the finish.

Levi Arn (CH)

+23

Elia Weiss (D)

+5

Nicolas Cortes (MEX)

+14

Bader Al Sulaiti (QAT)

+21

Georgiy Zasov (CH)

+17

© Photo Pellegrini

Championship Standings

FIA F4 Italian Championship 2026 after 3 races:
1^st Alp Aksoy (TUR), 82 points; 2^nd Niccolo Maccagnani (I), 66 points; 3^rd Andy Consani (F), 61 points; 4^th Ari Bansal (IND), 60 points; 5^th David Walther (DK), 58 points; 6^th Oleksandr Bondarev (UKR), 54 points; 11^th Bader Al Sulaiti (QAT), 31 points; 23^rd Levi Arn (CH), 4 points; 26^th Nicolas Cortes (MEX), 2 points

Rookie-Standings:
1^st Alp Aksoy (TUR), 90 points; 2^nd Oscar Repetto (NZL), 68 points; 3^rd Levi Arn (CH), 54 points; 3^rd Christian Costoy (E), 54 points; 3^rd Kenzo Craigie (GB), 54 points: 3^rd Florentin Hattemer (CH), 54 points

2026 FIA FORMULA 4 ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP – AGENDA

More info:

• www.italiaracing.net