Ho’s win in F4 finale overshadowed by Deligny’s disqualification antics

Photo: F4 Spain

Campos Racing’s Christian Ho ended the Spanish Formula 4 season with victory, but the attention was on the driver who ‘finished’ second on-the-road.

Red Bull junior Enzo Deligny started alongside Ho on the front row of the grid, and after the start lights went out he moved to the right to defend from MP Motorsport’s Valerio Rinicella. But Rinicella was already alongside and Deligny forced him off the track, over the grass lining it, across the pit exit road and to the grass beyond that in an extremely dangerous manouevre.

At turn two he almost forced Rodin Carlin’s Noah Lisle off as he attempted to stay in second place, and his aggressive driving worked. But Sainteloc Racing’s champion Theophile Nael then used the escape road at turns two and three to go around the outside of Deligny, who braked late into turn four to reclaim the runner-up spot.

Ho had already built a comfortably lead but then the safety car was called out due to Fernando Barrichello beaching his car in the gravel. Campos’s team manager was summoned to race control over Deligny’s driving, and he was issued a drive-through penalty on lap three for forcing another driver off.

Racing resumed on lap four, and Andres Cardenas crashed out, then on lap five Federico Al Rifai and Pablo Sarrazin also exited proceedings in an incident. Deligny seemed oblivious to the fact he had a penalty, and on lap eight he was black flagged due to not serving it. Yet he stayed on track, as behind him Pedro Clerot and Lisle collided at turn 10 but both managed to continue.

The safety car was back out on lap 10, and Deligny was gesticulating before the restart after seeing his pit board telling him to pit. Yet he stayed out for another restart, and Theodor Jensen was the next driver to crash and require the safety car to return again.

Nael did not bother challenging Deligny on the final lap restart, knowing he would not appear in the results, but he then found himself going side-by-side with Rinicella for what was technically second place. He held on, and finished 1.979 seconds behind victor Ho.

Matteo De Palo tried to get involved in the battle but settled for fourth ahead of Juan Cota, and Noah Stromsted passed Keanu Al Azhari for sixth a few corners from the finish.

Race results (16 laps)