George Proudford-Nalder wrote his name into the pages of history at Silverstone today (May 31) as he claimed victory in a thrilling Wera Tools F4 British Championship, certified by FIA finale to clinch the coveted BRDC International Trophy.
Starting from pole position, the Virtuosi Racing teenager produced the drive of his life as he fended off a torrent of pressure from championship leader Lewis Wherrell (JHR Developments) to triumph in the UK’s premier single-seater series’ blue riband event of the season.
As the first winner of the BRDC International Trophy in more than two decades, Proudford-Nalder’s name will now forever sit alongside Formula 1 legends such as Sir Jackie Stewart, Jim Clark, James Hunt, Niki Lauda, fellow countryman Mark Webber and many more on the famous trophy.
Before the Australian reigned supreme in the weekend’s showpiece contest, his team-mate Joseph Smith produced a virtuoso performance to tally his second win of the season in an action-packed reverse grid encounter.
Starting from fourth on the grid, Smith made a lightning start to take the lead on the run down to Copse, however his early advantage was extinguished as the red flag was waved due to multiple incidents around the 3.660-mile circuit.
Among those in strife was Roman Felber (Fortec Motorsports), Alfie Slater (Rodin Motorsport) and Emma Felbermayhr (Virtuosi Racing), while title contender Dries Van Langendonck (Rodin Motorsport) also faced a shock early exit following contact in the midfield.
On the restart, Smith and Ethan Carney (Fortec Motorsports) both leapt ahead of pole-sitter Chiara Bättig (Hitech) as the lights went out and then embarked on a thrilling wheel-to-wheel battle on the opening lap.
Giving each other plenty of racing room, Smith would finally complete the move around the outside at Stowe and quickly built a lead, while Carney and Red Bull Junior Bättig ran line astern in second and third.
Bättig would come under pressure from eventual Rookie Cup winner Timo Jüngling (JHR Developments) in the early exchanges but the Switzerland-born racer soon began to pull clear of the Snetterton race winner, securing the Lotus Fastest Lap Award in the process and writing her own history by becoming the third female driver to stand on the outright British F4 podium.
Up front, Smith put his recent run of bad luck behind him with a flawless victory while Carney and Bättig became the latest two drivers to stand on the podium for the first time this season in Britain’s Formula 4 category.
Jüngling took the chequered flag in fourth ahead of the scrapping Adam Al Azhari (Hitech) and Wherrell, who showcased his overtaking prowess to rise from 12th on the grid and take the chequered flag in sixth.
Completing the top ten was Virtuosi Racing team-mates Jarrett Clark and Proudford-Nalder, Theo Palmer (Hitech) and Ethan Lennon (Rodin Motorsport).
Proudfold-Nalder came to the fore in a captivating final race of the weekend as he became the eighth different winner of the season; although he was made to work for it after being pushed all the way by Wherrell.
Like race two, the bout saw a brief red flag halt proceedings early on but when the action finally got underway it was Proudford-Nalder that made an exemplary start as he converted pole into a commanding lead in the early laps.
Behind him, Wherrell jumped from fourth to third on the run down to the first corner and then dispatched Palmer a lap later to move into second. With a clear road ahead of him, the three-time winner quickly set about closing the gap to Proudfold-Nalder.
Chipping away at the deficit as each lap passed, Wherrell was soon tucked under the rear wing of Proudfold-Nalder with 12 minutes remaining. Showing his nose on a handful of occasions, the British racer didn’t make a meaningful challenge for the lead until the final two laps.
Drawing alongside as they took the last lap board, there was just 12/1000ths of a second in it as the pair ran side-by-side all the way down to Maggotts and Becketts, where Proudford-Nalder kept his foot in to hold the inside line and the lead.
Wherrell would fight back over the final half of the lap however the expert positioning of Proudford-Nalder’s machine meant that he was unable to take the lead and instead settled for second, with Proudford-Nalder securing a maiden victory and the highly coveted BRDC International Trophy.
Despite finishing second, Wherrell did score an extra point by sealing the Lotus Fastest Lap Award, and he was also the top Rookie Cup competitor.
A trouble-free drive for Palmer secured him the final spot on the podium in third while Jeff-Hall held off a charging Van Lagendonck to clinch fourth. Rounding out the top ten, was Al Azhari, Kit Belofsky (Fortec Motorsports), Jüngling, Carney and Cash Felber (Fortec Motorsports).
Leaving the Home of British Motor Racing, Wherrell holds a nine-point advantage over McLaren-supported Van Langendonck in the Drivers’ Championship. The roles are reversed in the Rookie Cup with the Belgian six points clear of Wherrell. In the Teams’ Cup, Hitech remain out front.
The Wera Tools F4 British Championship certified by FIA will continue its 2026 season on July 11-12 when Zandvoort in the Netherlands stages Rounds 13, 14 & 15.