Monza - This morning at the ACI Racing Weekend in Monza, the final round of the Euro 4 Championship resumed with Race 2. In the Temple of Speed, the Tatuus single-seaters on Pirelli tires of the Championship delivered an exciting show, with numerous changes at the top. Pole-sitter Davide Larini, the Italian driver of PHM AIX Racing, was fiercely challenged from the start. At the first chicane, Akshay Bohra of US Racing took the lead, followed by Mercedes junior Prema Racing driver, Alex Powell. The American-Jamaican driver, who had already secured a stunning victory in Race 1, also led parts of today’s race. However, it was Kean Nakamura-Berta, the Alpine Academy driver from Prema Racing, who emerged victorious in the battle. Initially third, he moved up to second before winning the head-to-head against Bohra. After already winning a race this year in the Italian F.4 Championship at Paul Ricard, the Anglo-Japanese driver repeated his success in the Euro 4 Championship today, following a thrilling and action-packed race. Akshay Bohra once again claimed second place, matching his result from yesterday, and is now leading the drivers' standings. From the third step of the podium, Gianmarco Pradel celebrated an exceptional race. The Australian driver from US Racing started from P20 on the grid in Race 2 and earned his podium through an outstanding series of overtakes.
Freddie Slater of Prema Racing, who finished fourth on track, was relegated to ninth position following a 5-second penalty for a wheel-to-wheel contact with his teammate Stolcermanis, which caused the latter to lose several positions while battling for the podium. As a result, Slater lost the fourth position that would have allowed him to retain the championship lead, now falling to second, 8 points behind Bohra. Davide Larini of PHM AIX Racing, initially fifth at the finish line, also received a 5-second penalty for cutting the track. Larini, starting from pole, had faced numerous attacks from behind, remaining in the lead group of drivers fighting for the podium throughout the race.
The final classification therefore sees Jack Beeton, the talented Australian driver of US Racing, finishing fourth. Fifth and sixth positions went to Tomass Stolcermanis and Alex Powell, the Prema drivers completing the Rookie podium with Nakamura-Berta, all under the colors of the Vicenza-based team. Powell, during the race, came close to repeating today his earlier success. In seventh place was Van Amersfoort Racing's Japanese driver Hiyu Yamakoshi, followed by US Racing’s German driver Maxim Rehm. Rounding out the top 10 were Freddie Slater and Davide Larini.
After Race 2, Prema Racing mathematically secured the team title in the Euro 4 Championship.
Only Race 3 remains, to crown the new Euro 4 Championship Champion. In the weekend’s final race, Kean Nakamura-Berta will start from pole position, with three drivers still in contention for the title: Akshay Bohra (114 points), starting from P7; Freddie Slater (105 points), starting from P9; and Hiyu Yamakoshi (95 points), starting from P14. In the Rookie standings, the battle is between Kean Nakamura-Berta, with 138 points, and Tomass Stolcermanis, with 133.
Race 3, lasting 30 minutes + 1 lap, will start at 15:40 and be broadcast live on the Euro 4 Championship YouTube and Facebook channels, as well as on ACI Sport TV (Sky channel 228, Tivù Sat channel 52, and streaming on www.acisport.it). Furthermore, the television coverage will extend to an international network, including the DAZN platform, providing global visibility for a championship that continues to captivate the audience in the feeder series landscape.
Kean Nakamura-Berta: "It was typical Monza, with lots of slipstreaming. I had a good race with Akshay, it was really fun all the way through. The last lap was a bit tense for me, knowing that Akshay would have a bit of slipstream and could have attacked me. It was a good result, finally back on the top step of the podium. The car was fantastic, I think there were moments when we could have pulled away, but the slipstream was too strong. The team gave me an excellent car today, they had given me a really good car all weekend so far. I'll give my best effort again later today, and starting from pole, hopefully, we can replicate what we just did."
Akshay Bohra: "I had a good start, took the lead, and then I stayed behind Kean, trying to pull away from the others. There was no need to fight so early in a long race. Towards the end, things started to get more exciting; I made a move, but he responded well. I really can't be mad about it. I didn't expect it, but still, I gave my best performance. In Race 3, I just have to do my best, and whatever happens in the Championship happens."
Gianmarco Pradel: “There is no better way to get it, coming from that far way back, it was just crazy. It hasn’t really sunk in yet, I’m just getting over the race, it was so hectic, so crazy. Especially after yesterday, going out in turn 1, lap 1. The team did a mega job, I think they were up at maybe 3 or 5 am, fixing the car. Huge thank you to them, I really appreciate it, it was a rocket ship this morning! Hopefully in Race 3, from P11 we can make the same amount of positions, although it would be limited to ten! Jokes aside, I’m really, really happy with this. It’s a massive podium for me, we go back and get ready for Race 3.”