A top qualifying performance stood Kiwi racing driver Marcus Armstrong in good stead at the opening round of the FIA Italian Formula 4 Championship, the Christchurch teen guiding his Formula 4 car home to fifth overall in a field of 28 in the first race of his debut season in the fiercely contested single-seater championship and backing that with a podium in the second of three races.
“Not a bad weekend. Was lacking a little bit of lap time compared to the two drivers ahead of me, which made things quite tough, but the first two races were good and clean,” he said.
Armstrong ran in third place for much of race three and seemed set to record another podium position.
“Then Maini tried to overtake me down the inside at one of the hairpins but he had snap oversteer and had nowhere to go but into me. It was a close few laps which I’m looking forward to watching on replay!”
Armstrong is philosophical about the outcome of the third race.
“Ultimately it was quite a good weekend, we have our sights on the championship.”
Points (top ten) after round one
1 Sebastian Fernandez 75
2 Lorenzo Colombo 48
3 Artem Petrov 33
4 Job Van Uitert 28
5 Juri Vips 27
6 Marcus Armstrong 25
7 Enzo Fittipaldi 21
8 Ian Rodriguez 14
9 Lirim Zendelli 12
10 Aldo Festante 4
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