Sennan Fielding heads into the final round of the British Formula 4 championship at the top of the standings, but everything’s still to play for as six drivers will arrive at Brands Hatch with a shot at the title.
Zane Goddard and Alex Quinn both took to the top step at Silverstone, with Quinn taking enough points to secure the rookie championship.
Race One
Zane Goddard took the lead of the race early on, pole sitter Fielding demoted to second and Luis Leeds third.
Behind them, Jamie Caroline was starting to build up a train. Carlin’s Devlin DeFrancesco was right on the Pirtek sponsored driver’s tail, with his team mate James Pull putting pressure on him. Both Carlin cars weaved about, trying to find a way past, but there was no break.
As Raffael Martins, Petru Florescu, and a number of other cars joined the Caroline train, the leading trio were pulling away from the rest of the pack. Now Leeds was beginning to challenge Fielding for second.
The clock ticked down and, whilst drivers up and down the field tried to make up positions, there wasn’t much change in the order.
Finally, on the last lap, Leeds made his move. The Australian came alongside Fielding, but he JHR Developments driver had the inside line and kept the place. It didn’t end cleanly though, with Leeds hitting Fielding. Leeds slowed and, as Caroline tried to get past the slow moving Australian, the pair collided, both of them tumbling down the order.
It did promote DeFrancesco onto the podium though. Championship leader Max Fewtrell crossed the line just outside the points, narrowing his lead to Fielding to just six points.
Race Two
Race two would be difficult for most of the championship contenders, who would be starting further back on the grid. Not Leeds, though, who would start on the front row of the grid alongside Quinn. The Australian immediately attacked Quinn, but he couldn’t find a way past the rookie, and soon found himself under pressure from Martins. A failed manoeuvre to take the lead had Leeds slip back into the clutches of Martins, the Brazilian taking second.
Meanwhile, Fielding was the filling in a Carlin sandwich, chasing after Pull whilst DeFrancesco clung to his rear wing. Goddard joined the battle, making the fight for fifth a four way battle. The four swapped places back and fourth as they closed in on Ayrton Simmons in fourth. The rookie ran wide, allowing Fielding into fourth as Simmons was engulfed in the battle.
The fight was paused as a number of cars ended their races in the gravel and the safety car made its way onto the track. It was just what the leaders didn’t want as their gaps were cut to nothing. Fewtrell, running in tenth, welcomed the chance to continue his climb up through the field, though.
As soon as the safety car returned to the pits, the battle was back on. Fewtrell continued to pick his way up through the field whilst his team mates battled with one another and Goddard.
In the closing stages of the race it became a four way battle for fifth, then a three way fight as a penalty for exceeding track limits dropped Pull down to eleventh.
Quinn took the chequered flag with a 1.2 second advantage to Martins in second. DeFrancesco won the battle for fifth with Goddard between him and his team mate.
Fielding’s fourth would put him on equal points with Fewtrell.
Race Three
It would be Fielding with the upper hand going into the final race of the championship, starting alongside pole sitter Leeds.
The order stayed that way off of the line whilst Fewtrell struggled to get past Monger in fourth. As the leading trio – Leeds, Fielding, and Goddard – pulled away from the rest of the field, Fewtrell was coming under pressure from DeFrancesco. The Canadian moved past his rival and managed to overtake Monger whilst Fewtrell was forced to defend against Pull.
Back at the front, a late braking Goddard had taken the lead of the race. Leeds wasn’t about the let the lead go that easily, though, sticking close to the Double R Racing driver for the remainder of the race.
Fielding couldn’t join the challenge, having to defend against DeFrancesco and Fewtrell. Fewtrell was setting fastest laps, trying to find a way past his team mate in the closing stages of the race, but there would be no team orders from the Carlin camp – not this weekend, anyway.
Fewtrell would end the race fifth, giving Fielding a five point advantage at the top of the field.
Going into the final round of the championship, six drivers – three from Carlin – have a chance to take the title.
Results
Race One
1 – Zane Goddard – Double R Racing
2 – Sennan Fielding – JHR Developments
3 – Devlin DeFrancesco – Carlin
4 – James Pull – Carlin
5 – Petru Florescu – Carlin
6 – Raffael Martins – TRS Arden
7 – Ayrton Simmon – TRS Arden
8 – Luis Leeds – TRS Arden
9 – Alex Quinn – Fortec
10 – Nicolai Kjaergaard – Fortec
11 – Max Fewtrell – Carlin
12 – Jamie Caroline – Fortec
13 – Carrie Schreiner – Double R Racing
14 – Jack Martin – TRS Arden
15 – Frank Bird – Fortec
16 – Patrik Matthiesen – JTR
17 – Jack Butel – JHR Developments
18 – Andrew Richardson – Richardson Racing
19 – Billy Monger – JHR Developments – DNF
Race Two
1 – Alex Quinn – Fortec
2 – Raffael Martins – TRS Arden
3 – Luis Leeds – TRS Arden
4 – Sennan Fielding – JHR Developments
5 – Devlin DeFrancesco – Carlin
6 – Zane Goddard – Double R Racing
7 – Max Fewtrell – Carlin
8 – Ayrton Simmon – TRS Arden
9 – Jamie Caroline – Fortec
10 – Carrie Schreiner – Double R Racing
11 – Billy Monger – JHR Developments
12 – James Pull – Carlin
13 – Jack Butel – JHR Developments
14 – Patrik Matthiesen – JTR
15 – Jack Martin – TRS Arden
16 – Frank Bird – Fortec
17 – Andrew Richardson – Richardson Racing
18 – Petru Florescu – Carlin – DNF
19 – Nicolai Kjaergaard – Fortec – DNF
Race Three
1 – Zane Goddard – Double R Racing
2 – Luis Leeds – TRS Arden
3 – Sennan Fielding – JHR Developments
4 – Devlin DeFrancesco – Carlin
5 – Max Fewtrell – Carlin
6 – James Pull – Carlin
7 – Raffael Martins – TRS Arden
8 – Billy Monger – JHR Developments
9 – Ayrton Simmon – TRS Arden
10 – Alex Quinn – Fortec
11 – Jack Butel – JHR Developments
12 – Jack Martin – TRS Arden
13 – Frank Bird – Fortec
14 – Jamie Caroline – Fortec
15 – Nicolai Kjaergaard – Fortec
16 – Carrie Schreiner – Double R Racing
17 – Petru Florescu – Carlin
18 – Patrik Matthiesen – JTR
19 – Andrew Richardson – Richardson Racing
Image credit: Caroline Rhea
