Formula Regional European Championship

Race 1

Paul Aron once again was the fastest driver in qualifying in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine. The Estonian, who celebrated the team title with Prema Racing in Barcelona, put everyone behind setting the best time of 1:42.723 at Mugello.

Dino Beganovic finished the session 0.248s away from teammate Aron and will start from the second row this afternoon. An excellent result for the Swedish driver, who will only need to finish the race in the top 4 to become champion.

In Group B the fastest driver was FA Racing’s Victor Bernier (1:42.908), who will start from the front row thanks to his excellent form already shown in Spain last weekend. Just 0.018s behind the Frenchman was rookie leader Leonardo Fornaroli (Trident Motorsport), who will start from fourth position alongside Beganovic.

Joshua Dufek (Van Amersfoort Racing) lines up on the third row alongside Maceo Capietto (Monolite Racing), while Nicolas Baptiste (FA Racing) shares row four of the grid with Gabriel Bortoleto (R-ace GP). Kas Haverkort (Van Amersfoort Racing) and Hadrien David (R-ace Gp) complete the top 10.

The race held at the Mugello Circuit will remain in the history of the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, as Dino Beganovic is crowned champion of the 2022 season. It was enough for the Swedish driver to finish the race in fourth position to mathematically bring home the title, conquered by the Prema Racing standard bearer with one race still to go. A Prema Racing branded success, already triumphant last weekend in Barcelona, which today saw an unreachable Paul Aron on the highest step of the podium. The Estonian, who this morning also set the pole position record in the series, also overtook Gabriele Minì (ART Grand Prix) in the overall standings, moving into second place behind team-mate Beganovic.

Victor Bernier (FA Racing) also did very well. After having put in his best qualifying performance of the season this morning, in which he earned the front row, he won his first podium in the series this afternoon by reaching the top three at the end of a flawless race. Joshua Dufek (Van Amersfoort Racing) was able to overtake Beganovic after the only neutralisation of the race, which allowed him to conquer the lowest step of the podium and key points for the rookie standings that he will be fighting for until the very last with Leonardo Fornaroli (Trident Motorsport). The Italian driver finished fifth, ahead of Kas Haverkort (Van Amersfoort Racing), who in turn edged out Maceo Capietto (Monolite Racing) in the final stages. Regrettably, Minì was forced to retire following a contact with Gabriel Bortoleto (R-ace GP) while they were battling for the seventh place. The accident left the former without his front wing and the latter stationary at turn 3, calling for the entry of the safety car.

Hadrien David (R-ace GP), Joshua Durksen (Arden Motorsport) and Laurens Van Hoepen (ART Grand Prix) completed the top 10.

“I think it all started last year when we begin working on this season, in which we managed to win the team title and now the drivers’ title,” Beganovic said. “The start of the season was great for me and brought me impressive results and important victories like the one in Monaco, which had a special meaning. We had ups and downs in the rest of the season, but we managed to make it with still one race to go. I am very happy, and I want to thank the whole Prema team who did an excellent job, the Ferrari Driver Academy with whom I worked hard to prepare for each race, my family, my friends and everyone who believed in me.”

Race 2

Gabriel Bortoleto scored pole position for race two at Mugello. The R-ace GP‘s driver set the fastest time of 1m42.874s in the Group B session, that allowed him to start for the second time this year ahead of everyone. The Brazilian was just 0.115s ahead of ART Grand Prix’s Gabriele Minì, who is seeking redemption after yesterday’s retreat that occurred due to contact with Bortoleto. 

Van Amersfoort Racing’s Joshua Dufek topped the Group A, securing the first row for this afternoon’s race two in 1m42.895s. The Swiss, who is seeking the top spot among rookies, was 0.063s faster than Dino Beganovic (Prema Racing), who was crowned champion just yesterday at the end of the first Tuscan race.

Hadrien David (R-ace GP) will start from the third row alongside Owen Tangavelou (RPM). Leonardo Fornaroli (Trident Motorsport) will share the fourth row of the grid with Kas Haverkort (Van Amersfoort Racing). 

