Photo: ACCR F4
Ethan Ischer enjoyed a perfect weekend with pole, two lights-to-flag wins and two fastest laps in the inaugural round of the ACCR Czech Formula championship at the Hungaroring.
The Jenzer Motorsport driver, competing in the new Central European Formula 4 series in parallel to his Italian F4 campaign with the team, was a comfortable winner in both races of the delayed season-opening event.
In race one, Ischer made a perfect start to lead into turn one as former ADAC F4 racer Michael Sauter passed Jenzer’s second driver Reno Francot around the outside for second.
While Francot was able to keep the gap to Sauter, racing for his family’s Sauter Engineering+Design team, to within one second he never came close enough to regain second place.
Reigning GB4 champion Nikolas Taylor took fourth for Austrian squad Renauer Motorsport, albeit 11s behind Francot, with Gender Motorsport’s Oliver Michl a distant fifth.
In race two, Sauter made a strong start from the front row, pulling alongside Ischer under braking for turn one. As he attempted a pass around the outside, he ran wide over the kerbs, letting Ischer retain the lead.
As Sauter then tucked in behind Ischer on the short run down to turn two, he clipped the rear of the leader and damaged his front wing. A lock-up into turn 12 further allowed Francot to get past, before Sauter’s wing detached itself completely just as he passed the pit entry.
The resulting full lap at reduced speed dropped him to the back of the six-car field, before he was finally able to pit to have a new wing fitted.
Demonstrating Swiss solidarity and admirable sportsmanship, Jenzer’s mechanics pitched in to get Sauter back on track, 35s adrift of Renauer’s Jiri Safranek in fifth.
Ischer gradually extended his lead to 3.6s by the chequered flag, with Taylor half a minute further back in third, having resisted a late challenge from Michl.
Results round-up
Race 1 (15 laps)
1 Ethan Ischer Jenzer Motorsport 26m42.609s
2 Michael Sauter Sauter Engineering+Design +3.938s
3 Reno Francot Jenzer Motorsport +5.117s
4 Niko Taylor Renauer Motorsport +16.106s
5 Oliver Michl Gender Motorsport +24.527s
6 Jiri Safranek Renauer Motorsport +33.573s
Pole: Ischer, 1m45.265s
Fastest lap: Ischer, 1m45.548s
Race 2 (15 laps)
1 Ischer 26m44.284s
2 Francot +3.616s
3 Taylor +33.703s
4 Michl +35.738s
5 Safranek +43.320s
6 Sauter +52.691s
FL: Ischer, 1m46.131s
Championship standings
1 Ischer 50 2 Francot 33 3 Taylor 27 4 Sauter 26 5 Michl 22 6 Safranek 18