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Andrea Kimi Antonelli seals a complete triumph in the last race weekend of the 2022 season. The Bolognese driver conquers the Italian F.4 2022 in his Rookie season, with the mathematical confirmation coming as early as Saturday. However, the crown of Champion does not stop his hunger for victory: after replicating the success in race 2, he makes it 3 for 3. Victories are 13 in total for him, a record in the series. Antonelli wins the last race of the year and celebrates an outstanding success in front of his many supporters. It's a big party at PREMA Racing, which closes the last race of the year with 3 drivers on the podium. Stepping on the podium with the Champion are in fact Ugo Ugochukwu in second place, followed by Charlie Wurz. The curtain comes down on the record-breaking season of the Italian single-seater series promoted by ACI Sport and WSK Promotion, with the team from Grisignano di Zocco making a full haul: the title dedicated to the Teams was already in their pocket since round 9 in Monza, now comes with Antonelli also the confirmation in the Absolute and in the Rookie class standings.
Nothing to do for the opponents, above all Alexander Dunne, US Racing, who keeps the competition alive until the last round, then continues to fight and obtains on the weekend 2 P2 in the first two races of the year. He ends race 3 with retirement, after fighting again for second place he receives a drive through for triggering the incident that eliminates teammate Kacper Sztuka and direct rival Rafael Camara from the race on the first lap. Bitter conclusion, but he holds on to second place in the overall standings. Third is the Brazilian Camara himself, despite bad luck in the last race.
Emotions were certainly not spared in the race that brought the curtain down on the Championship: 41 cars on the track in a battle full of surprises right from the first lap. At the end, after the Prema trio, came Martinius Stenshorne, Van Amersfoort Racing. P5 for Australian James Wharton, PREMA Racing, followed by Englishman Tatylor Barnard, in the colors of PHM Racing. Seventh place for Nikhil Bohra, US Racing, followed by a pair of Van Amersfoort drivers, Arvid Lindblad and Brando Badoer. Rounding out the top 10 is PHM Racing driver Nikita Bedrin.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli: "It was a bit of a chaotic start because there was the accident right away. I made a good start and managed to take the first position, from there I always tried to reopen the gap after each Safety Car, I must say that we managed everything well and I am very happy to finish the year this way. [Summing up 2022 in one word] I should say 'exciting'. We got off to a bad start, however, afterwards we managed to get back on our feet and win the Championship."
Ugo Ugochukwu: "doing only two rounds in the Italian it was a bit difficult to learn the tracks right away. In my opinion it went well to finish the season with another podium in second place. I am very happy, I would like to thank all the Prema Team for giving me the Welcome. I gained a lot of good experience in these races."
Charlie Wurz: “it was a bit difficult start of the season, but we ended with a lot more podiums, a win, a pole position. We can be really happy with the end of the season I just wish we could improve a bit the start. I’m still very happy. Thank you to the team, they have been so strong all year through the UAE and also the Italian. They are really strong and really motivated. I can’t thank them enough. I’m just really happy to end a season like this, on a podium, there can’t be a better way to end it. A big thank you to the Team and also the Championship.”
