Formula 4 SEA – fuelled by Petron – 20 July 2019 After a strong start to the weekend coming out of Free Practice on top, Al Habsi was set to wow this morning. But it was the sizzling Irishman who would put himself on pole in qualifying.

Setting us up for a brilliant day of racing while the tag team duo of Muizz Musyaffa and Alister Yoong prepare a charge for Malaysia, and the Finn eyes a repeat of last weekend’s performance.

Al Habsi only man in the 37’s in Free Practice

After a disappointing event last weekend, Allen started things off with a 1:39 in the sixth free practice of the year. But with the cars expected to break into the 1:38’s or low 37’s, there was much more to come from these young athletes.

Elias and Shihab took turns knocking down the fastest lap before Lucca broke into the 38’s while Yash and Muizz got tangled up in each other’s wake.

Meanwhile Mira and Sneha where battling it out for the leading lady category, the two separated by one hundredth of a second and pushing hard.

Back to the front of the grid where Muizz went third fastest. Setting the best second sector then upsetting the leader boards doing a 25 dead in the final sector edging out Lucca and Elias. The top three separated by nine hundredths.

But Shihab, Alister and Yash were yet to set their fastest times so there was another 18 minutes of nail-biting action. The result importantly deciding the start order for qualifying tomorrow. And if last weekend proved anything, it’s that qualifying is very important here.

Yash and Muizz pitted ahead of Alister to try and find time, while allen had already found it. Knocking two tenths off the leader. But in the same breath Shihab went fastest in the second sector, doubling down in the third sector and pushing Elias out of the top three as he charged into the lead with w 1:38.373!

But that wasn’t all the Omani had under the hood. As expected, he broke into the 1:37’s next time around with a 1:37.862.

This prompted Lucca to rejoin the fray ahead of Muizz while Elias consulted with his engineers to see where he could find the time. A yellow flag at turn five slowed their charge, but with four minutes to go Elias jumped into second and pitted.

That made it Shihab, Elias, Lucca. An interesting start to the weekend which could set us up for some excellent racing tomorrow.

Allen tops Al Habsi for pole in Q6

The top there from free practice were quick to set the pace in qualifying. With Lucca and Elias trading places while Shihab stayed atop the standings. All were knocking down the times, but no one had yet to break into the 1:37’s, perhaps because the track seemed to be hotter than yesterday.

We had talked about a two-run strategy with the top drivers and it looks like that was the common decision as in unison Shihab, Lucca and Muizz pitted while Elias stayed out looking for time.

But a red flag seemed to change all plans shortly after, forcing all cars in. That might have been good news for Muizz, Yash and Alister who got a chance to regroup for an extra push!

It wasn’t long before the session was resumed, and we continued with Lucca setting the fastest first sector of the race and a time just five hundredths off pole. The Finn wasn’t happy about that and answered with a first sector that was a tenth faster, to secure his third position.

Meanwhile Muizz had been sitting in fourth. Setting personal bests. Two tenths off third. The Malaysian rocket searching for a way into the top three with two minutes left on the board.

But it was Lucca who finished the session with a fantastic lap! Going pole, the only man to break into the 1:37’s with a 1:37.979!

A fantastic end to qualifying and a great session to watch!

Race 21 at the Madras Motor Race Track kick starts another fantastic weekend

Lucca Allen started from pole in the twenty first race. The Irishman got away well with Shihab and Elias hot on his heels. The trio raced through the first section with the Finn challenging for first, opening the door for Lucca to build a lead as Alister Yoong jumped past Yash and Muizz as they approached the second sector. 

Shihab and Elias were setting strong lap times just ahead of Alister who was trying to find his way back onto the podium after not doing quite as well as he hoped in qualifying.

But as we proved last weekend at the Madras Motor Race Track, Qualifying is of the upmost importance! Lucca was maintaining his lead at the front of the pack, advantaged by the fighting further down the order and the nature of the track itself.

Then everything changed. A collision between car seventeen and nine at turn three, beached Sneha on the exit forcing the safety car to come out while she was recovered.

After bunching back up the order for several laps, we all waited in anticipation of the restart, conscious that Alister and Shihab had the pace to make something interesting happen. Lucca took control of the pack as the safety car came in and floored it coming out of turn ten.

The Irishman dashed past the line with everyone on his heels, keeping them behind him through the first sector. But at turn five disaster struck. Lucca seemed to lose power and Shihab jumped past with Elias, Alister and the rest of the procession following suit.

That made it Shihab, Elias and Alister at the flag! While Lucca managed to finish the race when his car returned at the end of the lap.

A good start to the double header at the Madras Motor Race Track making a very interesting grid in the next race!

Jumpstart Penalty for Allen Makes Seppanen the Winner in Race 22

The sizzling Irishman was back on pole for race twenty two. The second outing here at the Madras Motor Race Track for event six of the championship. He got away well, but Alister Elias and Shihab had fantastic starts, racing up behind the man on pole.

Muizz had started in third, but something went wrong for the Malaysian rocket and he was now defending fifth from Yash Aradhya. The Indian national racing star was all over the back of the Malaysian, giving it everything he had. But Muizz had already recovered and defended his position flawlessly. So much so that Yash couldn’t find a way past.

Although Lucca had been edging out a lead due to the battling further down the order, the top five were lapping within three tenths of each other. The lap times seemed to alternate with Lucca pushing one lap and Alister responding the next. But all the while Elias was maintaining the gap to the man in second position, patiently waiting for his chance to pounce.

His patience paid off when Alister was a little squirrely at turn seven and Elias capitalized finding his way into second.

Alister would stay within three tenths until the end of the race, but the Finn just drove flawlessly. Making it Lucca, Elias, Alister at the flag. Unfortunately, though, despite a brilliant session, Lucca suffered a ten second jump start penalty. Pushing him back to fifth and making Elias first ahead of Alister and Shihab.

Another demanding race here at the Madras Motor Race Track.

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