Qualifying at the Mugello Circuit rewards the efforts of the Prema Racing team, already winner of the Team title. With 41 cars battling for the best spot on the grid in the 3 races of the weekend, it's not easy to get the better of the competition and place the fastest lap in traffic at the Tuscan track, but the Vicenza-based team's flag bearers manage to come out on top. The double pole for the first two races of the weekend goes to Andrea Kimi Antonelli, followed then the pole position in race 3 to Rafael Camara.

Kimi Antonelli (PREMA Racing) takes the first pole position up for grabs of the weekend with 1'48.229, followed by Alex Dunne (US Racing) at +0.235. With the front row reflecting the rivalry at the top of the overall driver standings. Third to start in Race 1 will be Ugo Ugochukwu (+0.306), flanked on the second row by Charlie Wurz (+0.359), both in PREMA Racing colors. Then Martinius Stenshorne (+0.494) and Arvid Lindblad (+0.552), who will make up the third row with two Tatuus of Van Amersfoort Racing. US Racing driver Nikhil Bohra (+0.772) will start seventh, joined by Polish teammate Kacper Sztuka (+0.801). Fifth row start for Van Amersfoort Racing's Italian driver Brando Badoer (+0.833), flanked by Prema's Brazilian driver Rafael Camara (+0.881). Problems instead for Monlau's Belgian driver Jef Machiels, who goes off the track and hits the side barriers. The driver gets out of the car unharmed, allowing the recovery of his Tatuus and the session, briefly interrupted with a red flag, resumes coming to an end without further interruptions. On the final double yellow for the car of the Sicilian of BVM Racing, Alfio Spina stopped in the gravel. However, Spina - P12 in race 1 (+0.922) starting behind Marcus Amand (US Racing, +0.920) - does not report any particular damage to his car and then manages to rejoin the group to show up at the start of the next session.

In the second qualifying session Antonelli took home the pole in race 2 as well, with the best lap gained with 1'48.127. The session proceeded expeditiously without interruption, at the end of the 15 minutes on the track, Camara was P2 with a gap in the order of hundredths of a second (+0.086). Second row to a couple of US Racing drivers, with Sztuka (+0.126) and Alexander Dunne (+0.272). It is precisely Dunne and Camara who are the drivers currently countering Antonelli keeping the Championship open. The duel at the top of the standings is between Antonelli and Dunne, both already crowned with laurels this year with the Bolognese driver crowned in Germany last weekend, while Dunne had triumphed in the British series 2 weeks ago. Rafa Camara, in addition to being third and last among the drivers mathematically in contention for victory, is also his teammate's main rival in the Rookie class. Race 2 (Sunday, Oct. 23) will start with Ugochkwuku (+0.283) on the third row, PREMA Racing driver who had already shown excellent qualities behind the wheel in his debut in the Italian Championship at Red Bull Ring. Starting at his side, his Austrian teammate Charlie Wurz (+0.356). Arvid Lindblad (+0.544) and Nikhil Bohra (+0.570), carry their respective colors (VAR and US Racing) in seventh and eighth places. The ninth block on the grid will then be reserved for Amand (+0.628), while home Iron Dames driver Maya Wueg (+0.652) closes the top 10.

Race 3, determined by the second best lap between the two sessions, brings the pole position to Camara with 1'48.248. He is followed on the front row by Antonelli, with an extremely small gap (+0.033). Behind them will start instead Ugochwuku (+0.212) and Sztuka (+0.217).

The next appointment with the Italian F.4 Championship certified by FIA on the Tuscan track for the last race weekend of the year is now tomorrow, Saturday, October 22, with Race 1 on starting at 12.20. Race 2, Sunday, Oct. 23, will be at the start at 9:55; then Race 3 in the evening, at 16:55. The three races will be broadcast live on ACI Sport TV and Motorsport.tv and streamed on the Italian F.4 Championship's Youtube and Facebook pages.

 

Kimi Antonelli: "It's nice to start the race weekend this way, especially because it's the last round and I'm running for the Championship win. It was a difficult qualifying, with the traffic it was difficult to find the right gap for the lap. However, we did a good job and managed to get the pole position."

Rafael Camara: “It was a good result. Unfortunately, in the first quali we had traffic and I couldn’t put my lap. I did the pole for race 3 and I’m second in race 2, I think is a good way to start. I’m in the front row, so we could fight for the win. I hope in the rain tomorrow, I think it will be easier to make some moves. If we can, we will try to fight for the win tomorrow.”