Photo: Harald Lindtner/Werace.TV
Maffi Racing’s Kirill Kutskov completed a clean sweep of Formula 4 Central European Zone wins at the Salzburgring, but Jenzer Motorsport’s Oscar Wurz took the title.
Kutskov was unstoppable on Sunday, winning twice to bring his victory tally up to an unmatched six. However the youngest son of ex-Formula 1 driver Alex Wurz (who had older brother Charlie assisting with some fraternal coaching) put the title out of his reach in the penultimate race.
Starting on the front row alongside poleman Kutskov, Wurz had a disastrous opening lap. He stalled on the grid, got his engine restarted, then “going into turn one I locked up and went through the gravel so my race really wasn’t off to a good start”.
Kutskov held off an early charge from Jenzer’s Max Karhan. He attacked on the inside into the final hairpin, but Kutskov held the outside on the slightly banked corner to stay ahead. Karhan’s challenge faded after he outbraked himself into the first chicane, leaving Kutskov to take an untroubled win.
In a seven-car field, Wurz was back up to third by lap four, drawing onto the tail of Karhan. He reclaimed second with one third of the 19-lap race left, and ran nose-to-tail with Karhan thereon although the latter settled for third. Karhan rounded out the podium despite a 10-second penalty for jumping the start.
An “over the moon” Wurz told Formula Scout he was “very happy” to have been points leader all-season long.
“[I am] very proud to have won here for my family and the Austrian people. I really wanted to win here, and I would hope that most of the crowd are supporting me as an Austrian,” added the Austro-Briton.
Simon Schranz, Michalina Sabaj and Nathaniel Berreby enjoyed a spirited battle for fourth, with Schranz taking the position on track but losing out to Sabaj as both he and Berreby were also penalised for their starts.
The top six were reversed to form race three’s grid, with Sabaj on pole while Wurz and Kutskov shared row three.
Sabaj led lap one before spinning into the gravel at the final corner. Kutskov had rapidly moved through the field and inherited first place, with Karhan on his tail before the safety car appeared as Sabaj’s car was cleared.
Racing resumed on lap eight and Karhan took the lead. Kutskov was not to be denied, retaking the position on the following tour and holding on to the finish. Karhan set the fastest lap on the final tour to finish just 0.237s behind.
Wurz had stalled again at the start, as did Schranz, completing lap one in fifth. After the safety car restart he quickly moved up to third, well adrift of the leading pair, and had to fight off an impressive Schranz.
Sabaj rejoined a lap down, had to pit for a new nosecone and to add insult to injury incurred a 10s penalty for jumping the start. She ended the season fifth in the points, behind the absent Miroslav Mikes.
Results round-up
Race 2 (19 laps)
1 Kirill Kutskov Maffi Racing 26m19.521s
2 Oscar Wurz Jenzer Motorsport +5.287s
3 Max Karhan Jenzer Motorsport +15.987s
4 Michalina Sabaj AS Motorsport +26.182s
5 Simon Schranz Renauer Motorsport +30.413s
6 Nathanael Berreby Maffi Racing +36.016s
7 Frantisek Nemec F4 CEZ Academy +44.979s
Fastest lap: Wurz, 1m22.129s
Race 3 (14 laps)
1 Kutskov 25m24.642s
2 Karhan +0.237s
3 Wurz +5.417s
4 Schranz +6.349s
5 Berreby +15.049s
6 Nemec +24.085s
7 Sabaj +1 lap
FL: Karhan, 1m22.241s
Championship standings
1 Wurz 301 2 Kutskov 276 3 Karhan 242 4 Miroslav Mikes 161 5 Sabaj 84 6 Jonathan Correrella 66 7 Berreby 57 8 Marek Micik 39 9 Kornelia Olkucka 33 10 Franciszek Halatnik 21
Note: The championship points were revised following an amendment to the sporting regulations that required drivers to compete in at least three of the six rounds to be classified in the overall standings.