Jake Dalton fought off a spirited challenge from Charlie Robertson to take victory in Round Four of the 2013 BRDC Formula 4 Championship at Brands Hatch, in the process moving himself in the championship lead.
Dalton made a good start from pole position to lead the capacity 24 car grid through Paddock Hill for the first time, though the MGR driver soon found himself under immense pressure from reigning Ginetta Junior champion Robertson and Falco Wauer, the top three covered by under a second for the first few laps.
The front two quickly broke clear though, with Robertson sitting under the rear wing of Dalton throughout the first stage of the race. The HHC Motorsport racer briefly fell back into the clutches of Wauer after a slight mistake on lap nine, however a fastest lap soon after closed him right back onto the leader.
Despite his best efforts, Robertson was unable to find a way past, with Dalton taking a hard-fought second consecutive F4 victory by 0.175s. Wauer held on to take third, himself and Robertson both claiming their first F4 podium finishes.
Matthew Graham took fourth place, the Sean Walkinshaw Racing driver having passed eventual fifth place finisher Sennan Fielding with a robust move on lap eighteen. Jake Hughes followed Fielding home in sixth ahead of series newcomer James Fletcher.
Matt Bell claimed eighth and with it pole position for race two, while championship leader Seb Morris made up four places from his disappointing grid position to claim ninth, with Jack Barlow rounding out the top ten.
2013 BRDC Formula 4 Championship Round four result:
1. Jake Dalton, Mark Godwin Racing, 25 laps
2. Charlie Robertson, HHC Motorsport, +0.175s
3. Falco Wauer, Team KBS, +2.729s
4. Matthew Graham, Sean Walkinshaw Racing, +3.498s
5. Sennan Fielding, Douglas Motorsport, +5.999s
6. Jake Hughes, Lanan Racing, +6.682s
7. James Fletcher, Team KBS, +8.724s
8. Matt Bell, MattRBellRacing Team E-Lites, +9.332s
9. Seb Morris, Hillspeed, +9.332s
10. Jack Barlow, Sean Walkinshaw Racing, +11.515s