Powell wins as Olivieri crowned champion in F4 Middle East’s night race

Photo: F4 ME

Alex Powell won as R-ace GP team-mate Emanuele Olivieri was crowned champion in the second Formula 4 Middle East race at Losail.

There was drama before it began, as Yas Heat Academy’s Adam Al Azhari was found have used a modified clutch in race one and so was disqualified from victory. Olivieri inherited the win, putting him one step closer to the title.

The reversed-grid race two took place at night, and many drivers struggled to get off the line. A collision led to Prema’s Newman Chi going sideways halfway down the run to turn one but he stunningly got his car turned back into a straight line while still moving and without being hit again.

R-ace’s Alexander Savinkov led into the first corner from pole, followed by Prema’s Sebastian Wheldon and Powell. It did not take long for Powell to make his way to the front, and when Wheldon tried to get past Savinkov he went off track and by rejoining ahead copped himself a five-second penalty.

Mumbai Falcons’ Tomass Stolcermanis was next to go at Savinkov, and he also found himself going off track multiple times and dropping behind Chi, Evans GP’s Tiago Rodrigues and Akcel GP by PHM Racing’s Reno Francot.

They all continued to battle through lap two, as Powell pulled away up front. Olivieri and his title rival Kean Nakamura Berta overtook Savinkov on lap four, although he briefly got back ahead of Nakamura, and Francot passed Chi at the start of lap five.

Chi was next on Olivieri’s list, and he slipstreamed past on lap six for fourth place, and Francot was further up the road challenging Wheldon until the latter went off.

The safety car closed them up on lap seven due to Mumbai Falcons’ Salim Hanna Hernandez driving over the top of the car of Evans GP’s Martin Molnar. Al Azhari had started from the back due to his race one disqualification, and had made it up to 11th when he broke down. He later rejoined the race before stopping again.

Racing resumed on lap 12 of 14, and Olivieri nailed a pass around the outside of Wheldon entering turn one. Powell kept Francot at bay, Chi dropped down the order to ninth, and Nakamura inherited fourth after Wheldon was penalised. That was, however, not enough to keep the title fight alive.

Race results (14 laps)