Jeff-Hall wins disrupted first British F4 Brands Hatch race

Photo: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Ethan Jeff-Hall won the opening British Formula 4 race of the weekend at Brands Hatch to become the fourth different winner from four races so far this season.

The Argenti Motorsport driver dived into the lead after a red flag disrupted running early in the race. Polesitter Adam Al Azhari tried to fight back but couldn’t find a way past and finished 0.628 seconds back in second place.

Al Azhari initially made a good getaway from pole position as Tommy Harfield charged through from fifth on the grid to third. He was still holding onto the position when further back multiple minor incidents left three cars stranded at the side of the track.

The first to go off was Joseph Smith, who was tapped by another driver as they ran side by side and sent off into the barriers. Cash Felber was caught out in a separate incident at the same location and came to a stop close to Smith’s car. Further along the lap, Kit Belofsky also ran into problems.

The safety car was initially called out before the race was red flagged to clear the stationary cars.

Jeff-Hall once again lined up alongside Al Azhari at the front of the grid, but this time had Harfield close behind. Harfield again made the best start of anybody, but couldn’t find a way past the two front-row drivers who were now side-by-side. Jeff-Hall slipped past Al Azhari into first and would remain there for the rest of the race.

Al Azhari began to slip away from Jeff-Hall late in the race but finished comfortably ahead of Harfield, who came home third just in front of Theo Palmer.

Palmer spent most of the race trying to find a way past Lewis Wherrell, both drivers having been passed by Harfield on the initial start. Palmer managed to get ahead on the penultimate lap, and held onto fourth as Wherrell tried to come back through. Despite having to defend, Palmer also closed in on Harfield, setting the fastest lap of the race, but ran out of time before he could get close enough to challenge for a podium finish.

Wherrell took fifth, just ahead of Jarrett Clark and Dries Van Langendonck. Van Langendonck had made places on the initial start, but struggled to move further forward after the red flag. Timo Jungling held off Scott Kin Lindblom to take eighth as Ethan Lennon completed the top 10.

Race results (21 laps)