Race Report
FIA FORMULA 4
ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP, Rounds 07/08/09
Circuit: Spa-Francorchamps (B), Length 7.003 km, 26th – 28th May 2023
www.spa-francorchamps.be
JENZER MOTORSPORT 2023:
Ethan Ischer (CH), Hwarang Kim (KOR), Ariel Elkin (ISR)
Elkin in the points at Spa
The third of seven meetings in the Italian FIA Formula 4 Championship was held at the legendary circuit of Spa-Francorchamps (B). With 31 competitors present for the meeting, their expectations were as high as could be ahead of the start.
Qualifying
Saturday, 27/05/23, 09.50 – 10.30, Weather: Sunny, 16°C
The rules allow for two qualifying sessions of 15 minutes, with a 10-minute break in between. The Qualifying 1 times determine the grid for Race 1 and the times from Qualifying 2 determine the grid for Race 2. The starting order for Race 3 is based on the 2nd best lap time of each driver in either of the two qualifying sessions.
| Results Qualifying 1 & Grid for Race One | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Brando Badoer (I) | Van Amersfoort | 2:21.149 |
| 2nd | Kacper Sztuka (POL) | US | 2:21.317 |
| 3rd | Zachary David (AUS) | US | 2:21.352 |
| 12th | Ariel Elkin (ISR) | Jenzer Motorsport | 2:22.112 |
| 21st | Ethan Ischer (CH) | Jenzer Motorsport | 2:22.776 |
| 26th | Hwarang Kim (KOR) | Jenzer Motorsport | 2:23.311 |
| Results Qualifying 2 & Grid for Race Two | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | James Wharton (AUS) | Prema | 2:21.292 |
| 2nd | Kacper Sztuka (POL) | US | 2:21.317 |
| 3rd | Arvid Lindblad (GBR) | Prema | 2:21.349 |
| 17th | Ariel Elkin (ISR) | Jenzer Motorsport | 2:22.112 |
| 21st | Hwarang Kim (KOR) | Jenzer Motorsport | 2:23.311 |
| 22nd | Ethan Ischer (CH) | Jenzer Motorsport | 2:22.776 |
| Grid for Race Three | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Kacper Sztuka (POL) | US | 2:21.405 |
| 2nd | Arvid Lindblad (GBR) | Prema | 2:21.540 |
| 3rd | James Wharton (AUS) | Prema | 2:21.555 |
| 15th | Ariel Elkin (ISR) | Jenzer Motorsport | 2:22.443 |
| 20th | Ethan Ischer (CH) | Jenzer Motorsport | 2:22.702 |
| 23rd | Hwarang Kim (KOR) | Jenzer Motorsport | 2:23.270 |
FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship
Race One (30 minutes + 1 lap)
Saturday, 27/05/23, 14.30, Weather: Sunny, 22°C
The start of the first race of the weekend went well. Then, when 2 laps had already been completed, there was a big accident and the race was red-flagged. Luckily the two drivers emerged unhurt and the race was restarted after two laps behind the safety car according to the results after lap 2 from before. 23.20 minutes race time remained, but because it took a long time to line up in the correct starting order behind the safety car, the safety car remained in action for a full 2 laps. After that, just 10 minutes remained until the end of the race. In this super sprint race it was difficult to do much. Ariel managed to improve from 14th place to 12th place. Ethan had actually moved up to 16th and Hwarang was 22nd when the race, now on the last lap, was red flagged again as Larini was stranded in a exposed spot on the track. Unfortunately, the positions one lap before the end counted as the result. This placed Ariel 13th, Ethan 17th and Hwarang 23rd.
