Nakamura-Berta completes Monza hat-trick to wrap up E4 title

Photo: ACI Sport

Prema’s Kean Nakamura-Berta completed a clean sweep of victories at the final round at Monza to add the E4 championship title to his Italian Formula 4 crown.

Nakamura-Berta made a good start from pole position but in the run down to the Rettifilo chicane was passed by team-mates Newman Chi and Salim Hanna, with PHM Racing’s Reno Francot taking fourth from the Prema car of Sebastian Wheldon.

US Racing’s Gabriel Gomez, who needed to win with Nakamura-Berta not scoring to snatch the title, was up to seventh from 13th on the grid, having straightlined the chicane in the opening lap confusion.

Nakamura-Berta was back in front within five laps and was able to hold position to the flag, although never escaping the clutches of his pursuers.

Gomez was giving everything as he tried to get on terms with Nakamura-Berta, but had to fight lap-after-lap with Wheldon. One optimistic move at the first lap saw Wheldon edge him onto the gravel but Gomez was able to continue after losing just one place.

Chi’s challenge came to an end after taking to the first chicane escape road, and then damaging his front wing in a collision, requiring him to pit at the end of lap 6.

Wheldon and Gomez continued to battle, with both cutting the second chicane, although Wheldon gave back the position he had gained in the process.

US Racing’s Kabir Anurag had slowly been moving through the field, taking fourth on lap 12, and demoting Gomez for fourth on the following lap.

However, Nakamura-Berta was ultimately out of reach, Hanna following him him, 1.4s adrift.

Gomez, whose freeform interpretation of the track layout attracted the attention of the stewards, took the flag in fourth from Wheldon and Francot.

R-ace GP’s Alex Powell put in a stunning drive to come home seventh from 25th on the grid, with Ferrari junior Niccolo Maccagnani following him over the line after a very mature and impressive drive for BVM Racing.

Race results (14 laps)