Bearman claims first win in British F4 as wet weather causes drama

Photo: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Thomas Bearman took his first car racing victory in changing conditions in the last British Formula 4 race of the weekend at Oulton Park.

The race was red-flagged as rain became heavier after multiple drivers had already fallen off the circuit. Organisers tried to get the race going again, but a second red flag was thrown after just one lap behind the safety car.

Among those to run into problems were championship leaders Fionn McLaughlin and Martin Molnar, who finished sixth and ninth respectively.

Conditions were damp after rain before the start of the race. McLaughlin got the best start from second on the grid, leaping past polesitter Molnar, and was starting to pull away as the rain began to fall again.

He had a comfortable lead when he suddenly lost control of the car, locked up and ran wide through the gravel at Lodge. Molnar, Jimmy Piszcyk and August Raber also ran wide, indicating it was worsening conditions that caused the incident.

As McLaughlin tried to return to the track, he was clipped by Ary Bansal, causing damage to the rear of Bansal’s car. Bansal tried to continue with the damaged car, but slid about the track before coming to a stop on the start-finish straight. Everyone managed to avoid him.

It was the second near-miss of the race. Just before McLaughlin’s incident, Tommy Harfield locked up and spun through the first corner. Multiple drivers narrowly avoided collecting him.

The safety car was brought out, leading Bearman around the track while McLaughlin was called into the pits for a missing front wing.

Racing resumed with 12 minutes on the clock. Adam Al Azhari got a good restart, moving up to third behind Bearman and Joslyn. But further back there was more damage as Henry Mercier and August Rabier came together, damaging Rabier’s front wing.

The red flag was thrown with just over 10 minutes remaining as the conditions became worse. The race was declared wet, but multiple drivers hadn’t switched to wet tyres before the field was led out again behind the safety car. Ella Lloyd and Mercier were among those that had to return to the pits to change tyres. The decision wouldn’t matter, though, as the race was then red-flagged again before racing could resume.

Bearman claimed the victory ahead of Joslyn and Chase Fernandez, who all managed to avoid the drama when the rain started to fall. 

Piszcyk took fourth ahead of Al Azhari, who was moved back to fifth when the race was red-flagged the first time and didn’t have the opportunity to move back up the order.

McLaughlin was called into the pits for a new front wing after his incident with Bansal, but was classified sixth ahead of Mercier, Raber, and Molnar. Rowan Campbell-Pilling completed the top 10.

Race result (7 laps)