Hanna claims victory in British F4’s first F1 support race at Silverstone

Photo: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Salim Hanna claimed victory in the first British Formula 4 race of the British Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone ahead of Ethan Jeff-Hall.

Virtuosi Racing driver Hanna converted his pole position into the race lead as the lights went out but further back, Mercedes junior Jeff-Hall had a poor start and was jumped by Rowan Campbell-Pilling.

Further back as the field headed out of the Loop, Ella Lloyd was pitched into a dramatic spin after contact with Martin Molnar. The McLaren-backed Rodin driver retired after recovering to the pitlane.

Up front, Campbell-Polling passed Hanna into Luffield to take the lead, but exiting Becketts the JHR Developments driver spun, leaving him stranded in the middle of the track. Miraculously, he wasn’t collected by anyone else but a safety car was required to recover his car.

After 10 minutes behind the safety car racing resumed with Hanna getting the jump on Jeff-Hall, who had returned to his starting position of second after Campbell-Pilling’s error.

From fifth on the grid, Fionn McLaughlin was on a charge up to third, setting the fastest lap and moving himself within half a second of Jeff-Hall driver ahead.

Further back, Thomas Ingram Hill and Charlie Edge made contact heading out of the Loop, Ingram Hill being forced onto the grass and dropping down the order.

With just three minutes remaining, Hanna extended his lead up front to over a second with the battle at the top beginning to settle down.

A battle for eighth meanwhile was brewing between Adam Al Azhari and Molnar, Al Azhari challenging on the inside of Luffield but the Hungarian driver defended comfortably.

As the clock reached zero and the drivers embarked on their final lap, the safety car was required for a second time with Guy Albarg left stricken on the outside of Luffield following contact.

That meant that Hanna could come home and claim a comfortable victory to the delight of his mentor Juan Pablo Montoya, ahead of Jeff-Hall in second and Red Bull junior Mclaughlin an unchallenged third.

Race results