Race 1 Imola 2017 highlights

In the Rookie Trophy, Leonardo Lorandi took the win from Giorgio Carrara and Felipe Branquinho

Waiting for round 2018 in Imola, let us see what happened last year in race 1.

Under clear blue skies and with the temperature hovering at 26 degrees, Race 1 of the Italian F.4 Championship powered by Abarth got underway with the polesitter, New Zealander Marcus Armstrong (Prema Power Team), making a great getaway and leading all the way to the chequered flag. His team mate, the Estonian Juri Vips, suffered damage in the first corner and was forced to retire leaving the way for the Dutch driver Job Van Uitert (Jenzer Motorsport), who took second place but also in the final three laps caught right up to the race leader and finishing in the slipstream of the race winner. On the third step of the podium was the German driver Lirim Zendeli (BWT Muecke Motorsport), who did well to hold off the attacks of the Italian Lorenzo Colombo (Bhaitech) who ultimately finished 5th, after the Indian Kush Maini (Jenzer Motorsport) took advantage of the battle to finish in 4th.

- Sixth place for the Guatemalan driver Ian Rodriguez (DRZ Benelli), followed by the Venezuelan Sebastian Fernandez and the Italian Lorandi (both driving for the Bhaitech team), meanwhile in ninth and tenth positions respectively were Giacomo Bianchi (Jenzer Motorsport) and the Russian 
Artem Petrov (DR Formula).

- Lorandi won the Rookie Trophy, consolidating his lead in the series for drivers making their debut in the championship, followed by Carrara (Jenzer Motorsport), the Brazilian Branquinho (DR Formula), the Czech driver Tom Beckhauser (Cram Motorsport) and the Italian Andrea Dell’Accio (Henry Morrogh Racing).