Spain’s Lorenzo Fluxa (R-ace GP) struggled for the top of the time standings at the beginning of his session and will start in ninth position next to Dilano Van’t Hoff (MP Motorsport).

The second race of the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine held at Mugello gave the last emotions of the year with the victory of Gabriele Minì (ART Grand Prix), who thanks to his third success ended the season with the second place in the overall championship standings behind the champion Dino Beganovic (Prema Racing). The last round of the season also saw the celebration of the rookie title won by Leonardo Fornaroli (Trident Motorsport), with his direct antagonist Joshua Dufek (Van Amersfoort Racing) fighting for it until the last moments of the race. 

The race podium was completed by Gabriel Bortoleto (R-ace GP), who led the early stages of the race after starting from pole position, while Beganovic ended the season in the best possible way with third place.

The top 5 was completed by the other two R-ace GP standard bearers Hadrien David, who thus ends the season fourth overall, and Lorenzo Fluxa. In the race, the fastest rookie was Owen Tangavelou (RPM), who was able to celebrate success in his grouping for the first time thanks to sixth place. Seventh and eighth were right Dufek and Fornaroli, while the top 10 was completed by Kas Haverkort (Van Amersfoort Racing) and Dilano Van’t Hoff (MP Motorsport).

Noteworthy was the only safety car of the race that entered the track in the finale due to a contact between the two FA Racing standard bearers Victor Bernier and Francesco Braschi, with the latter being stuck in the gravel.

“It was definitely a great race” Minì said “I managed to take a good position right away, and after that I followed Gabriel and our pace was very good. At the first chance I used the first push to pass and on the second use I managed to pass him and even after the safety car came in I managed to stay in front.”

“Having earned this title feels great, I am really thrilled.,” Fornaroli said, “Anyway, I’m really happy of our season, it was definitely one of the best years of my life. I am really proud of what the whole Trident team has achieved, especially because despite being a rookie team in this series, they have fielded some really competitive cars.”
 

Formula 4 Championship

Race 1

Andrea Kimi Antonelli is the new Italian Champion. The Italian F.4 Championship crowned his Champion with two races to go: the Junior Mercedes driver of PREMA Racing is perfect in the last race weekend. Only 4 points separated him from mathematical confirmation before the round, in race 1 he wins as poleman and celebrates a fantastic season from the highest step of the podium. Already champion in Germany - the first Italian to win in the German series - he replicates in Italy with victory bringing back in Italy the title that was Bearman's last year. 11 victories that put Andrea Kimi Antonelli’name in the records of the Italian F.4 Championship certified by FIA, already in the early stages of the weekend. Two more races are scheduled tomorrow, Sunday, October 23, which will offer Antonelli the chance to win again, for the first time as Italian Champion. An all-Italian talent, which once again underscores the farsightedness of the Italian Federation, which can claim the merit of having immediately noticed and supported the very young driver from Bologna, at the dawn of his career in karting, with the initiatives of the Federal School of ACI Sport dedicated to the very young, and then again during his career, which today reaches an important junction with the dazzling success in his debut season in single-seater. A flawless success also for the team, which had already won the team title in Monza, and now sees coming a further confirmation of the great quality of the work carried out during the year.

Fighting until the end was US Racing's Irishman Alexander Dunne, who finished in second place, starting from the front row due to a great qualifying. After a heated initial tussle with Ugo Ugochukwu (PREMA Racing) he kept himself in P2, in a not easy race that saw several drivers give in to the challenges of the Tuscan track. In P3, again on the overall podium, closes the Norwegian of Van Amersfoort Racing, Martinius Stenshorne, also second on the Rookie podium in race 1.

