Formula Regional & Formula 4 Weekend recap
Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine saw two different winners, Paul Aron on top in Race 1 and Gabriele Minì coming out on top in the final race of the weekend.
In Formula 4 Italy Championship, Andrea Kimi Antonelli won Race 1 & 2 while Rafael Camara won Race 3 and is the new Championship leader.
Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine
FORMULA REGIONAL EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP BY ALPINE: PAUL ARON WINS THE FIRST ROUND AT PAUL RICARD
At Paul Ricard, the first race of the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine was filled with excitement and provided quite a show from the first to the last lap. After such show and so much overtaking, the winner was Paul Aron, who took his second win of the season in France and redeemed himself after the unlucky weekend in Monaco, where he was left with no points. Prema Racing got a one-two as the championship leader Dino Beganovic fought with his teammate for the race lead until the very last lap, after starting from pole position.
“It was a fantastic race,” Paul Aron said. “I had a difficult weekend in Monaco where I was also unlucky, but we redeemed ourselves with an outstanding victory. Dino and I had a great duel, both for us in the car and for the spectators. Today we saw that the push to pass makes races even more interesting and exciting. I am very happy with this victory. We have the right pace, and we are aiming for a good performance tomorrow as well.”
SECOND WIN OF THE SEASON FOR GABRIELE MINÌ AT PAUL RICARD
Two races and two different winners in the French rounds, with Paul Aron and Gabriele Minì coming out on top in the final race of the weekend.
The Italian driver, also author of the pole position, skillfully kept the lead of the race from start to finish, scoring his second victory in the championship. Important points for the ART Grand Prix driver, to be added to the two third places he took at Imola and Monaco. Series leader Dino Beganovic gained one position after starting third and finished second, still making a great impression. The driver for Prema Racing maintains an impressive pace and, out of the eight races held up to now, boasts five second places and three wins. Completing the podium was Kas Haverkort author of an excellent performance.
“It was a very tough race,” Gabriele Minì said. “Dino was very fast behind me, and it was not easy to defend myself. I tried as hard as I could to manage the gap in the first and third sectors, and I am very happy with this victory”.
After this round, Dino Beganovic still leads the drivers Championship with a considerable lead of 45 points over Gabriele Minì in 2nd.
The Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine will be back on track over the weekend of 17-19 June for the fifth round of the season at Zandvoort.
Formula 4 Italy Championship
ANDREA KIMI ANTONELLI TAKES HIS FIRST WIN AT MISANO
With the first race of the Italian F4 Championship at Misano World Circuit comes Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s first win in the Championship.
The driver of Prema Team, Junior Mercedes Driver, brings home a hard-fought victory in a long duel with teammate Rafael Camara, Ferrari Driver Academy. The internal struggle between the two had already been staged in the first round at Imola. On that occasion the Brazilian had won, this time it was the Italian driver, also representing ACI Team Italia on track, who got the best of it. Third is the Irishman Alexander Dunne, US Racing, taking advantage of the fight on the final turns between James Wharton and Charlie Wurz, thus ruining the party for the four Prema Racing drivers who had dominated the lead.
SECOND WIN FOR ANTONELLI AND POKER BY PREMA
Race 2 of the Italian F4 Championship opens the second day of competition for the ACI Racing Weekend Misano. Another start in pole for Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Prema Racing, Junior Mercedes and representative of ACI Team Italia, who had won yesterday’s race 1.
Still imperfect at the start, the Bolognese lost the lead of the race on his teammate, the Austrian son of art, Charlie Wurz. Stubborn, Antonelli regained position with a nice overtaking move in the early stages of the race.
Race 2 loses one of the great contender of the Championship: Alex Dunne, seeing his fastest lap from yesterday cancelled for not having slowed down in qualifying when the yellow flag was deployed, starts from the back, but immediately finds it difficult to climb back up in the group and is unable to finish the race.
RACE 3 GOES TO CAMARA & IS THE NEW LEADER
Race 3 concludes the ACI Racing Weekend at Misano World Circuit, a near-perfect weekend for Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who failed to grab his third win due to a final slip-up at the safety car restart, after he had dominated the race.
Winning the last one of the weekend was Rafael Camara, the Brazilian driver of Prema Racing, supported by Ferrari Driver Academy. Third with a great move in the final stages of the race is Marcus Amand, author of a good race, who brings US Racing back to the podium at Misano in a weekend more favourable to Prema Racing. Martinius Stenshorne, Van Amersfoort Racing, completes the Rookie podium in P3 along with Camara and Antonelli.
After round 2, Rafael Camara gains the championship lead with 102 pts, followed by Alex Dunne at 79 pts, while Andrea Kimi Antonelli re-enters the race with 69 pts. 4th Kacper Sztuka at 56 pts, 5th James Wharton at 54 pts, Marcus Amand 6th at 49 pts, followed by Martinius Stenshorne at 44 pts. 8th Charlie Wurz at 42 pts, 9th Nikita Bedrin at 29 pts, completes the top 10 Conrad Laursen at 26 pts.
The next round of the Formula 4 Italy Championship will be hosted at Spa Francorchamps from the 17 to 19 of June 2022.