DeFrancesco takes lights to flag victory

Devlin DeFrancesco has taken a brilliant lights to flag victory in the opening race of the British Formula 4 certified by FIA Championship controlling the race well from the start to a take the advantage. Having qualified on pole this morning DeFrancesco continued his form to launch well as the lights went out and lead the field in to the first corner; never looking back, DeFrancesco wasn’t troubled and took the checkered flag in first position – his second victory of the season. Team mate Petru Florescu also drove well to get a strong haul of points and despite coming under a little pressure in the opening and closing laps was able to secure a double Carlin podium at Oulton Park – taking the championship lead in the process. Max Fewtrell and James Pull also maintained their starting positions to finish fifth and sixth respectively.

The first race of the weekend, which was set as ever by the fastest laps from qualifying this morning, got underway with all four cars lining up in the top six and a front row lock out. As the lights went out, DeFrancesco made sure to get a lightning start as he launched in to the lead of the race and never looked back. As the field made their way down in to the first corner, DeFrancesco had already pulled a nice gap to his team mate behind.

Florescu meanwhile had also got away well but so had Jamie Caroline who was looking to improve on his third placed position. The two fought well, however it was the Romanian racer who came out on top and looked ahead to his team mate and to the lead of the race. Just a few cars back, Fewtrell and Pull had also enjoyed solid starts and were running in their starting positions of fifth and sixth respectively as they made their way around the first lap of the race.

As the next few laps got underway, it was a relatively static race with very little changes for position. DeFrancesco continued to pull a gap but every few laps Florescu would close in somewhat and the cycle would continue. Meanwhile Fewtrell and Pull were seeing a similar story in fifth and sixth.

However as the flag fell it was a second emphatic win of the season for DeFrancesco who scoops up more valuable championship points. He said, “Two wins on the bounce! I had a great start off the line and managed the gap quite well to Petru behind. I actually think this win was better than my Thruxton win and this track is definitely going down as one of my favorites now! I hadn’t had any dry running here before this weekend so I didn’t really know what to expect but now we look forward to giving it our all tomorrow."

Florescu meanwhile was unchallenged for his podium position and took second place as he crossed the line – the result also placing him back in the lead of what has developed in to a tight and hotly fought championship. Fewtrell and Pull also claimed more strong points for fifth and sixth.

The second, and reverse grid race will get underway tomorrow before a final race in the late afternoon.