after dramatic Snetterton roundsFletcher dominates race three to take second F4 win
Six drivers remain in contention for the inaugural BRDC F4 Championship after a thrilling trio of races at Snetterton this weekend (7-8 September).
Jake Hughes, Jack Barlow, Seb Morris, Matty Graham, Charlie Robertson and Jake Dalton are the contenders still in with a chance of taking the title when the field heads to Donington Park on 28-29 September.
At Snetterton there were three different winners, with Jake Dalton taking victory in yesterday’s race on his maiden drive for Lanan Racing, while Jack Barlow and James Fletcher took the honours today (Sunday 8 September).
Fletcher’s win in race three was his second of the season, and second this year at Snetterton. The triumph was secured in dominant fashion by leading every lap and stretching a lead of 10.6 seconds to Seb Morris in second place, the biggest winning margin of the year.
Morris’ Hillspeed team mate Struan Moore secured third place, his second visit to the rostrum this weekend having finished in second in race one. Jake Dalton claimed fourth for Lanan Racing ahead of HHC’s Charlie Robertson and SWR’s Matty Graham. Matt Bell was seventh for Douglas Team E-Lites ahead of championship leader Jake Hughes, who suffered from steering issues which dropped him down the order.
The top three of Fletcher, Morris and Moore were presented with their trophies on the podium by Jack Sears, who won the inaugural British Saloon (Touring) Car Championship in 1958.
Speaking afterwards, Fletcher exclaimed: "We've come from the back at the start of the weekend and we've won it! To be honest it was the only thing I wanted, I didn't mind about the other races, I just needed a win this weekend so I'm really happy. The team have done an absolutely fantastic job and I couldn't be happier.
“I had a big gap to the other guys, and after a few laps I stopped seeing them in my mirrors and I relaxed and settled down for the rest of the race. I'm looking forward to Donington, we've found a good set-up on the car this weekend, so hopefully with a bit of testing we can definitely look for some more podiums and some wins."
Earlier in the day, Seb Morris took the chequered flag in race two, seemingly securing his first win in F4 after an enthralling battle with Jack Barlow. But after the race he was excluded from the results for a technical infringement. The scrutineers report stated that the rear gurney flap on Morris’ car, when removed from the car and measured, did not measure to the drawing in the technical manual. The results for the race remain provisional pending an appeal from Hillspeed and Morris to the governing body.
That handed the win to SWR’s Jack Barlow, with Hughes second and Matty Graham classified third.
Championship contenders decided
Six drivers can still mathematically win the first ever BRDC F4 Championship, with Lanan Racing’s Jake Hughes holding a 45 point lead over Sean Walkinshaw Racing’s Jack Barlow. Seb Morris lies third for Hillspeed, ahead of SWR’s Matty Graham, with HHC Motorsport’s Charlie Robertson fifth and Lanan Racing’s Jake Dalton sixth. 90 points are still up for grabs at the final round, and 79 points cover the lead six, although the final championship standings will also take two dropped scores into account.
“It’s not been the smoothest of weekends for us but we’ve come out with three good results,” championship leader Hughes commented.
“I’ll go into Donington with the same attitude I’ve had all season, and I’ll be looking for poles, wins and podiums and will be going flat out. I don’t like to drive thinking of the championship and I haven’t done that so far, and I won’t be doing it at Donington.”
BRDC F4 Championship, Race 20 result, Snetterton 300*:
1. Jack Barlow, Sean Walkinshaw Racing, 10 laps2. Jake Hughes, Lanan Racing, +0.577s3. Matty Graham, Sean Walkinshaw Racing, +2.521s4. Charlie Robertson, HHC Motorsport, +4.300s5. Gustavo Lima, HHC Motorsport, +5.625s6. Diego Menchaca, Mark Godwin Racing, +9.653s7. Pietro Fittipaldi, Mark Godwin Racing, +10.017s8. James Greenway, Frank T Greenway Racing, +10.572s9. James Fletcher, Team KBS, +10.719s10. Raoul Hyman, HHC Motorsport, +12.444s
*result under appeal and is provisional
BRDC F4 Championship, Race 21 result, Snetterton 300:
1. James Fletcher, Team KBS, 10 laps2. Seb Morris, Hillspeed, +10.690s3. Struan Moore, Hillspeed, +11.089s4. Jake Dalton, Lanan Racing, +11.761s5. Charlie Robertson, HHC Motorsport, +12.235s6. Matty Graham, Sean Walkinshaw Racing, +16.865s7. Matt Bell, Douglas Team E-Lites, +17.878s8. Jake Hughes, Lanan Racing, +22.413s9. Gustavo Lima, HHC Motorsport, +22.929s10. Diego Menchaca, Mark Godwin Racing, +24.773s
BRDC F4 Championship provisional standings after Race 21:
1.Jake Hughes, Lanan Racing, 397pts2. Jack Barlow, Sean Walkinshaw Racing, 352pts3. Seb Morris, Hillspeed, 344pts4. Matty Graham, Sean Walkinshaw Racing, 326pts5. Charlie Robertson, HHC Motorsport, 320pts6. Jake Dalton, Lanan Racing, 318pts7. Matt Bell, Douglas Team E-Lites, 255pts8. Raoul Hyman, HHC Motorsport 252pts9. Ross Gunn, Motionsport, 242pts10. Struan Moore, Hillspeed, 225pts
The next rounds of the BRDC Formula 4 Championship take place at Donington Park for the season finale on 28-29 September.
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