Maiden F4 meet win came as big shock to proud Seb
SEBASTIAN PRIAULX made an incredible start to his maiden F4 British Championship campaign by taking second in the standings after the opening three rounds on the damp Brands Hatch Indy track.
The 17-year-old Arden International driver’s spectacular victory in race two was sandwiched by two solid fourth-place finishes and was a key component of his success on the Kentish circuit.
The Ravenscroft-backed Guernseyman made a strong reverse-grid getaway in the inclement conditions and held his momentum throughout round two for a narrow third-place finish upon crossing the line, or so he thought.
Priaulx was then credited with a surprise victory as the two drivers that he had tracked to the line were penalised for jumping the start.
‘The F4 British Championship is a really hard series to win in, so I’m immensely proud to have done so in only my second race,’ said the delighted winner.
‘I honestly had no idea that I’d won until I pulled into parc ferme and they directed me to the P1 board.
‘To find out I’d taken my first victory was amazing – it’s something I really didn’t think would happen so soon in the season and hopefully it’s just the start.’
Earlier that day, Priaulx had taken a fine fourth in the first round of competition.
He started well and quickly latched onto the rear of third place, but was unable to progress and drove sensibly to maintain his position from there.
The meeting’s final round took place on Sunday and was a mirror image of the first as Priaulx claimed another fourth-place finish in front of a national TV audience.
After holding fifth for much of the round, Priaulx broke strongly out of a brief safety period that followed a botched overtake by one of his contemporaries.
From there, Priaulx applied considerable pressure on the leaders but had to be content with fourth at the chequered flag.
The Guernseyman was happy with placing fourth in the other rounds as part of a fantastic weekend, despite seeing pole-position starter Ayrton Simmons, of JHR Developments, win both.
‘I really couldn’t have asked for much more from my first weekend in single-seater racing,’ he said in reflection.
‘While the changeable conditions in qualifying put us lower on the grid than hoped, I was able to fight through to fourth in both those races which I’m really pleased about.’
‘This weekend was a huge learning curve and to come away from it with the results we did, having kept our nose clean and made no mistakes, is really positive.’
The next three rounds will take place on 28 and 29 April at Donington Park, Leicestershire.
