Jamie Caroline proved his wet weather credentials by qualifying on pole ahead of the final F4 British Championship round of the season. A wet track greeted the drivers at Brands Hatch with all eyes on the championship contenders, though two red flags slowed the session.
The field soon discovered the tricky conditions as qualifying got underway, as the drivers tiptoed around the opening laps. Caroline has proven himself to be the rain master this season, but even the Pirtek sponsored driver ran wide on his flying lap.
Caroline was the first to stretch the limits of the car. He went top only to spin-off at Druids on the following lap. The session was red flagged and the drivers headed back to the pits with James Pull in provisional second, from Rafa Martins.
As the session settled in Max Fewtrell found his way to the top, though the green running didn’t last long as it was stopped with seven minutes to go. Frank Bird was the driver who had halted the session having just leaped up to fourth.
In the final five minute showdown the Carlin’s started to show their early season form, though it was Caroline who was the first to beat Fewtrell’s time. Another flying lap only pulled Fewtrell up to second, displacing rookie Ayrton Simmons.
As the flag dropped, Caroline remained on top with a time of 1min 42.615. Fewtrell was forced to settle for second, but was pleased to have beaten rival Sennan Fielding, who could only qualify ninth.
A late lap from Pull saw him claim third from Luis Leeds, who put in a spectacular final lap to promote himself up the order. His TRS Arden team-mates joined him behind. Simmons, put in his best result of the season to go fifth ahead of Martins on the third row.