Matthew Graham became the tenth different winner in the inaugural BRDC Formula 4 Championship season as he led home a Sean Walkinshaw Racing one-two in Round Fourteen at Brands Hatch.
Raoul Hyman started the fourteen lap encounter around the GP circuit from pole position, and a strong start saw him lead into Paddock Hill Bend for the first time from Graham and his SWR team-mate Jack Barlow.
Hyman led for the opening two laps, until the lead changed hands on lap three, with Graham sliding down the inside heading into Paddock Hill. The 17 year old proceeded to pull away from Hyman, eventually securing his first win in the championship by 2.3 seconds.
“From the start Raoul had a bit of a gap but I managed to catch him and make a move into Paddock Hill,” said Graham. “I got a little lock up, but I guess the job was done so that was good! I think I was quite consistent on each lap and pulled out a little gap on each lap so by the end I had a nice comfortable gap.”
Hyman spent the majority of the race in second, but came under increasing pressure from local racer Barlow. The change for second came on the final lap, with the SWR racer timing it perfectly to copy his team-mates move at Paddock Hill.
Jake Hughes claimed fourth for Lanan Racing behind Hyman, finishing 0.2s ahead of championship rival Jake Dalton in a closely contested race, with just 1.3s splitting fourth and eighth in the results.
Seb Morris completed the top six for Hillspeed ahead of Ross Gunn and race one winner Pietro Fittipaldi, with Struan Moore and Diego Menchaca rounding out the top ten. Elsewhere, championship contenders Charlie Robertson and Matt Bell had races to forget, car troubles leaving Robertson an uncharacteristic 18th, Bell forced into retirement at Dingle Dell on lap five.
2013 BRDC Formula 4 Championship Round fourteen result:
1. Matthew Graham, Sean Walkinshaw Racing, 14 laps
2. Jack Barlow, Sean Walkinshaw Racing, +2.365s
3. Raoul Hyman, HHC Motorsport, +4.811s
4. Jake Hughes, Lanan Racing, +5.131s
5. Jake Dalton, MGR Motorsport, +5.372s
6. Seb Morris, Hillspeed, +5.830s
7. Ross Gunn, Motionsport, +6.147s
8. Pietro Fittipaldi, MGR Motorsport, +6.319s
9. Struan Moore, Hillspeed, +11.234s
10. Diego Menchaca, MGR Motorsport, +12.285s
