Home Formula 4Italian F4 Hauger moves into Italian F4 lead with Imola win after Petecof retires

Hauger moves into Italian F4 lead with Imola win after Petecof retires

by Bethonie Waring

Photo: ACI Sport

Dennis Hauger moved into the Italian Formula 4 lead with victory in the opening race at Imola, after title rival Guanluca Petecof retired.

Hauger and fellow Red Bull junior Johnny Edger spent most of the race close behind poleman and Sauber junior Roman Stanek.

For the first 25 minutes of the race, Stanek did not put a wheel wrong and maintained a small gap to Hauger. But at the start of lap 14, Stanek ran wide, allowing both Red Bull juniors through.

Stanek tried to continue, but had suffered suspension damage and retired.

Edger and Mikhael Belov stayed close behind Hauger, but could not find a way through, meaning Hauger took his fifth win of the season.

Meanwhile, title rival Petecof faced a difficult race after starting sixth. He battled with team-mate Paul Aron early on, and at one point ran three-wide with Ido Cohen at Tamburello, with Aron managing to maintain position.

Petecof was straight back on the attack and the pair made slight contact. The championship leader then ran wide, picking up a puncture, and was forced to pit.

Aron was able to continue without any significant damage, and spent the remainder of the race closing in on the lead battle.?Cohen and William Alatalo finished fourth and fifth behind him.

Ivan Berets and Francesco Simonazzi finished seventh and eighth – Simonazzi?s best result of the season – ahead of Andrea Rosso.

Rosso found himself under investigation after contact with Alessandro Famularo in the first half of the race. The pair were battling for position when they made contact and Famularo was sent nose first into the pit wall at the start of the pit straight.

He retired, and while Rosso continued, his team boss was called to the stewards office. Sebastian Estner was last of the points scorers.

 

Race results (18 laps)
Pos Driver Team Time
1 Dennis Hauger Van Amersfoort Racing 32m06.458s
2 Jonny Edgar Jenzer Motorsport +0.279s
3 Mikhael Belov Bhaitech +1.115s
4 Paul Aron Prema +3.245s
5 Ido Cohen Van Amersfoort Racing +8.354s
6 William Alatalo Mucke Motorsport +8.877s
7 Ivan Berets DRZ Benelli +9.997s
8 Francesco Simonazzi Cram Motorsport +16.755s
9 Andrea Rosso Antonelli Motorsport +17.499s
10 Sebastian Estner Van Amersfoort Racing +26.101s
11 Lucas Alecco Roy Van Amersfoort Racing +26.683s
12 Daniel Vebster Cram Motorsport +27.558s
13 Joshua Duerksen Mucke Motorsport +31.535s
14 Filipe Ugran BVM Racing +32.012s
15 Jesse Salmenautio DRZ Benelli +33.061s
16 Nicola Marinangeli Bhaitech +33.615s
17 Roee Meyuhas Cram Motorsport +35.515s
18 Lorenzo Ferrari Antonelli Motorsport +35.982s
19 Amna Al Qubaisi Abu Dhabi Racing by Prema +38.850s
20 Emidio Pesce Jenzer Motorsport +49.535s
21 Erwin Zanotti Mucke Motorsport +49.846s
22 Axel Gnos Jenzer Motorsport +51.988s
23 Sebastian Freymuth AS Motorsport +54.029s
24 Emilio Cipriani Cram Motorsport +1m02.836s
25 Roman Stanek US Racing +5 laps
Ret Santiago Ramos DR Formula by RP Motorsport
Ret Gianluca Petecof Prema
Ret Alessandro Famularo Prema
Ret Umberto Laganella Bhaitech
Ret Oliver Rasmussen Prema
Pole: Stanek, 1m45.621s? ? ? Fastest lap: Edgar, 1m46.191s

Championship standings
1
?Hauger 190? ?2?Petecof 169? ?3?Aron 104? ?4?Duerksen 87? ?5?Alatalo 82? ?6?Belov 81? ?7?Cohen 79? ?8?Niklas Krutten 78? ?9?Rasmussen 52? ?10?Edgar 49