Virtuosi Racing’s Michael Shin reflects positively on a rollercoaster start to his single seater career in the opening five rounds of the 2022 ROKiT F4 British Championship certified by FIA.
The South Korean racer joined Britain’s FIA Formula 4 series as a relative newcomer, having only contested a handful of races in the UAE at the turn of the year.
In alongside Edward Pearson, Shin’s progress throughout the first half of the season has been meteoric. The 15-year-old impressed on debut at Donington Park by qualifying seventh in a highly-competitive field, then taking a hat-trick of points finishes.
At the next event, Brands Hatch, Shin superbly soaked up pressure in a partially-reversed second race to win from pole position, fending off Alex Dunne’s chief title rival Oliver Gray for the duration.
“I would say I have experienced and learned so much in the first half of the season having had both good and bad days,” ponders Shin. “I would undoubtedly say that my main highlight was my win at Brands Hatch in terms of result and self satisfaction. Another highlight was my qualifying for the opening round at Donington, where I was focused and put in the lap that I needed.”
Shin has since scored on three more occasions, mixed in with some bad luck and difficult outings. But, he says, the summer break will be the perfect opportunity to reset, re-focus and come back out fighting at Knockhill in a fortnight until the end of the season.
“I plan on using the summer break to prepare for the latter half of the season while also giving myself some time away from racing, so that my mind is refreshed and excited to get back in the car when it’s time,” he explains.
“Specifically, I will be working out, driving on the simulator, doing some mental training, and will also be doing fun things like going to the movies, playing golf, and spending quality time with family.”
“The new chassis and tyre combination is a positive challenge to drive because of how stiff it is. I try my best to adapt to it and extract as much as I can from the package. In racing conditions it has its advantages and disadvantages.”
“My mindset is to always keep my improvement going, and staying focused so that I can make the most out of everything that I am given. I really want to reflect upon this midpoint at the end of the season and realize how far I have come.”