Fourth place and third step on the podium dedicated to Rookie drivers for PREMA Racing's Austrian Charlie Wurz. Wurz won the position by winning the internal fight with Teammates Rafael Camara (Ferrari Driver Academy) and Ugo Ugochukwu (McLaren Young Driver) in P5 and P6 respectively. Very heated 3-way fight that gives highlights, with the Italian-American Ugochukwu third for most of the race, then slipping behind and trying to force a comeback, fouling the trajectory but risking a collision then avoided, which nonetheless earned him a warning flag.

Eighth and ninth positions for two home US Racing drivers, Nikhil Bohra and Marcus Amand, who continue to bring home points for the team that most managed to rival giving the winning team a hard time. In P9, PHM Racing's British driver, Taylor Barnard, author in turn of a great performance at the Mugello Circuit, comes in to finish in the points starting from the tenth row of the grid, also chasing Amand until the end. Closing out the top 10 is Van Amersfoort Racing's Italian driver Brando Badoer, who emerges victorious from the arduous battle to get into the points zone.

Finishing 11th is Emerson Fittipaldi Jr, Van Amersfoort Racing, followed by Nikita Bedrin (PHM Racing). P13 for Akshay Bohra, brother of Nikhil, in his debut race in the Italian series with US Racing. Maya Weug (Ferrari Driver Academy Iron Dames) closes 14th, after having long maintained P10, achieved with a textbook start that led her in the very first few laps to recover 6 positions. Fifteenth position is for Roman driver Valerio Rinicella, AKM Motorsport, who brings home an excellent performance in a race that was certainly not easy. There are in fact many difficulties on the track: for Prema come the stops of James Wharton, conservative, starting from the bottom of the grid, accuses problems in the first laps and chooses not to force in order to focus on the two races on Sunday, and Conrad Laursen. Stop also for Kacper Sztuka, US Racing, who in turn chooses to save himself for Sunday after experiencing some car problems on the kerbs. The stop also comes for Jonas Ried (PHM Racing) while Alfio Spina (BVM Racing) does not start in race 1. Problems then for Pedro Perino (US Racing) who stops at the side of the track, the stop however sends out trajectory Monlau driver Niels Koolen, Giovanni Maschio, in this round competing with the Tatuus of R-ace GP, and Nandhavud Bhirombhakdi, Thai driver of Jenzer Motorsport. The race is then over also for the other Monlau driver Jef Machiels.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli: "I wanted to close on a high note and I must say that we succeeded. I thank for that all my team, my family, my sponsors and also ACI Sport. With the Federal School I started since my karting days, since then they have always helped me, they have always supported me and for that I am very grateful. We managed everything very well, the whole weekend, and it's nice to finish the Championship with a win. It is definitely not over yet because we have tomorrow, however, I am very happy to have won. It was very important, we have worked very hard all season to win this Championship. To be able to win both the German and the Italian is very satisfying."

Alexander Dunne: “It’s been a good year. Kimi has been extremely quick all year. Obviously is disappointing in a sense, we all come here to win, so to lose it after race 1 is disappointing. He has been in a quicker car this year and he has done a really good job to be fair. Everybody knows that in the past Kimi has always been pretty good, I’ve really enjoyed having some good battles with him.”

Martinius Stenshorne: “the speed was quite good, starting from P5 I finished P3, quite good. Next starting from P14, will be not so good, we will try to gain some positions and the we’ll see. I’ve done some testing here, but this was the first race at Mugello Circuit, I really like the track, is really enjoyable.”

Race 2

Sunday at Mugello Circuit is already heated from early morning, with the second race of the Italian F.4 Championship certified by FIA starting at 9:55. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Junior Mercedes of PREMA Racing, makes the most of his second pole position of the weekend and brings home another victory, his first as Champion. After already being crowned in the Italian F.4 2022 with his victory in race 1, today he makes an encore and brings the total of the year to 12 wins. A flawless success again, despite the two restarts after the Safety Car, which, with 40 drivers behind, could have threatened the Bolognese driver. Instead, the battle for second place in race 2 was heated, reflecting the current rankings situation. Rafael Camara, PREMA Racing's Ferrari Driver Academy driver, maintained second place from the start, however, finishing third on the podium, then beated only on the last restart by US Racing's Irishman Alexander Dunne. Dunne, thus strengthens his position in the standings, goingo into the last race of the year, on track at 16:55.

