Thruxton hosts the next rounds of the ROKiT F4 British Championship certified by FIA this weekend, 3-4 June.
Twenty-two 2023 ROKiT F4 British Championship certified by FIA drivers will be seeking points and trophies this weekend at Thruxton, the fastest circuit in the UK. Unlike 2022, 2023 provides just one opportunity for speed fans to enjoy the British F4 grid race wheel-to-wheel at speeds in excess of 120mph around the Hampshire track.
British F4 is part of the FIA’s ladder to F1. Drivers aspiring to feature on that grid at the pinnacle of the sport often start here from the age of 15. One of those such drivers is Fortec Motorsport’s Mika Abrahams who has had a frustrating wait, missing the first three events of the 2023 championship, having had to wait until after his 15th birthday on Monday.
Thruxton is known as a high speed circuit. Drivers will be on full throttle for most of the lap. There are only two heavy braking zones. Key for setting the fastest laps is slipstreaming – when drivers find a ‘tow’ from the car in front. In qualifying drivers may well be looking to get behind another and gain an aero advantage.
Tyre wear is high here, so teams will be looking at set-ups that are kinder to the rubber than they would perhaps be elsewhere.
As the fourth event of the year, Thruxton comes at a key time in the series; so far six different drivers have won the eight races held to date and there are no runaway winners in any of the tables.
Louis Sharp (Rodin Carlin) has led the drivers’ championship from the start of the season with his two wins at Donington. His consistent points scoring at the last two rounds have kept him at the top of the table, however his team-mate Dion Gowda is now just six points behind after a double-pole and a win at Snetterton.
Hitech Pulse-Eight’s Will Macintyre finished sixth and fourth last time out at his home circuit of Snetterton, enough to move him up to third place. He is the only driver in the top seven in the standings yet to claim a win in 2023, so he will be looking to address that at Thruxton.
Rodin Carlin heads the Team’s Cup, with Hitech Pulse-Eight, winners of five of the six Thruxton races in 2022, in second position and hungry to close the gap to the top. With the top-two drivers from each team adding to their points, a strong performance could make all the difference this weekend.
The Rookie Cup has closed up after the second event, with Gabriel Stilp (Hitech Pulse-Eight) eating into Gustav Jonsson’s advantage (Chris Dittmann Racing). Douwe Dedecker (Virtuosi Racing) sits in third.
