Carlin's Max Fewtrell went into the weekend with a slender lead in the standings, but extended it in style by finishing on the podium in all three races with a top drawer performance to claim victory on the final lap of the last race.

Sennan Fielding took honours in Round 23 of the Championship; his fifth win of the year built on the foundation of a daring move at the start. 

Fortec Motorsports' Alex Quinn shone once more ending the weekend with another three Rookie class wins to his name and the Rookie class title almost in his grasp.

Race One Report

James Pull converted pole to victory for Carlin in spectacular fashion as the rain fell at Rockingham Motor Speedway in Round 22 of the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford on Saturday (27 August).

Pull was made to work hard for his maiden victory in the series by a hard charging Racing Steps Foundation backed Alex Quinn who flew off the line in his Fortec Motorsports’ prepared machine, ensuring that the two drivers were side by side going into the first corner.

Pull emerged from Deene hairpin in front however; keeping Quinn on his outside. There was no let-up from Quinn though. The 15-year-old hustled and hounded Pull during the opening laps, but the Carlin racer was able to gradually build a gap of five seconds on the way to the chequered flag, clearly growing increasingly confident in the slippery conditions.

Said a jubilant Pull: “I had the inside line going into turn one and I was able to hold Quinn off; even after that I had to defend a couple of times because he was right up there with me. I just kept hitting my marks and focusing. I then managed to get in the zone and pull a gap.

“It’s taken a long time to get this first win. I’m sort of speechless at the moment. I have got to thank the team for fantastic car and ADD Motorsports for preparing me for this. This victory feels twice as good knowing how hard I have worked. The hard work has paid off.”

Added Quinn following his 13^th Rookie class win of 2016: “The start was amazing. I got alongside [Pull] into turn one and then I wasn’t quite able to get past around the outside of the hairpin, but we were pressuring [Pull] a lot in the first few laps. I think we were quick at the beginning and he was quick towards the end. I’m really happy with second and this rookie win. Hopefully we can carry this on tomorrow.

“I knew we would be really quick in the first part of the race. I’m really happy we are always at the front now. When it matters we seem to be able to do it. I just hope we can come through in tomorrow’s reverse grid race. As we have seen today anything can happen so we will wait and see.”

Max Fewtrell rounded out the podium, making amends for being beaten off the line by Billy Monger which dropped him to sixth. The championship leader fought his way to a superb third which included some daring high speed wheel to racing in treacherous conditions with JHR’s Sennan Fielding. It proved to be an extremely valuable podium for Fewtrell allowing him to extend his slender lead in the standings.

Commented the championship leader: “I was a bit disappointed with qualifying. I definitely had the pace for pole, but I focused on the race. I got a bit of wheel spin off the line and Billy got me around the outside of turn one. Slowly, lap by lap I was overtaking my way back up the order from then on, getting past Sennan and then closing up to Alex and James late on.

“I think this is now my time to try to take hold of the championship. I’ll keep doing the best I can. It was a really good result today. I think both the car and I really clicked out there which was great.”

After a below par qualifying that left him 18^th on the grid, British F4’s rainmaster Jamie Caroline probably had the biggest smile of anyone on the way to a soaked grid.  A storming start saw him fly through the field in the drag around the banking on the run down to Deene hairpin, boldly hanging on around the outside to pass several cars. As the Fortec Motorsports driver flashed across the line to conclude his opening lap he had climbed an astonishing ten places.

The Caroline show wasn’t over though; the Pirtek Racing star passing another four cars on his way to fourth and pulling off the move of the race going around the outside of Sennan Fielding at Tarzan to the amazement of spectators.

It was a jaw-dropping overtake, but testament to the quality of driving from both Caroline and Fielding. The latter was robust in his defence, but fair and classy, giving Caroline just enough room to squeeze past.

Explained Caroline: “I overtook about six or seven cars off the line and then did a few more around the outside of the hairpin too. It was a pretty ballsy move because if anyone had spun off they probably would have collected me so it was very risky, but thankfully it worked.

