Fionn looks to extend his lead at Donington
Hitech TGR’s Fionn McLaughlin heads to Donington Park this weekend with a 40.5-point lead in the British F4 Championship standings and will be aiming to build on the four wins he’s scored so far this season. Round 8 of the series returns to the historic East Midlands venue, but unlike the season opener, this weekend’s action takes place on the full Grand Prix layout.
A fortnight ago, Fionn was victorious at Knockhill to extend his championship points lead. After an unfortunate incident that saw him fail to finish the final race in Scotland, the young Irish racer will be mindful of reaching the chequered flag to ensure he maintains a healthy points advantage as the championship heads towards its climax.
The Red Bull Junior Team rookie said:
“I’m feeling confident heading to Donington Park. It’s a track I really enjoy and it should suit us well. The goal is to keep scoring a decent haul of points and stay consistent. We’ve got a good lead, but nothing is done yet, so I’ll be pushing hard.”
Hitech also top the Teams’ Standings with a margin of 80.5 points — and every point matters. At Knockhill, Australian Xavier Avramides picked up seven points north of the border to add to his total of 27 scored so far this season. He’s looking forward to returning to the track where he made his single-seater debut and racing on the extended layout.
Xavier Avramides on Donington Park:
“Donington was actually my first race in F4, so it was all new to me. I really enjoyed it – it’s not a particularly wide track, but there are a few good overtaking opportunities. I’m looking forward to trying the extended layout with the Melbourne Loop – that should add a bit more to the racing.”
With one win and three runner-up spots, Thomas Bearman will be hoping to carry the impressive speed he showed at Knockhill, where he claimed his first C1RCUIT Watches Pole Position of the season. Thomas sits seventh in the standings, just 1.5 points off sixth — and second to Fionn in the Rookie Cup.
The Chelmsford racer said:
“Knockhill was a great weekend for me, so I’m hoping to carry that momentum into Donington Park. I really like the GP layout – it’s flowing, technical and should make for some exciting on-track battles. My aim is to keep improving, master those starts off the line, and fight for more podiums.”
After making his debut with the team a fortnight ago, young British racer Joseph Smith continues to build on his experience of single-seaters as he returns to the Hitech fold this weekend.
After two test sessions on Thursday, the qualifying action begins on Saturday morning before Race 1 at 14:10 and Race 2 on Sunday morning at 09:15. The longer 25-minute race takes place at 13:15 on Sunday afternoon (all times local).
