Carlin’s Jamie Caroline made it three wins from four this season in the opening race of the weekend at Donington Park in the F4 British Championship.
The Pirtek Racing backed rising star pulled away off the line better than pole sitter Linus Lundqvist, but Lundqvist refused to give an inch and relinquish his lead as Caroline attempted to squeeze past around the outside of turn one.
Despite not making the move stick, Caroline persevered and pulled off what proved to be the race-winning overtake on Lundqvist with a brave lunge down the inside of the Swedish racer at Old Hairpin on the opening lap.
With clear air ahead Caroline broke away from the chasing pack, recording fastest lap of the race just past the halfway stage on the way to the fourth win of his career and an enhanced championship lead.
Although unable to quite match the pace of Caroline, Lundqvist brought his Double R-prepared racer comfortably home in second to record his first points of the season and kick start his championship bid following a difficult weekend two weeks ago.
Lundqvist finished ahead of the fast starting Billy Monger (JHR Developments) who had a storming opening lap which saw him climb several places, helped by Alex Quinn and Karl Massaad getting caught up in an incident at McLeans.
Monger was pushed hard throughout for the final podium spot and the Ford F4 Challenge Cup class win by Oliver York (Fortec Motorsports), who in turn found himself defending from TRS Arden’s Oscar Piastri. The TRS Adren racer having been shuffled a couple of places down the order on the opening lap despite a strong start.
Patrik Pasma (Carlin) got in the act too, closing in on Piastri as the race progressed, but the young Aussie was robust in his defence as he held on to fifth from Pasma in sixth. A reverse grid pole coming as some consolation for Pasma as he bids for his maiden British F4 win.
Richardson Racing’s Harry Webb put in a great drive to record his best finish of the season so far in seventh, bringing home more valuable points and yet another Challenge Cup podium.
Behind him could be found Jamie Sharp who climbed six places to score his first points of the season in eighth in a landmark race for new team Sharp Motorsport.
If there was an award for driver of the race it would most probably go to Hampus Ericsson who, in only his first race in cars kept his cool to rise up a remarkable nine places from his grid position to score points on his British F4 debut.
It was a stunning performance from the 15-year-old who pulled off some excellent overtakes which belied his relative lack of experience, most notably on Logan Sargeant and Ayrton Simmons who had to settle for 10th and 11th respectively.
The Ford EcoBoost-powered action continues at 1735 this afternoon with round five of the F4 British Championship.
Provisional results Round 4 Donington Park 15 April 2017
18 laps / 35.62 miles
1 Jamie CAROLINE / GBR / Carlin 20m 41.930s / 103.15mph
2 Linus LUNDQVIST / SWE / Double R +5.432s
6 Billy MONGER / GBR / JHR +8.556s
9 Oliver YORK / GBR / Fortec +10.645s
3 Oscar PIASTRI / AUS / Arden +15.232s
5 Patrik PASMA / FIN / Carlin +15.595s
7 Harry WEBB / GBR / Richardson +30.488s
8 Jamie SHARP / GBR / Sharp +34.605
9 Hampus ERICSSON / SWE / +47.894s
10 Logan SARGEANT / USA / +48.240s etc.
Fastest lap: Caroline 1m 8.055s / 104.68mph
Challenge Cup: 1 Monger; 2 York; 3 Webb; 4 Ericsson