Sammalisto retirement hands Italian F4 race three win to Maccagnani

Photo: ACI Sport

Prema’s Niccolo Maccagnani claimed victory in the third heat race at Italian Formula 4’s opening round at Misano after race leader Luka Sammalisto slowed abruptly behind the safety car.

Having lost victory in Saturday’s first race after a post-race penalty, fortune favoured the Ferrari Driving Academy pilot this time, as he appeared to have no answer to Sammalisto prior to the Finn’s retirement.

With the track damp after overnight rain on Italy’s Adriatic Coast, the race started behind the safety car. When the green flag flew after two laps, US Racing’s Sammalisto headed the field away with Maccagnani pushing him hard over the first flying lap.

Sammalisto was gradually able to eke out a half-second gap to Maccagnani, who was trailed by his Prema team-mate David Cosma Cristofor, Maffi Racing’s David Walther and US Racing’s Ludovico Busso.

That group had pulled out almost two seconds over the peloton, which was now headed by R-ace GP’s Andy Consani, who had lined up 10th on the grid after incurring two separate penalties in race one; for the same starting procedure infringement that had cost Maccagnani and for clashing with Edu Robinson.

The race had by this stage settled into a procession with overtaking difficult on the tight Misano track. The exception was Consani who had soon closed the gap to Busso, jinking left and right down the pit straight to take the position into turn 1.

His progress was interrupted as the safety car was deployed following an incident involving Thiago Palotini and Vittorio Orsini, leaving the AKM Motorsport car in the barriers.

With the track clear and racing about to resume, Sammalisto suddenly slowed before pulling off to the side of the track, leaving a confused Maccagnani unsure as to whether he could pass.

With Sammalisto in a dangerous position the safety car stayed out. A bizarre incident followed as the field came across a tow truck on the circuit, pulling Sammalisto’s car back to the pits. Maccagnani slowed everyone to a crawl as the truck headed back to the pits.

Racing resumed with time for just one lap and Maccagnani held on to win.  After behaving themselves admirably all race, the F4 field saved all their incidents for the last lap shootout.

First Evan Michelini, for local team AKM Motorsport, clashed with Trident’s Dominik Simek, guided for the weekend by Roman Stanek. Out of the last corner, McLaren junior Christian Costoya appeared to have been clipped from behind, spinning across the grass, before taking the chequered flag going backwards, dropping him to 19th.

A delighted Walther claimed a well-deserved podium for the small but enthusiastic Maffi team, Sammalisto’s exit promoted Consani to a fine fifth, while Maccagnani will be hoping that this time his maiden series win will not be removed by the stewards.

Race results (14 laps)