The Wera Tools F4 British Championship, certified by FIA is gearing up for a special visit to the Home of British Motor Racing, Silverstone, this weekend (May 29-31) for its blue riband event of the season – the BRDC International Trophy.
Just a few days removed from an action-packed outing at Snetterton, the UK’s premier single-seater series moves to the world-famous Grand Prix circuit for what promise to be three spectacular races.
There will be added impetus for all drivers too, with Sunday’s finale seeing the race winner etch their name into the history books as the first recipient of the prestigious BRDC International Trophy in more than two decades.
Picking a potential winner for that – as well as the preceding two contests – will be difficult, however, as this weekend sees Britain’s Formula 4 category boast an incredible – and record-breaking – 32-car entry list.
Van Langendonck leads the charge
Heading into Silverstone the battle for supremacy couldn’t be more hotly contested with the opening nine races of the campaign producing seven different winners and a staggering 15 different podium finishers, with every team having picked up silverware along the way.
Dries Van Langendonck (Rodin Motorsport) is the driver that everyone is fighting to catch though, with the McLaren-supported driver having opened up a 29-point lead courtesy of claiming two wins and a further two podiums so far.
While the Belgian has been sublime, he’s arguably not the form driver going into the weekend. That accolade falls the way of Lewis Wherrell and JHR Developments after the combination swept aside the opposition at Snetterton just a few days ago.
Wherrell topped every competitive session but one at the Norfolk venue to move up to second in the standings, with the one race he didn’t win still prompting celebrations in the JHR camp as it deservingly went to his German team-mate, Timo Jüngling.
Behind the top two, four other victors – Ethan Jeff-Hall (Argenti Motorsport), Ethan Lennon (Rodin Motorsport), Joseph Clark (Virtuosi Racing) and Jarrett Clark (Virtuosi Racing) – will be eager to add to their tallies and further ignite their campaigns.
Elsewhere, Hitech team-mates Scott Kin Lindblom and Theo Palmer have turned plenty of heads, and they are two of several drivers to have stood on the podium, albeit just not on the top step as it stands.
Others include second-year drivers Tommy Harfield (Chris Dittmann Racing), Adam Al Azhari (Hitech) and Cole Hewetson (Xcel Motorsport). That is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to drivers that could potentially stake their claim at Silverstone.
Three names that are guaranteed to spark excitement are the returning F1 Academy trio of Ella Lloyd (Rodin Motorsport), Alba Larsen (Chris Dittmann Racing) and Emma Felbermayr (Virtuosi Racing) as they all make a triumphant return to the championship.
History awaits for one on Sunday
Instituted by the British Racing Drivers’ Club in 1949, the International Trophy was once one of the landmark events on the UK motorsport calendar, with future and current Formula 1 drivers competing for the prize from the early 1950s to the late 1970s.
Alberto Ascari was the first to lift the coveted trophy before racing legends such as Jim Clark, James Hunt, Emerson Fittipaldi, Niki Lauda, Sir Jack Brabham and Sir Jackie Stewart emerged as some of the recipients to follow in the Italian driver’s footsteps.
As the years passed, both Formula 2 and Formula 3000 drivers were eligible to compete for the accolade before it came to a stop in the early 2000s. That changes however this weekend as the International Trophy is revived by Silverstone and British F4.
While points remain just as important as ever when it comes to the battle for supremacy in the Drivers’ Championship, one driver is destined to walk away with an extra trophy this weekend with their name written alongside the greats – the question of who it will be remains to be seen.
Live Stream, Timetable & Tickets
Qualifying for the CADOLA Watches Pole Position Award takes place on Saturday morning at 09:00, before race one gets underway later that afternoon at 14:30. Two more races – the reverse grid contest at 10:15 and the BRDC International Trophy at 15:50 – will then play out on Sunday.
Those in attendance are welcome to take part in a special 30-minute Grid Walk – where they can step foot on the hallowed circuit and rub shoulders with the drivers and their cars – prior to the final race of the weekend.
For fans watching from home, every racing lap from Silverstone will be broadcast LIVE on the British F4 YouTube channel across Saturday and Sunday.
Of course, there is no better place to watch the action than by being trackside itself and tickets are available to purchase via the Silverstone website: silverstone.co.uk/events/silverstone-international-trophy
