Compétition

F4 Academy: Suspense to be expected in the Nièvre

Four weeks after Nogaro, the 26 drivers of the French F4 Championship are getting ready to face the 4411 metres of the Magny-Cours circuit. Although a rematch between Evan Giltaire and Kevin Foster is expected, many other drivers hope to claim victory. Will the first hierarchy that emerged during the Easter weekend for the opening […]

Will the first hierarchy that emerged during the Easter weekend for the opening of the Championship be confirmed or on the contrary will it be upset by the growing ambitions of the young academicians? After the new experience of a debut competition in a single-seater and the pressure that is inevitably exacerbated when you have so many things to assimilate in a short space of time, the drivers will have a strong desire to demonstrate their true potential. For its part, the FFSA Academy is ready to support them for this second major event of the 2023 season, which will again include seven races.

From the braking of Adelaide to the famous 180°, via the great complex of Estoril or the sequences of Imola and the Nürburgring, the Magny-Cours circuit is full of bravura corners capable of creating differences in the French F4 Championship field, currently led by Evan Giltaire. The 16-year-old Frenchman, who has a rich record in karting, won the first race at Nogaro after taking pole position. Canadian Kevin Foster, winner of Feed Racing Volant in 2022, quickly fought back, while Spaniard Pol Lopez won Race 2, benefiting from an inverted grid for the top 10 in Qualifying.

Six different drivers have already tasted the joys of the podium, as Enzo Peugeot, Belgian Yani Stevenheydens and Romain Andriolo were rewarded for their efforts in the Gers. Enzo Richer, who twice finished 4th, came very close to achieving this honour and it is easy to guess his objective in Magny-Cours. Louis Schlesser, who was leader for a long time in Race 2 before dropping back, will have a revenge to take. In total, 13 drivers, i.e. half of the field, have opened their score by scoring points in one of the three races.

A true benchmark in the world of FIA-certified Formula 4, with its 26 cars at the start, its 13 nationalities represented and its quality of training, the FFSA Academy Championship promises an exciting show on the Magny-Cours circuit, which has hosted no less than 18 F1 Grands Prix in its recent history.

> F4 Magny-Cours 2023 programme

Friday 5th May: Free Practice (09:10 – 09:40) and Qualifying (15:20 – 15:45)
Saturday 6th May: Race 1 (12:45 – 13:15) and Race 2 (18:35 – 19:05)
Sunday 7th May: Race 3 (08:25 – 08:55)
Provisional timetable, subject to change at the beginning of the meeting.

> Duration of the races: 20 minutes + 1 lap

> Mygale single-seater, Renault turbo engine, Pirelli tyres, 100% renewable Repsol biofuel

> Provisional ranking before Magny-Cours

1 n°95 Evan Giltaire (France) 54 pts
2 n°26 Kevin Foster (Canada) 45 pts
3 n°74 Enzo Peugeot (France) 37 pts
4 n°5 Pol Lopez (Spain) 30 pts
5 n°16 Romain Andriolo (France) 29 pts
6 n°66 Enzo Richer (France) 24 pts
7 n°6 Hiyu Yamakoshi (Japan) 16 pts
8 n°17 Yani Stevenheydens (Belgium) 11 pts
9 n°37 Luca Savu (Romania) 8 pts
10 n°28 Max Reis (Germany) 4 pts
11 n°18 Garrett Berry (USA) 4 pts
12 n°9 Karel Schulz (France) 2 pts
13 n°3 Leonardo Megna (Italy) 1 pt
14 n°11 Tom Kalender (Germany)
15 n°14 Adrien Closmenil (France)
16 n°61 Louis Schlesser (France)
17 n°46 Gabriel Doyle-Parfait (Great Britain)
18 n°77 Joao Paulo Diaz Balesteiro (Colombia)
19 n°89 Jason Leung (Canada)
20 n°2 Edouard Borgna (France)
21 n°27 Edgar Pierre (France)
22 n°44 Yaroslav Veselaho (Ukraine)
23 n°4 Finn Wiebelhaus (Germany)
24 n°10 Andrei Duna (Romania)
25 n°7 Paul Alberto (France)
26 n°22 Frank Porte Ruiz (Andorra)