P4 For US Racing Pole driver Kacper Sztuka, also in the thick of the fight for the podium, before being overtaken by his teammate. Fifth, and third on the Rookie, podium is PREMA Racing's Italian-American McLaren Young Driver Ugo Ugochukwu, in his second event in the Italian series after his Red Bull Ring debut. Ugochukwu won the position after an intense battle that saw him triumph passing teammate Charlie Wurz, who then finished sixth. In P7 again a Prema home driver, Australian Anthony James Wharton. Eighth place for Martinius Stenshorne, increasingly solid in the race and consistent in results, the Norwegian of Van Amersfoort Racing climbs several positions and closes into the points starting from P14 on the grid. Ninth place goes to Maya Weug, Ferrari Driver Academy driver from Iron Dames, who takes advantage of the tussles to gain a position, after being very skillful in maintaining the tenth place gained with a flawless qualifying session. The last point up for grabs in race 2 goes to Emerson Fittipaldi Jr, Brazilian of Van Amersfoort Racing, who moves up six positions in the race.

Eleventh to pass under the checkered flag is Conrad Laursen, Dane of PREMA Racing, then penalized with 10 seconds for a heated duel with Barnard. Eleventh place goes to US Racing driver Nikhil Bohra. Good performance also for Nicola Lacorte, Iron Lynx driver at his home Tuscany track, who gains P12 over Brando Badoer, Van Amersfoort Racing, with an overtaking move on the inside.

Troubles again at the start for Junior Red Bull Arvid Lindblad, Van Amersfoort Racing, who stalls on the grid for the second time this weekend, then start his race but loses the front wing in the duel with Andrea Frassineti, Cars Racing (for the Italian driver comes the post-race penalty that causes him to lose 5 grid positions). Contact also between Frassineti and Liu Qi Rui, costing the Chinese of AKM Motorsport the loss of 5 grid positions for race 3. The stop also comes for Akshay Bohra, US Racing. Ethan Ischer, Jenzer Motorsport, is forced to re-enter the pitlane after ending up into the gravel following an accident with teammate Nandhavud Bhirombhakdi. Also forced to the stop after a contact is Giovanni Maschio, R-ace GP, involved in an accident with Jef Machiels, Monlau Motorsport (who then received 10’’ penalty post race). The race of his teammate Niels Koolen instead ended with a retirement,

finishing on the side barriers after a contact with Taylor Barnard, PHM Racing. In the finale, problems also for US Racing's driver Marcus Amand, who makes a pitlane re-entry after again being among the main contenders in the race. 10’’ penalty also for Georgis Markogiannis for having caused a collision with Qi Rui in turn 1.

Now all that remains is race 3, on track at 16:55, will mark the end of the Italian F.4 Championship 2022, bringing down the curtain on a season of unprecedented success. The last race of the season will be broadcast live on ACI Sport TV, Motorsport.tv and on the Italian F.4 Championship Youtube and Facebook channels.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli: "It was a difficult race, especially after the Safety Car, I had to defend the position. I had a good fight with my teammate, after that I managed to get away and win the race and I am very happy about that. It is never easy, when you have multiple Safety Cars in a race, you always have to try to change the starting point to surprise your opponent. This race was also difficult because of that, however, I must say that we managed it very well. I would really like to end the season on a high note, let's see what we do in race 3."   

Alexander Dunne: “I think that was a really good race for me. At this point is really important to be beating Rafa [Camara] and I think the move in turn 2 really helped with that. I extended the gap between me and him which is always good going into race 3."           

Rafael Camara: “now I’m not thinking much about the Championship, just trying to do my best on track, and we’ll see what is going to happen then. Now I just focus on drive and try to do my best. Unfortunately after Safety Car I didn’t get there a good start and Dunne passed me, but for sure we are going to fight.”