“On the first lap everyone was still trying to find the grip and I was able to just go flat out. I was able to find all the grip straight away while everyone was trying to find it.

“Respect to Fielding for giving me the room to go around the outside of him. He could have quite easily squeezed me on the exit. We shook hands afterwards. We might have just touched wheels, but it was fair racing from Sennan. I didn’t think I was going to do the move. I thought I braked a little bit late, but I found so much grip on the outside.”

Race Two Report

JHR Developments’ driver Sennan Fielding made it five wins for the season in style  in the first of two Sunday races. Starting fourth on the grid the Chesterfield racer was aggressive off the line in a bid to pass TRS Arden’s Rafael Martins and Luis Leeds, as well as poleman Nicolai Kjaergaard. He succeeded in thrilling fashion.

The drivers went four abreast into the first corner and there was a heart stopping moment when Martins and Kjaergaard made contact with Fielding and Leeds diving around them. Miraculously both Martins and Kjaergaard stayed pointing in the right direction and largely unscathed, as the Ford EcoBoost stampede sped around the fearsome Rockingham Motor Speedway banking.

Fielding and Leeds were clear however, heading into Deene hairpin with Caroline profiting from the drama at the start to finding himself in third.

Caroline’s time in the podium position was short-lived however, as championship leader Max Fewtrell pulled off an inch perfect move down the inside of the Fortec Motorsports racer on the safety car restart lap following the recovery of Matthiesen’s stricken JTR car at Yentwood corner.

It then proved to be a straightforward race out front for Messrs Fielding, Leeds and Fewtrell. The three drivers were incredibly evenly matched, equidistant to each other for the duration, flying in formation to the chequered flag.

Said Fielding: “I knew it was going to be a close race and I knew we had the pace to win even though it would be challenging. I felt we had the pace for double pole yesterday, but we got stuck in traffic. So in today’s race I knew I needed a good start and aimed to pick them off.

“Once I got in front I just got my head down and pushed on for the win. With the safety car restarts I knew I had to nail them which I did thankfully because Luis was really quick.”

Added Leeds: “That race was pretty interesting. I got a shocking start. Unfortunately Rafa and Sennan just got me and then there was contact at the start which allowed me to get back and catch up to Sennan.

“We had really good pace which was good. We’ve just got to focus on getting points in every race. It was a bit annoying I didn’t really capitalise on the opportunity to win that I had in that race, so something to work on for race three. It would have been nice to get ahead of Sennan.”

Commented Fewtrell: “I got a good restart and a good slipstream on Caroline so it was actually quite a straightforward overtake [for third]. I was down the inside, got the position and then started chasing the guys at the front.

“From then on I just went with them. I struggled in the hot air a bit behind Luis, but I still think the pace is good. I’m really happy with this podium from sixth on the grid.”

Caroline soon found himself under attack from team-mate Alex Quinn; providing a fascinating intra-team battle, but as the race progressed Caroline was able to gradually break clear.

As Caroline pulled away, Quinn fell into the clutches of yesterdays’ race winner James Pull who pulled off a staggering late braking move to catch the Racing Steps Foundation backed rookie by surprise into Deene to claim fifth. Despite the brilliance of the move it later transpired to be in vain. Pull was excluded from the race for overtaking under safety car boards and flags.

Pull’s team-mates and fellow title rivals Petru Florescu and Devlin DeFrancesco were very impressive. Both drivers expertly picking their way through the field from the last row of the grid in a fantastic demonstration of damage limitation.

Race Three Report

In the final Rockingham race, Carlin’s Max Fewtrell was in the right place at the right time to claim his second victory of 2016 in the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford, after poleman and race leader Billy Monger was hit with a technical problem on the final lap.

It was a dramatic twist in the tale of Round 24 of the Championship. Monger had driven a superb race from pole only to be robbed of what looked to be certain victory in heart breaking fashion. His car slowing suddenly on the exit of Deene hairpin allowing Fewtrell and Sennan Fielding to jump past with less than a lap remaining.

