Alvarez takes over British F4 lead with controversial race two win

Photo: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Sebastian Alvarez won the penultimate British Formula 4 race of the season at Brands Hatch Grand Prix after a 10-second penalty handed to him was rescinded.

The Double R Racing driver was able to pass Arden’s Alex Connor and Bart Horsten at the start to take the lead, with Horsten then being pulled into a battle with Richardson Racing’s Luke Browning.

Alvarez had built a strong gap to the rest of the field when news came through that he was to be penalised 10 seconds for a false start. He crossed the line as winner, but the penalty dropped him to fifth and immediately behind then points leader Zane Maloney.

Browning spent most of the race in the spray of Horsten, while also defending from Connor. Horsten stayed ahead by 0.383 seconds and was initially announced the winner, only for the stewards to overturn Alavarez’s penalty.

Double R’s Louis Foster, who started from the back of the grid, put in a strong recovery drive to climb up to sixth. With clean air late in the race, he pumped in fastest laps but could not close in on Maloney.

Fifth place for Carlin’s Maloney means he goes into the title-deciding race five points behind Alvarez, but ahead of him on the grid.

Mariano Martinez matched his best result for Fortec Motorsports in seventh, ahead of JHR Developments’ Carter Williams, Arden’s Tommy Foster, and Williams’ team-mate Josh Skelton.

Race results (10 laps)