Pin gets first F4 UAE win as title contenders clash and get penalised

Photo: F4 UAE

Doriane Pin won the first Formula 4 United Arab Emirates race at Yas Marina Circuit after Kean Nakamura Berta got a post-race penalty.

Mumbai Falcons driver Nakamura [pictured above] had controlled the race from the first lap, while his title rivals Freddie Slater and Keanu Al Azhari collided moments after the start.

Pin started from pole, but a slow start meant the Prema driver lost the lead to Nakamura. Right behind them Slater cut across the track to take the inside line heading to the first corner and ended up squeezing Yas Heat Academy’s Al Azhari beyond the track limits. They then made contact, with Slater’s car wrapping around the front of his rival’s. The safety car was required to clear the wreckage.

Racing resumed with 21 minutes remaining on the clock. Hitech GP’s Gabriel Stilp attempted to overtake Mumbai Falcons’ Dion Gowda for sixth place around the outside of turn nine, but Gowda squeezed him out at the exit of the corner to keep the position.

At the end of that lap, Alex Powell dived into the inside of R-ace GP’s Enzo Deligny under braking at turn six. Deligny was able to hold on at first, but his rear slid as he exited the chicane and he went off-track. That led to a loss of traction as he went onto the start-finish straight and he dropped from fourth to sixth place behind both Powell and Gowda.

Further down the order, Sainteloc Racing’s Matteo Quintarelli passed Hitech’s Reza Seewooruthun, then R-ace’s Jules Caranta and Seb Murray got by him too, which meant Seewooruthun went from eighth to 11th place in two laps.

The safety car returned with 10 minutes to go as Sainteloc’s Maxi Restrepo and PHM Racing’s Everett Stack collided at the chicane.

There would only be three more laps of green flag action after that. Pin pressured Nakamura as she chased her first win, and Powell was all over Rashid Al Dhaheri for the last podium spot but neither was able to get a pass done. Deligny meanwhile took fifth place from Gowda with a late braking move at turn five and then better acceleration as they exited the chicane.

Victory earned Nakamura the points lead, but a five-second penalty issued post-race for jumping the start then dropped him to fifth and returned Slater to the top of the standings while gifting Pin the win.

Race results (13 laps)