Monger had done brilliantly to fend off a fast starting Petru Florescu; the two drivers wheel to wheel and inches apart around turn one at Rockingham Motor Speedway. Monger wasn’t prepared to relinquish the lead though and held on firmly to the inside line into Deene to stay in front of Florescu.

Behind, eventual race winner Fewtrell was enduring an eventful opening lap himself; briefly dropping behind Alex Quinn and Rafael Martins, but immediately struck back as the three drivers jostled for position.

Fewtrell has coupled his usual metronomic consistency with aggression this weekend and he used this to great effect to pass team-mate and title rival Petru Florescu into Deene on lap seven; allowing him to chase after Monger.

Salt was rubbed into Florescu’s wounds when Fielding found a way past in shortly afterwards, and Fielding proceeded to join Fewtrell in hunt for the lead.

Florescu still managed to bring home a valuable points haul in fourth however; with Quinn finishing behind him in fifth. The latter claimed his 15^th Rookie class win of the season and leaves Rockingham on the cusp of being crowned British F4 Rookie Class Champion.

As the race progressed it was Monger, Fewtrell and Fielding who pulled away out front, but Monger looked to have everything under control until fate conspired against him. His team-mate Fielding perhaps doing him a favour by giving Fewtrell more than just taking the race lead to think about as the Chesterfield racer filled his mirrors.

Said race winner Fewtrell: “Monger drove really well. He was unlucky, but this sport can be like that. It can be cruel, but obviously today it was good for us and you have to be there to take the chance. I did a few good moves to make my way through and I slowly chased Monger down.

“Fielding was coming at us towards the end. Defending and attacking at the same time is probably the hardest thing to do, but I knew Sennan wasn’t quite close enough to attack, although on the last lap it got really close.

“It’s been another good weekend for us. This is the time to perform so I think I’m doing alright at the moment. I think I was holding back a little too much in the middle part of the season, but when the championship is this close you have got to start taking risks.”

Added Fielding: “I think we could have had two wins today. Starting in sixth made it a little too difficult. I had to push the tyres too hard early on and then struggled with overheating later on in the race so I was running down the middle of the straight and short shifting to sixth gear in order to cool things down for the end for the race.

“I’m really sorry for Billy. He should have won that race. He worked really hard for it and drove absolutely flawlessly throughout. He did a phenomenal job. It’s just one of those things that happen in motorsport. Unfortunately luck wasn’t on his side today, but today’s performance will have given him confidence. Hopefully all three of us at JHR can be up at the front at Silverstone.

“I think the racing has been really clean and really fair this weekend. I’ve got a lot of respect for all the drivers out there. It was really enjoyable.

“We’ve moved up to second in the championship now. Only 24 points behind so it can all change in a matter of seconds. You cannot count anyone out.”

Explained Monger: “There are a lot of positives to take out of that race, but obviously the wounds are still a little bit fresh. To lose it on the last lap due to a mechanical failure is tough, but we’ll bounce back at Silverstone to try to get the win that’s been evading us for so long. I think I can walk away with my head held high. JHR put out a great car and I’m proud of how I drove.

“It’s just a shame I wasn’t able to reward the JHR team and all my sponsors, Baylis and Harding, Metro Deconstruction, as well as Reigate Environmental Services. They’ve all helped me to get here so I’m gutted, especially for Banardo’s children’s charity which I’m an ambassador for. I will keep pushing though.”

A little further down the order Martins, Pull, DeFrancesco and Simmons provided plenty of entertainment. Martins doing brilliantly to defend from Pull who was swarming all over the back of his TRS Arden.

DeFrancesco soon upped the ante with a late lunge up the inside of his Carlin team-mate at Tarzan. Simmons then followed suit by squeezing past Pull in the dying laps. Fastest lap of the race for Pull at least acting as some consolation for yesterday’s race winner.