| Race One Results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | James Wharton (AUS) | Prema | 32:02.072 | |
| 2nd | Zachary David (AUS) | US | Gap | 0.413 |
| 3rd | Brando Badoer (I) | Van Amersfoort | Gap | 1.780 |
| 13th | Ariel Elkin (ISR) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
| 17th | Ethan Ischer (CH) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
| 23rd | Hwarang Kim (KOR) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
| Fastest lap: Arvid Lindblad (GBR) in 2:23.194 | ||||
FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship
Race Two (30 minutes + 1 lap)
Sunday, 28/05/23, 10.35, Weather: Sunny, 22°C
There was bright sunshine at the start of the second race at Spa on Sunday morning. The large field got away well at the start, but the safety car had to be deployed on lap two because one vehicle was stranded after contact. Ariel had started very well and had worked his way past Domingues to 10th place. Hwarang and Ethan fought amongst themselves and Ethan was now in 21st place with Hwarang right behind him in 22nd place. At the restart, Hwarang managed to get back in front of Ethan. When two more vehicles got stuck in the gravel bed, the safety car had to take over the field again briefly on lap 5. After the restart on lap 6, two cars lost control and hit the barrier at the top of the Radillon, another three cars following were involved in the accident, including unfortunately Ethan. Luckily, word soon came out that all the drivers were fine. However, the race was red-flagged and not restarted, although there were still 10 minutes of the race distance to go. The cleaning up was taking a long time.
The result was counted one lap before the end. With that, Ariel was an excellent 10th and got his first point in this championship! Ethan was still in the race then and 17th, with Hwarang folloing in 18th.
| Race Two Results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | James Wharton (AUS) | Prema | 18:32.877 | |
| 2nd | Kacper Sztuka (POL) | US | Gap | 0.329 |
| 3rd | Arvid Lindblad (GBR) | Prema | Gap | 0.752 |
| 10th | Ariel Elkin (ISR) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
| 17th | Ethan Ischer (CH) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
| 18th | Hwarang Kim (KOR) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
| Fastest lap: James Wharton (AUS) in 2:23.938 | ||||
FIA Formula 4 Italian Championship
Race Three (30 minutes + 1 lap)
Sunday, 28/05/23, 17.20, Weather: Sunny, 22°C
The third race of the FIA F4 started a little late. Ariel got off well and immediately fought his way forward. He was already in 10th place when Al Dhaheri hit his rear wheel and made him spin. Al Dhaheri himself landed in the gravel, Ariel dragged himself back to the pits. Unfortunately, he had to give up with the damaged vehicle. The safety car took over the field until Al Dhaheri’s car was cleared. Ethan got off to a good start and was 15th at the restart. Lund managed to pass Ethan, but a little later Ethan regained the place. Shortly before the end of the race, Ethan managed to overtake Narac as well. That put him in 14th place. Hwarang was also doing well. He immediately improved several places at first and had moved up to 18th place before the safety car phase. He then held this position to the finish. Since it was Sunday and there are strict noise regulations in Spa, the race ended prematurely. That meant there was no time for Ethan or Hwarang to continue to improve.
| Race Three Results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Ugo Ugochukwu (USA) | Prema | 21:08.286 | |
| 2nd | Zachary David (USA) | US | Gap | 0.768 |
| 3rd | James Wharton (AUS) | Prema | Gap | 1.372 |
| 14th | Ethan Ischer (CH) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
| 18th | Hwarang Kim (KOR) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
| DNF: | Ariel Elkin (ISR) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
| Fastest lap: Zachary David (USA) in 2:23.480 | ||||
Ethan Ischer (CH)
Hwarang Kim (KOR)
Ariel Elkin (ISR)
© Photo Pellegrini
Championship Standings
FIA F4 Italian Championship 2023 after 9 races:
1st Arvid Lindblad (SWE), 146.5 points; 2nd Ugo Ugochukwu (USA), 121 points; 3rd Zachary David (PHL), 60 points; 4th James Wharton (AUS), 95.5 points; 5th Brando Badoer (ITA), 71 points; 6th Kacper Sztuka (POL), 66 points; 22nd Ariel Elkin, 0.5 points
Rookie-Standings:
1st Arvid Lindblad (SWE), 166.5 points; 2nd Zachary David (PHL), 138.5 points; 3rd Nicola Lacorte (ITA), 111 points; 12th Ariel Elkin (ISR), 20 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:
