Photo: Jakob Ebrey Photography
Red Bull juniors Dennis Hauger and Jack Doohan starred in the third British Formula 4 race at Croft, with Hauger taking his second win of the weekend.
Hauger led from lights to flag, doing just enough to keep championship leader Kiern Jewiss at an arm’s distance throughout.
Jewiss pulled off a daring move on Double R Racing team-mate Paavo Tonteri for second into Clervaux on the opening lap, and then sat behind Hauger for the duration.
The fight for third was won by Hauger’s Arden team-mate Doohan, who started down in 13th due to a troublesome qualifying.
He got past three on the first lap, then passed Fortec Motorsport’s Johnathan Hoggard around the outside of Tower Bend two laps later. Contact was made, and Doohan did have to make his way through the gravel, but he still managed to claim the position.
Contact between JHR Developments team-mates Manuel Sulaiman and Josh Skelton left the latter stranded at the final corner, bringing out the safety car and promoting Doohan to sixth after team-mate Patrik Pasma pitted for a new front wing.
Next up on Doohan’s radar was the fourth Arden car of Seb Priaulx, who was disposed of with a brilliantly executed last-second dive at Tower Bend.
The next lap he had Ayrton Simmons in his sights, and he went round the outside of the JHR driver at Tower. He took to the grass on the exit after briefly touching wheels, and ended up going side-by-side with Simmons through the Jim Clark Esses. At one point he ran out of track again, yet still managed to stay alongside before pulling off the move at Sunny In corner.
The last driver to get past to reach the podium was Tonteri, who Doohan stuck to the gearbox of throughout the last lap. He made his move at the final corner, and pumped the air before even crossing the finish line.
Priaulx almost caught Simmons for fifth, with the latter now 57 points off Jewiss at the top of the standings.
Sebastian Alvaarez finished seventh, with Hoggard, Sulaiman and Lucca Allen completing the points.
Race results (14 laps)
| Pos | Name | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dennis Hauger | Arden | 20m56.330s |
| 2 | Kiern Jewiss | Double R Racing | +1.688s |
| 3 | Jack Doohan | Arden | +5.516s |
| 4 | Paavo Tonteri | Double R Racing | +5.854s |
| 5 | Ayrton Simmons | JHR Developments | +8.318s |
| 6 | Seb Priaulx | Arden | +8.530s |
| 7 | Sebastian Alvarez | Double R Racing | +10.264s |
| 8 | Johnathan Hoggard | Fortec Motorsports | +13.921s |
| 9 | Manuel Sulaiman | JHR Developments | +14.920s |
| 10 | Lucca Allen | Fortec Motorsports | +16.102s |
| 11 | Jamie Sharp | Sharp Motorsport | +20.816s |
| NC | Patrik Pasma | Arden | +19.038s |
| Ret | Hampus Ericsson | Fortec Motorsports | |
| Ret | Josh Skelton | JHR Developments | |
| Fastest lap: Hauger, 1m22.289s
Championship Standings |
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