FRENCH F4 CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 Le Castellet rings down the curtain on the French F4 Championship!
This weekend the drivers in the French F4 Championship will take part in the last three races of the season on the Paul Ricard circuit. This track that has hosted many different types of motor sport and which, in 2018, will be the theatre of the French F1 Grand Prix, will be a real challenge for the youngsters. In 2016, some of them already raced on this layout in the opening round of the season, but this year their aims will be very different as making a mistake is out of the question given the small gaps in the overall classification.
Mathematically speaking before arriving at Le Castellet two drivers can still win the French F4 Championship title, Victor Martins who retook first place in Barcelona after losing it in Pau, and Arthur Rougier, who may have a slight advantage as he knows the circuit having raced there last year. Whatever the outcome, the final victory will be all the more meritorious if it is hotly disputed, and in the light of what’s happened during the season anything can happen. In addition, the other drivers cannot be underestimated either.
Florian Venturi will do everything to hang onto his third place in the overall classification, but he will come under intense pressure from his direct rivals Pierre-Alexandre Jean and Christian Muñoz who are only 13 and 15 points behind a place in the top 3 followed by Stuart White and Hugo Chevalier. They too could put the cat among the pigeons in the weekend’s three races.
The seventh and final round of the season promises to be full of surprises. Jean-Baptiste Mela will do everything he can to move up the time sheets after his victory in Barcelona and Marvin Klein will give 110% to catch his rivals and overtake Mela. Great things are also expected this weekend from Mexican driver Javier Gonzalez who has scored four podium finishes this season including a victory.
After his podium in Barcelona Ugo De Wilde, the youngest driver in this year’s field, will be determined to continue in the same vein to make an impression in the final event of the year. Thomas Drouet, who was unlucky in the second-last meeting, will try to stack the cards in his favour at Paul Ricard. Amaury Cordeel will take advantage of the meeting to continue learning the ropes.
Noah Watt and Pierre-Louis Chovet who are part of the field at Le Castellet will also use the event to gather more experience and show they have nothing to envy their more experienced opponents.