The weekend at Knockhill has ended with three different winners. With these results, Will Macintyre extends his lead over Louis Sharp to 26 points.
GOWDA ON POLE – MACINTYRE FINISHES FIRST IN KNOCKHILL’S RACE ONE
Rodin Carlin’s Dion Gowda claimed his second Omologato Pole Position award of the ROKiT British F4 season in a wet qualifying session, at Scotland’s Knockhill circuit. Gowda’s advantage was just 0.04 of a second from Hitech Pulse-Eight’s Will Macintyre in P2.
In a session becoming all too familiar for British F4, 17 of the drivers clocked times within one-second of Gowda’s pole time. The second row of the grid made up of Louis Sharp (Rodin Carlin) and, newcomer to the series, Griffin Peebles (Phinsys by Argenti) in third and fourth overall.
Macintyre’s second fastest time provided some consolation, which saw him start on Pole alongside Sharp for this weekend’s Race 1.
Knockhill’s reputation for changeable conditions didn’t fail to deliver, with Race One throwing everything at the drivers as they battled the elements with rain first threatening, then falling off and on throughout the whole race. Macintyre measuredly converted his pole to the race lead straight from the start and ended the opening lap ahead of Sharp by 0.768 of a second with the pair ultimately finishing the race first and second, after a red flag caused a brief hiatus midway through the contest.
With the gap getting no bigger or smaller for second position, the real fight was between Aqil Alibhai (Virtuosi Racing) and Jack Sherwood (Chris Dittmann Racing) for the final step on the podium, with Sherwood getting past and holding firm after a safety car restart.
Noah Lisle (Rodin Carlin) crossed the line in fifth with Gustav Jonsson (Chris Dittmann Racing) in sixth. This was enough to secure Jonsson the win in the Rookie Cup, with Gabriel Stilp (Hitech Pulse-Eight) and Josh Irfan (Rodin Carlin) joining him on the podium.
FAIRCLOUGH CLAIMS RACE 2 VICTORY – GOWDA CONVERTS POLE TO WIN RACE 3
Deagen Fairclough (JHR Developments) claimed his first race win of his ROKiT British F4 campaign in Race 2 at Scotland’s Knockhill circuit. After starting on the front row, Fairclough got the jump on pole sitter Douwe Dedecker (Virtuosi Racing) and grabbed the lead, quickly building and managing his advantage to the chequered flag, and in doing so became the 11th British F4 race winner of the 2023 season.
Dedecker held out from James Higgins (Fortec Motorsport) for the second podium spot for the first 10 minutes of the 20-minute race, however ultimately it was Higgins who made the pass stick and finish second. It was James Piszcyk (Hitech Pulse-Eight) who finished third overall having started from fifth, with his teammate Gabriel Stilp (Hitech Pulse-Eight) behind him in fourth. Hitech Pulse-Eight’s Will Macintyre, having started in P17 on the full reverse grid, evidently had a point to prove, and set the fastest lap of the race for the Motul Fastest Lap Award.
Dion Gowda (Rodin Carlin) and Will Macintyre (Hitech Pulse-Eight) lined up on the front row for Race 3, with Gowda getting the holeshot and leading from the off. Macintyre attacked relentlessly for the entirety of the race, however it was ultimately Dion Gowda who held on for the win. Kanato Le (Hitech Pulse-Eight) converted a sixth place start to complete the podium, crossing the line third after a late race pass on newcomer Argenti’s Griffin Peebles. Virtuosi’s Aqil Alibhai finished off a solid weekend with fifth. Hitech’s James Piszcyk won the Motul fastest Lap award. Gustav Jonsson (CDR) battled with teammate Jack Sherwood for the opening part of the race to secure sixth place and the Rookie Cup win ahead of Gabriel Stilp (Hitech Pulse-Eight). Jonsson has now extended his lead to 31 points ahead of Stilp in the Rookie’s championship.
Deagen Fairclough won this weekend’s Pirelli Hardest Charger award and collects a set of Pirelli P-Zero tyres for use in testing.
Will Macintyre will wake up tomorrow on his 16th birthday, well satisfied with his weekend’s work in Scotland, having extended his ROKiT British F4 a championship lead to 26 points over Rodin Carlin’s Louis Sharp in second place.
The teams cup sees Rodin Carlin maintain a buffer over nearest rivals Hitech Pulse-Eight.
