Powell scores first single-seater win in wild F4 UAE race two in Dubai

Photo: F4 UAE

Mumbai Falcons’ Alex Powell climbed from third on the reversed grid to take his first single-seater victory in Formula 4 United Arab Emirates at Dubai Autodrome.

Xcel Motorsport’s Alvise Rodella was promoted to reversed-grid pole after finishing 13th in Saturday’s early contest, but stalled when the lights went out.

Hitech GP’s Gabriel Stilp moved ahead of fellow second-row starter Powell before challenging R-ace GP’s Enzo Deligny for the lead into turn one, while Powell found himself in a squabble for third with Rodella’s team-mate Tiago Rodrigues.

Deligny remained in front, but an opening-lap lunge from Stilp resulted in minor contact. Stilp made another challenge into turn 13 but ran slightly wide, while Deligny locked up and went off the circuit with a puncture. Powell capitalised on the drama to pass Stilp and lead at the end of lap one.

Carrying front-wing damage, Stilp soon lost second to Yas Heat’s Keanu Al Azhari, who made a bold double-overtake on both Stilp and Rodriques into turn one on lap two.

Having also passed Rodriques, AGI Sport’s Jack Beeton made several attempts to take third from Stilp, who went off track a couple of times and remained ahead before his resistance was finally broken.

Beeton and Rodriques then went wheel-to-wheel after dispatching Stilp, who lost further places to Mumbai Falcons’ Freddie Slater and Prema’s Doriane Pin.

Slater then made a move on Rodriques for fourth in turn one while Stilp moved back ahead of Pin, who ran off track and lost several places.

Stilp continued to battle valiantly on, eventually losing out to Diona Gowda and Yevan David. A dive back up the inside of David into turn one ended with Stilp locking up and running wide, his front-wing becoming completely dislodged under his front wheels.

In the ensuing chaos, Stilp’s team-mate Reza Seewooruthun tagged the rear of race one winner Nikita Bedrin and retired. Bedrin avoided damage, and on the next lap he overtook David who locked up into turn one and tumbled down the order.

A separate collision between Everett Stack and Yuhao Fu resulted in the deployment of the safety car, eradicating the big advantage that Powell and Al Azhari had built at the front.

The race resumed with five minutes remaining. Powell, Al Azhari and Beeton immediately pulled clear as a battle raged for fourth between Rodriques and Slater.

Slater bounced over a kerb at turn two, sending both him and Rodriques wide, the latter losing three places while Slater  held onto fourth ahead of his team-mate Dion Gowda.

Behind them Kean Nakamura Berta challenged Nikita Bedrin, while Raphael Narac spun and dropped down the order.

The action settled down in the closing stages, with Powell leading home Al Azhari to take victory, with Beeton coming home third. Slater finished fourth ahead of Gowda, while Bedrin prevailed against Nakamura for sixth.

Rashid Al Dhaheri finished eighth ahead of Luka Sammalisto and Enzo Yeh, while Rodriques lost further places to 11th and Pin slipped to 13th behind Jules Caranta

Race results (14 laps)