Last lap fuel drama for Wharton hands Sztuka Italian F4 hat-trick

Photo: ACI Sport

Kacper Sztuka took a dramatic victory in the third Italian Formula 4 race at Paul Ricard as leader James Wharton suffered a fuel pump issue three corners from the finish.

Sztuka’s maximum points haul from the weekend moves him up to third in the standings, three points behind Prema’s Ugo Ugochukwu.

Sztuka made an excellent start to challenge poleman Wharton into turn one, sweeping around the outside to take the lead. But Wharton, who had pulled into the pits in race two to save his tyres for race three, forced his way back in front before they completed the lap, with Sztuka running wide but holding onto second.

Behind them, Prema’s Ferrari junior Tuukka Taponen was in third with Van Amersfoort Racing’s Brando Badoer in fourth.

Ugochukwu and points leader Arvid Lindblad completed the top six at the end of lap one, with the positions remaining unchanged to the flag.

Sztuka could do little about Wharton’s lead despite twice setting a new fastest lap, with the pair’s laptimes usually very evenly matched.

Lindblad briefly renewed his battle from race two with Ugochukwu, with the Red Bull junior going around the outside of his Prema team-mate into the chicane, but Ugochukwu repassing on the exit.

Perhaps mindful of the reprimand and one-race probation received for causing their collision in race two, Lindblad settled for sixth.

The battle for seventh provided the main excitement of the race as US Racing pair Akshay Bohra and Zachary David fought with Enzo Deligny, the Red Bull junior making a second appearance of the season with AKM Motorsport.

The track limits as defined by the circuit seemed to be largely optional as various battles raged in the midfield.

Deligny found a way past Bohra, though took to the multi-coloured run-off areas in the process, and Bohra soon found a way back ahead. Also, however, with only passing interest in the circuit perimeter lines.

Their battle allowed R-ace GP’s Raphael Narac, Jenzer Motorsport’s Ariel Elkin and VAR’s Matheus Ferreira to close up.

Deligny drew alongside Bohra past the pits but was unable to make the move stick into turn one, running wide as a result and rejoining having lost three places, but snatched the final point from Ferreira on the last lap.

Up front Wharton appeared to be heading for a well-deserved victory before suddenly slowing three corners from the finish, allowing a surprised and overjoyed Sztuka through to take the win.

A unsurprisingly disappointed Wharton held off Taponen for second, telling Formula Scout that he had first felt a loss of power on the back straight on the final lap before the issue became terminal in the final metres.

It was later identified that the cause of the lack of power was a faulty fuel pump failing to pump fuel into the engine.

Race result (14 laps)