Photo: F4 Spain
Italian karter Mattia Colnaghi has earned a paid-for seat in Spanish Formula 4 next season after winning the sixth running of the Richard Mille Young Talent Academy shootout.
After two days of on-track testing in F4 cars at Navarra, in addition to off-track assessments, Colnaghi was chosen by the organising All Road Management company’s jury as the best of the eight finalists and will race for MP Motorsport in 2024.
The on-track shootout contained two half-hour practice sessions, then a 15-minute ‘qualifying’ session on new tyres and one race simulation lasting 25 minutes using the same tyres. Crashing in any session eliminated a driver from the shootout.
Colnaghi was one of three finalists who has also recently been invited to one of the Ferrari Driver Academy’s scouting camps.
He stepped up to OK karts at the end of 2022 and came 32nd in the WSK Final Cup. This year 15th in the European championship has been the standout result, having failed to score in the WSK Super Master Series and placing 42nd in the Champions of the Future series.
In the Navarra shootout, he was fastest in both practice sessions and qualifying, then “excelled in the race simulation showing consistent performance that kept him at the top of the selection pool” according to All Road.
“I’m very happy for this huge opportunity given to me by Richard Mille and All Road Management. I look forward to racing in the Spanish F4 championship with MP Motorsport,” said Colnaghi.
“It’s a great chance and I hope to make the most of it. I will work hard to achieve good results in my first year of motorsport.”
Nicolas Todt, who runs All Road, commented: “Conditions could not have been trickier on a wet and drying track, but it was a perfect scenario to get the best out of the drivers. Despite fierce competition from some very notable young racers, Mattia left a remarkable impression on the judges.
“His physical and mental readiness was evident during the Formula Medicine evaluation, and he was just as impressive behind the wheel. The high level of competition made the final decision a tough one, but Mattia ticked all the boxes.”