TRS Arden’s Luis Leeds had it all to do from 13^th and managed to bring home what could prove to be a valuable point in tenth when the title race reaches its climax. A brilliant move down the inside of Frank Bird at Deene the highlight of his race.

Fellow Aussie Zane Goddard had an exciting opening few laps for Double R, climbing several places to 12^th and was unlucky to finish just outside the points. The same can be said of JTR’s Patrik Matthiesen in 11^th who had shown sufficient pace to be in the points throughout the weekend.

JHR’s Jack Butel also shone at the beginning, with some excellent defending to hold off an aggressive Jack Martin. The latter’s persistence paid off in the end as he managed to finish the race one place higher than he started and third in the Rookie Class.

F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford

Provisional results Round 22 Rockingham 27 August 2016
13 laps / 25.22 miles
1 James PULL / GBR / Carlin 20m 25.263s / 74.10mph
2 Alex QUINN / GBR / Fortec +5.072s
3 Max FEWTRELL / GBR / Carlin +5.907s
4 Jamie CAROLINE / GBR / Fortec +15.962s
5 Sennan FIELDING / GBR / JHR +19.799s
6 Rafael MARTINS / BRA / Arden +20.499s
7 Luis LEEDS / AUS / Arden +26.996s
8 Nicolai KJAERGAARD / DEN / Fortec +28.113s
9 Zane GODDARD / AUS / Double R +30.064s
10 Carrie SCHREINER / GER / Double R +39.625s etc.
 
Fastest lap James Pull 1m 33.026s / 75.07mph
 
Rookie class 1 Quinn; 2 Kjaergaard; 3 Simmons; 4 Martin

F4 British Championship certified by FIA - powered by Ford

Provisional results Round 23 Rockingham 28 August 2016 
14 laps / 27.16 miles
1 Sennan FIELDING / GBR / JHR 20m 31.095s / 79.42mph
2 Luis LEEDS / AUS / Arden +0.535s
3 Max FEWTRELL / GBR / Carlin +1.013s
4 Jamie CAROLINE / GBR / Fortec +5.855s
5 Alex QUINN / GBR / Fortec +7.293s
6 Ayrton SIMMONS / GBR / Arden +8.929s
7 Petru FLORESCU / ROU / Carlin +9.923s
8 Rafael MARTINS / BRA / Arden +11.212s
9 Devlin DEFRANCESCO / CDN / Carlin +11.667s
10 Zane GODDARD / AUS / Double R + 13.214s etc.

Fastest lap Luis Leeds 1m 19.760s / 87.56mph

Rookie class 1 Quinn; 2 Simmons; 3 Kjaergaard
 

Provisional results Round 24 Rockingham 28 August 2016
15 laps / 29.1 miles
1 Max FEWTRELL / GBR / Carlin 20m 20.064s / 85.86mph
2 Sennan FIELDING / GBR / JHR +0.636s
3 Billy MONGER / GBR / JHR +1.018s
4 Petru FLORESCU / ROU / Carlin +1.660s
5 Alex QUINN / GBR / Fortec +2.818s
6 Rafael MARTINS / BRA / Arden +6.621s
7 Devlin DEFRANCESCO / CDN / Carlin +6.932s
8 Ayrton SIMMONS / GBR / Arden +7.417s
9 James PULL / GBR / Carlin +8.420s
10 Luis LEEDS / AUS / Arden +8.741s etc.

Fastest lap James Pull 1m 19.971s / 87.33mph

Rookie class 1 Quinn; 2 Simmons; 3 Martin; 4 Kjaergaard

Provisional championship standings
1 Fewtrell 287; 2 Fielding 263; 3 Leeds 252; 4 Pull 234; 5 DeFrancesco 222; 6 Florescu 220; 7 Quinn 212; 8 Goddard 172; 9 Martins 148; 10 Caroline 146 etc.

Rookie Class
1 Quinn 474; 2 Kjaergaard 328; 3 J. Martin 315; 4 Simmons 287; 5 R. Martin 130

Full results