F4 British Championship

Ericsson Storms Through for Challenge Cup Title as Quinn Wins

2 Mins read
Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Alex Quinn ends the 2017 F4 British Championship as the final winner, leading from start to finish in the Brands Hatch GP event. The TRS Arden driver was virtually unchallenged as Ericsson won the Ford F4 Challenge Cup.

Rain was spitting as the lights went out for the season finale, but there was drama at the start as Harry Webb was squeezed to the inside knocking Lucca Allen into the pitwall and out of the race. Webb had clearly picked up damage and spun at the bottom of Graham Hill bend, taking him out of the race.

This would be vital for the Challenge Cup with Hampus Ericsson now simply needing to finish the race in order to claim the title.

At the restart after the safety car, Quinn led the field away from Linus Lundqvist. Quinn was unable to break away at first, allowing Logan Sargeant and Ayrton Simmons to close in behind.

A mistake from Sargeant saw him drop back behind Simmons as eyes turned back to Ericsson. The Swede simply needed to finish the race to secure the Cup, but was on a mission as he scythed past Oscar Piastri and Jamie Caroline before breaking away. Caroline meanwhile, was struggling, holding up a queue in sixth.

A podium for Simmons ended up going begging as he spun on the GP loop, though Sargeant would do the same a lap later, losing his chance to take second in the standings, with both dropping to the back.

In the end, it was an easy victory for Quinn, as Lundqvist took another second place after a strong end to the year. It would be a double Swedish podium though as Ericsson came across the line to clinch the Challenge Cup.

In the end it would be Patrik Pasma who beat Piastri across the line with Caroline surprising everyone by slowing down on the run to the flag. While his motives appeared to be to help his teammate, it cost the champion two places in a bizarre end to the season.

The top eight would be rounded out by Oliver York and Manuel Sulaiman with the pair looking ahead to greater options for next season.

In the end, Caroline secured the title from Piastri, who hung on to second from Sargeant thanks to the Americans retirement. Quinn’s win kept him ahead of Lundqvist who settles for fifth in the standings ahead of York.

Credit: Nick Smith / TheImageTeam.com
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