Ugo Ugochukwu: "yesterday I finished sixth, today I started in fifth position, however, I did not start very well. I lost a position in the first turn, managed to get back to fifth, but I didn't have the pace of the first four to go for them. I will try to do better in the next race by starting third."

Race 3

Qualifying at the Mugello Circuit rewards the efforts of the Prema Racing team, already winner of the Team title. With 41 cars battling for the best spot on the grid in the 3 races of the weekend, it's not easy to get the better of the competition and place the fastest lap in traffic at the Tuscan track, but the Vicenza-based team's flag bearers manage to come out on top. The double pole for the first two races of the weekend goes to Andrea Kimi Antonelli, followed then the pole position in race 3 to Rafael Camara.

Kimi Antonelli (PREMA Racing) takes the first pole position up for grabs of the weekend with 1'48.229, followed by Alex Dunne (US Racing) at +0.235. With the front row reflecting the rivalry at the top of the overall driver standings. Third to start in Race 1 will be Ugo Ugochukwu (+0.306), flanked on the second row by Charlie Wurz (+0.359), both in PREMA Racing colors. Then Martinius Stenshorne (+0.494) and Arvid Lindblad (+0.552), who will make up the third row with two Tatuus of Van Amersfoort Racing. US Racing driver Nikhil Bohra (+0.772) will start seventh, joined by Polish teammate Kacper Sztuka (+0.801). Fifth row start for Van Amersfoort Racing's Italian driver Brando Badoer (+0.833), flanked by Prema's Brazilian driver Rafael Camara (+0.881). Problems instead for Monlau's Belgian driver Jef Machiels, who goes off the track and hits the side barriers. The driver gets out of the car unharmed, allowing the recovery of his Tatuus and the session, briefly interrupted with a red flag, resumes coming to an end without further interruptions. On the final double yellow for the car of the Sicilian of BVM Racing, Alfio Spina stopped in the gravel. However, Spina - P12 in race 1 (+0.922) starting behind Marcus Amand (US Racing, +0.920) - does not report any particular damage to his car and then manages to rejoin the group to show up at the start of the next session.

In the second qualifying session Antonelli took home the pole in race 2 as well, with the best lap gained with 1'48.127. The session proceeded expeditiously without interruption, at the end of the 15 minutes on the track, Camara was P2 with a gap in the order of hundredths of a second (+0.086). Second row to a couple of US Racing drivers, with Sztuka (+0.126) and Alexander Dunne (+0.272). It is precisely Dunne and Camara who are the drivers currently countering Antonelli keeping the Championship open. The duel at the top of the standings is between Antonelli and Dunne, both already crowned with laurels this year with the Bolognese driver crowned in Germany last weekend, while Dunne had triumphed in the British series 2 weeks ago. Rafa Camara, in addition to being third and last among the drivers mathematically in contention for victory, is also his teammate's main rival in the Rookie class. Race 2 (Sunday, Oct. 23) will start with Ugochkwuku (+0.283) on the third row, PREMA Racing driver who had already shown excellent qualities behind the wheel in his debut in the Italian Championship at Red Bull Ring. Starting at his side, his Austrian teammate Charlie Wurz (+0.356). Arvid Lindblad (+0.544) and Nikhil Bohra (+0.570), carry their respective colors (VAR and US Racing) in seventh and eighth places. The ninth block on the grid will then be reserved for Amand (+0.628), while home Iron Dames driver Maya Wueg (+0.652) closes the top 10.

Race 3, determined by the second best lap between the two sessions, brings the pole position to Camara with 1'48.248. He is followed on the front row by Antonelli, with an extremely small gap (+0.033). Behind them will start instead Ugochwuku (+0.212) and Sztuka (+0.217).

