Just nine races now remain in the Wera Tools F4 British Championship, certified by FIA this season and with four points separating the top two in the standings, the fight to be crowned champion is only set to intensify – starting this weekend (September 5-6) at Croft.
Taking centre stage at the popular North East venue for the first time in three years, the UK’s premier single-seater series descends on Croft in the midst of one of its most competitive campaigns in history.
Cementing that notion is the fact that 12 different drivers have claimed victory already, while a total of 19 drivers have been outright podium finishers. Such is the depth in talent when it comes to this year’s grid too, those numbers could yet still rise.
And with every point being crucial between now and the end of the season, all eyes are guaranteed to be fixed on the lead protagonists this weekend – in particular Dries Van Langendonck (Rodin Motorsport) and Lewis Wherrell (JHR Developments).
Tight at the top
Small margins are part and parcel of British F4 and things couldn’t be much closer heading into this weekend’s eighth meeting of the year. To be exact, four points is all that splits Van Langendonck and Wherrell at the summit of the leaderboard.
Having both showcased blistering speed and relentless consistency over the course of this year, the two drivers head to Croft having endured very different fortunes at Donington Park GP less than a fortnight ago.
For Van Langendonck, had to watch on from the sidelines after picking up a one-event suspension after accruing too many penalty points on his race licence.
With the Belgian out of contention, British ace Wherrell capitalised as best he could by tallying two podium finishes at the Leicestershire track, which in-turn enabled him to make significant in-roads into the lead of the McLaren Development Driver.
Importantly, Van Langendonck is back behind the wheel this weekend and the 16-year-old will be eager to make his presence known towards the front of the field. With Wherrell bidding to maintain his recent form and stop him, the stage is set for a captivating battle between the pair.
Of course it’s not just the top two that will be worth keeping an eye on this weekend. Hitech’s Theo Palmer has starred on many occasions this term and sitting third in the standings, he’s well within striking distance of the championship pace-setters.
Mercedes F1 Junior Ethan Jeff-Hall (Argenti Motorsport) will also be one to watch whilst George Proudford-Nalder (Virtuosi Racing) and Scott Kin Lindblom (Hitech) will be riding a wave of momentum after both triumphing last time out at Donington Park.
Three more race winners also feature inside the top ten – Ethan Lennon (Rodin Motorsport), Adam Al Azhari (Hitech) and Jaber Alsabah (Xcel Motorsport); and joining them in the battle to progress up the order is the always impressive Tommy Harfield (Chris Dittmann Racing).
Croft calling
This coming weekend sees Croft make a welcome return to the British F4 schedule, especially as it was in 2023 that the UK’s premier single-seater series last visited the popular North Yorkshire venue.
Renowned for its demanding, technical nature, the 2.127-mile circuit blends fast flowing corners with heavy braking zones – all of which merge together to provide the ultimate challenge for drivers and teams.
While it has been three years since Britain’s Formula 4 category last competed at Croft, the existing qualifying and race lap records go back a further season, with Aiden Neate and former champion Alex Dunne having set the respective benchmark times that still stand today.
Given the high-calibre standard that has been set by this year’s international field of Formula 1 hopefuls, it is not out of the realms of possibility that records could tumble over the course of this weekend.
Live Stream, Timetable & Tickets
Qualifying for the CADOLA Watches Pole Position Award takes place on Saturday morning at 12:00, before race one gets underway later that afternoon at 17:05. Two more races – the reverse grid contest at 12:50 and the longer feature race at 16:20 – will then play out on Sunday.
As always, Saturday’s opening encounter will be live streamed globally on the British F4 YouTube channel, while Sunday’s two races will form part of ITV4’s coverage in the UK. Fans outside the UK can see all the action from those two contests via the championship’s official YouTube outlet.
For those looking to soak up the high-octane action in person, tickets for the weekend can be purchased by visiting the official Croft website