Photo: Copa Notiauto
Zaky Ibrahim won twice in the opening round of the 2025 NACAM Formula 4 season at Autodromo Miguel E. Abed.
There were two practice sessions, with Alejandro Bobadilla setting a 1m34.725s to lead FP1 and Ibrahim topping FP2.
Jose Martinez became the driver to beat in a closely fought qualifying session, a 1m35.412s lap earning him top spot by 0.195 seconds over Ibrahim. Bobadilla was a further 0.086s behind, and 0.341s off pole was Axel Matus. Formula Scout is seeking to verify whether this is the same Axel Matus who was 2015-16 NACAM F4 champion and raced in the Formula Renault Eurocup.
Fernando Luque completed a top five covered by 0.495s, and over a second off the pace were Ivanna Richards, Alan Zezatti and Max Mora. Elias Vignola did not record any laptimes.
Martinez was quickest again in warm-up, then came race one. A very slow launch by Martinez meant Ibrahim went straight past, with Matus and Bobadilla getting ahead too before the opening corner.
Red flags then waved due to Vignola having stopped on the pit straight just in front of their grid spot, and the race was restarted with the full field returning to their grid positions.
Martinez again started slowly, but Ibrahim only took the lead by getting on his inside at turn one and he then kept Bobadilla at bay. Vignola crashed on lap three but managed to get going again so racing was not neutralised, as Martinez filled Ibrahim’s mirrors.
Mora pitted a few laps later, and Bobadilla kept the pressure on the leader from third place through to lap nine when his race ended by slamming into the barriers entering the final corner.
Martinez attacked Ibrahim for the lead as lap 10 began, but red flags then waved due to the dangerous position Bobadilla’s car was in. The field was later sent back out, but the race clock had hit zero when they reached the grid.
Despite this, they set off and Ibrahim took the lead again but red flags waved again next to the chequered flag and so the results were taken from the end of lap nine the first time it was completed.
The next races took place the next day, and Luque started on pole for race two. He had wheelspin off the line but managed to stay ahead of Bobadilla into turn one.
Matus and Richards chased until they collided on lap two, prompting the safety car to come out until the end of lap five. Luque made a good restart but Bobadilla and Martinez were soon on his tail again.
On lap seven a wide moment for Bobadilla allowed Martinez to get through. Martinez’s only go at the lead came on lap nine, and Ibrahim overtook Mora for fifth on lap 10. He later tracked down and passede Zezatti too, as the top three remained very close but scarcely battled until lap 16 when Martinez got suprerior drive on the banking to take the lead.
He then hit some dust on the final lap and spun. Luque won, Bobadilla lost his front wing as he went past Martinez’s car but still came second, and Martinez finished a distant sixth.
Martinez had pole for racer three, and fended off Matus into the opening corner. Ibrahim passed Matus a few corners later, and after passing Martinez on lap four pulled away for a second victory.
Second place was secure for Martineze thereon, as Matus held of Bobadilla until lap 12 when Bobadilla was briefly able to drive around the outside of him. However when Matus reclaimed the place, he sent Bobadilla off and after that he had another off and fell to fifth.
Zezatti later crashed out, and Bobadilla fought back past Richards for fourth. On the last lap, Richards had an off that meant they failed to reach the finish line.
R esults round-up
Race 1 (9 laps)
1 Zaky Ibrahim Ram Racing 18m16.937s
2 Jose Martinez Alessandros Racing +0.129s
3 Fernando Luque Alessandros Racing +6.718s
4 Axel Matus Alessandros Racing +7.182s
5 Ivanna Richards RRK Motorsports +8.098s
6 Alan Zezatti Ram Racing +19.676s
7 Max Mora Ram Racing +20.115s
8 Alejandro Bobadilla Alessandros Racing +1 lap
9 Elias Vignola Ram Racing +2 laps
Pole: Martinez, 1m35.412s
Fastest lap: Bobadilla, 1m35.228s
Race 2 (17 laps)
1 Luque 31m04.799s
2 Bobadilla +1.649s
3 Ibrahim +2.846s
4 Zezatti +15.678s
5 Mora +25.444s
6 Martinez +28.554s
7 Vignola +56.162s
Ret Matus
Ret Richards
FL: Ibrahim, 1m34.747s
Race 3 (19 laps)
1 Ibrahim 30m29.645s
2 Martinez +3.872s
3 Matus +8.430s
4 Bobadilla +22.692s
5 Luque +26.773s
6 Mora +54.968s
7 Richards +1 lap
8 Vignola +1 lap
Ret Zezatti
FL: Martinez, 1m35.343s
Championship standings
1 Ibrahim 65 2 Luque 50 3 Martinez 44 4 Bobadilla 34 5 Matus 27 6 Mora 24 7 Zezatti 20 8 Richards 16 9 Vignola 12