The next appointment with the Italian F.4 Championship certified by FIA on the Tuscan track for the last race weekend of the year is now tomorrow, Saturday, October 22, with Race 1 on starting at 12.20. Race 2, Sunday, Oct. 23, will be at the start at 9:55; then Race 3 in the evening, at 16:55. The three races will be broadcast live on ACI Sport TV and Motorsport.tv and streamed on the Italian F.4 Championship's Youtube and Facebook pages.

Kimi Antonelli: "It's nice to start the race weekend this way, especially because it's the last round and I'm running for the Championship win. It was a difficult qualifying, with the traffic it was difficult to find the right gap for the lap. However, we did a good job and managed to get the pole position."

Rafael Camara: “It was a good result. Unfortunately, in the first quali we had traffic and I couldn’t put my lap. I did the pole for race 3 and I’m second in race 2, I think is a good way to start. I’m in the front row, so we could fight for the win. I hope in the rain tomorrow, I think it will be easier to make some moves. If we can, we will try to fight for the win tomorrow.”

Andrea Kimi Antonelli seals a complete triumph in the last race weekend of the 2022 season. The Bolognese driver conquers the Italian F.4 2022 in his Rookie season, with the mathematical confirmation coming as early as Saturday. However, the crown of Champion does not stop his hunger for victory: after replicating the success in race 2, he makes it 3 for 3. Victories are 13 in total for him, a record in the series. Antonelli wins the last race of the year and celebrates an outstanding success in front of his many supporters.  It's a big party at PREMA Racing, which closes the last race of the year with 3 drivers on the podium. Stepping on the podium with the Champion are in fact Ugo Ugochukwu in second place, followed by Charlie Wurz. The curtain comes down on the record-breaking season of the Italian single-seater series promoted by ACI Sport and WSK Promotion, with the team from Grisignano di Zocco making a full haul: the title dedicated to the Teams was already in their pocket since round 9 in Monza, now comes with Antonelli also the confirmation in the Absolute and in the Rookie class standings.

Nothing to do for the opponents, above all Alexander Dunne, US Racing, who keeps the competition alive until the last round, then continues to fight and obtains on the weekend 2 P2 in the first two races of the year. He ends race 3 with retirement, after fighting again for second place he receives a drive through for triggering the incident that eliminates teammate Kacper Sztuka and direct rival Rafael Camara from the race on the first lap. Bitter conclusion, but he holds on to second place in the overall standings. Third is the Brazilian Camara himself, despite bad luck in the last race.

Emotions were certainly not spared in the race that brought the curtain down on the Championship: 41 cars on the track in a battle full of surprises right from the first lap. At the end, after the Prema trio, came Martinius Stenshorne, Van Amersfoort Racing. P5 for Australian James Wharton, PREMA Racing, followed by Englishman Tatylor Barnard, in the colors of PHM Racing. Seventh place for Nikhil Bohra, US Racing, followed by a pair of Van Amersfoort drivers, Arvid Lindblad and Brando Badoer. Rounding out the top 10 is PHM Racing driver Nikita Bedrin.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli: "It was a bit of a chaotic start because there was the accident right away. I made a good start and managed to take the first position, from there I always tried to reopen the gap after each Safety Car, I must say that we managed everything well and I am very happy to finish the year this way. [Summing up 2022 in one word] I should say 'exciting'. We got off to a bad start, however, afterwards we managed to get back on our feet and win the Championship."

Ugo Ugochukwu: "doing only two rounds in the Italian it was a bit difficult to learn the tracks right away. In my opinion it went well to finish the season with another podium in second place. I am very happy, I would like to thank all the Prema Team for giving me the Welcome. I gained a lot of good experience in these races."

Charlie Wurz: “it was a bit difficult start of the season, but we ended with a lot more podiums, a win, a pole position. We can be really happy with the end of the season I just wish we could improve a bit the start. I’m still very happy. Thank you to the team, they have been so strong all year through the UAE and also the Italian. They are really strong and really motivated. I can’t thank them enough. I’m just really happy to end a season like this, on a podium, there can’t be a better way to end it. A big thank you to the Team and also the Championship.”