Italian youngster Valerio Rinicella will stay with MP Motorsport for a second season in the Spanish Formula 4 Championship. As a sophomore, the 15-year-old from Rome aims to improve on his sixth place in 2022’s final standings.

Rinicella first joined up with MP during the United Arab Emirates F4 winter series of early 2022 before moving on to his first full season in Formula 4. In the course of his Spanish F4 season, the Italian racked up two podiums and a bag of points while also honing his skills in selected rounds of his home-based Italian F4 series. Now he is ready for more success in Spain.

“I’m really pleased to stay with MP for a second year in Spanish F4”, said Rinicella. “The team and I gelled well during our first two campaigns in UAE F4 and Spanish F4, and I’m eager to continue our cooperation. Staying in the championship for another year will be the best platform for me to move further up the single-seater ladder. I’m ready to give it everything I have!”

“Valerio’s year of F4 experience will be a valuable asset to our Spanish F4 line-up for 2023”, said MP team principal Sander Dorsman. “He is still young and has chosen wisely to remain at F4 level for a second year. This will allow him to grow into a consistent frontrunner while continuing to soak up what it means to be at the sharp end every weekend. We will do our best to help him reach that maximum level of performance.”

Before stepping up to Formula 4, Rinicella plied his trade in the Italian karting scene, moving into the WSK Super Master Series and Euro Series at 60 Mini level in 2019. In a pandemic-restricted 2020 season, Rinicella was a regular top-five runner in the FIA European Karting Championship at OK Junior level while also taking in WSK’s Euro Series and Super Master Series. In 2021, he continued in the same series, now racing at OK level, before eyeing his move to single-seaters.