Przyrowski beats Strauven in wet Spanish F4 winter race one at Navarra

Photo: Fotocar13

Jan Przyrowski beat Campos Racing team-mate Thomas Strauven to win a wet and wild first race of the weekend at Navarra and close the gap once again in the Spanish Formula 4 winter championship.

As the mixed weather conditions continued with strong winds and rain showers, the race began behind the safety car with cars on wet tyres. Polesitter Strauven retained the lead when the field was released from Przyrowski, but their team-mate Miguel Costa went into the gravel at Turn 3, bringing the safety car back out.

On the first lap after the restart, Przyrowski seized the lead and Christopher Feghali briefly got up to second, but Strauven was able to fight back to repass the Red Bull junior.

By the end of the lap, Yani Stevenheydens had climbed to third after starting eighth, but he then spun in Turn 3 on the next lap and was collected by Feghali, triggering another safety car period.

Rene Lammers had steered his way up from 11th to third, with Nathan Tye following him through from 13th to fifth, behind Ean Eyckmans.

This time when the race restarted, there was just six minutes left on the clock, and Przyrowski and Strauven went side-by-side out of Turn 3 with the Pole holding on to the lead.

Przyrowski was having to defend again in the final two laps, and a couple of wide moments allowed Strauven to get his nose up the inside – including in the very last corner – but Przyrowski held on to win by 0.627 seconds and is now just one point behind the Belgian in the championship with two races remaining.

Eyckmans managed to repass MP Motorsport team-mate Lammers late on to take the second podium finish of his maiden single-seater campaign. Tye took fifth ahead of Niklas Schaufler, who had started up in fourth.

Race results (13 laps)