Kami Laliberte won a chaotic final ADAC Formula 4 race at Zandvoort in treacherous conditions. The race was started under safety car and didn’t see more than three laps of green flag running. It ended under red flags after two major incidents with twelve minutes to go.
In stark contrast to Saturday, Zandvoort was soaked after a downpour shortly before the race. The decision was made to begin the race under safety car and polesitter Janneau Esmeijer lead the field round for three laps until the race was properly started.
The reverse grid race ensured that race one winner Joey Mawson started tenth, while Mick Schumacher was two places in front, starting eighth.
Carnage was kept to a minimum as Schumacher proved he took after his father by scything through the field. Sadly though, it wasn’t to be for home driver Esmeijer. Unchallenged at the front he spun into the gravel bringing out the safety car again.
This left Laliberte to lead the field away but, like the first restart, it didn’t last long. Mawson has made his past many of the midfield drivers and was side by side with Schumacher on the way up to Scheivlak. Juan Manuel Correa was just in front and didn’t have as much grip.
Mawson collided with Correa as they careered towards the barrier. Schumacher was forced onto the grass and spun across the track as a result. Mawson was out on the spot, but both Correa and Schumacher recovered, albeit at the back for the German.
The race was stopped as a further incident involving Luca Engstler, Moritz Muller-Crepon, Louis Gachot and a number of other drivers collided, blocking the track at Hugenholtzbocht.
The race was not restarted and the shortest ever ADAC F4 race was won by Laliberte. Sadly though the Canadian’s first series win will be largely overshadowed. He was joined on the podium by Jonathan Aberdein and Felipe Drugovich.
Drugovich had started second, but was clearly struggling with the conditions, constantly falling back from those in front. Correa had provisionally started the lap fourth with Schumacher and Mawson in sixth and eighth respectively. Fifth place Kim-Luis Schramm and seventh place Lirim Zendeli had been the next to cross the line after the crash.
Half points were awarded, with Schumacher, Correa and Mawson keeping the positions they’d had on the previous lap.
