FURTHER F4 PODIUM SUCCESS FOR QUINN
Alex Quinn continued his excellent run of form with a second place finish in a wet opening race of the F4 British Championship weekend at Rockingham.
The Fortec Motorsports driver, despite earlier qualifying in third position, was promoted a single place after Carlin’s Devlin DeFrancesco carried over a 10-place grid penalty from the previous round at Knockhill.
Conditions took a turn for the worse ahead of the start of the race, with rain beginning to fall while cars were prepared in the assembly area, prompting teams to rapidly change tyres on cars.
Quinn looked to take immediate advantage of his position off the start, the Racing Steps Foundation-backed driver making a great getaway into turn one and the turn two hairpin. But with pole sitter James Pull hugging the inside line, Quinn was forced to concede and retain his second place.
After such a good start, Quinn already had sprinted to a 1.2-second advantage over his closest challenger behind after the opening tour.
After early pressure, Carlin driver Pull was able to drive clear of Quinn, and with the rain becoming heavier in the closing laps, Pull’s team-mate Max Fewtrell began to reduce Quinn’s advantage.
Quinn, however, had enough of a lead to score second place, five seconds behind victor Pull, as he crossed the finish line, and score another Rookie Class victory.
“It tipped it down with rain in assembly area,” Quinn said. “I made a great start and was alongside Pull all the way to turn two, still on the outside.
“He went wide and I was just in the way, so I was unable to make a move. Throughout the opening laps, I put a lot of pressure on him and had more grip, probably due to different tyre pressures. I tried to take the lead up the inside but he ran on the outside which gave extra grip.
“James gradually pulled away, again down to tyre pressures I think and I was aware of Fewtrell behind but I knew I had a big enough advantage.”
ROCKINGHAM: (3.122km / 1.940 miles): RACE ONE results (top 10)
Position
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Driver (Nat)
James Pull (GBR)
Alex Quinn (GBR) / R
Max Fewtrell (GBR)
Jamie Caroline (GBR)
Sennan Fielding (GBR)
Rafael Martins (BRA)
Luis Leeds (AUS)
Nicolaj Kjaergaard (DEN) / R
Zane Goddard (AUS)
Patrik Matthiesen (DEN)
Team / Car
Carlin
Fortec
Carlin
Fortec
JHR
TRS Arden
TRS Arden
Fortec
Double R
JTR
Time / Gap
20m 25.263s
+5.072s
+5.907s
+15.962s
+19.799s
+20.499s
+26.996s
+28.113s
+30.064s
+36.525s
Fastest lap: James Pull - 1m 33.026s
Weather: Wet / Raining
R = Rookie
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Photo: Jakob Ebrey Photography.
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Report: Racing Steps Foundation - Russell Hayes, Racing Steps Foundation PR & Communications Manager