Champion Sztuka takes dominant ninth win in Italian F4 finale

Photo: ACI Sport

Newly crowned Italian Formula 4 champion Kacper Sztuka took a commanding ninth win of the season in the final race at Vallelunga.

Just as in the previous two grid starts this weekend, Ugo Ugochukwu got away well from third on the grid and, after winning a battle with Prema team-mate Tuukka Taponen for second, was able to put pressure on Sztuka for the lead on the opening lap.

Unlike in race one, though, he could not find a way past and Sztuka could pull away after that. The US Racing driver ultimately won by 3.798 seconds as he took his eighth victory from the last nine races.

Ugochukwu took second as he secured the same position in the championship, while Taponen claimed his third podium of the weekend as he finishes fifth overall at the end of his rookie season.

James Wharton made up three places on the first lap to take fourth but could not find a way past team-mate and fellow Ferrari junior Taponen, with Brando Badoer also finishing close behind in fifth.

The fight for sixth generated the most action in the top 10. Rising from ninth on the grid, Freddie Slater passed Zachary David early on, but David dived back inside him at Soratte at one-third distance, only to go deep and let Slater back past.

David did find a way by at the end of the race, and his US Racing team-mate Ashkay Bohra also capitalised to take seventh on the final tour.

James Egozi was ninth and Alex Powell 10th after falling back from fifth at the start. Former championship leader Arvid Lindblad was 14th, finishing off his strangely muted end to the season.

Race result (20 laps)