Qualifying for the final three races of the British F4 Championship saw Alex Quinn set the 3rd fastest time of the session, which was marred by a red flag with 5 minutes to go after Oliver York pitched
his car into the gravel.
This meant most of the grid were unable to improve on their earlier times due to the tyre warm up required for optimal performances. Simmons qualified his TRS Arden machine in 5th position, with Piastri just behind in 6th position and Olli Caldwell in 12th on the grid for the opening race of the weekend.
All three TRS Arden cars made a strong start, with Quinn challenging or 2nd at Paddock Hill bend – this was until championship leader Jamie Caroline locked a wheel, clipping the back of Quinn’s car and pitching hem both into the gravel. Quinn’s race was over there and then as the safety car was deployed.
Simmons had moved up into 3rd position, with Piastri just behind in 4th – the latter needing to take at least 18 points out of Caroline’s lead in the opening race of weekend to keep the title
fight alive.
As the race wore on, Simmons maintained pressure on the leading duo of Linus Lundqvist and Logan Sargeant. While Piastri remained in pursuit, but unable to challenge for the positions needed for his title push.
At the chequered flag, Simmons took 3rd position on podium, with Piastri finishing just behind in 4th – meaning sadly his challenge for the title was over, with only 50 points on offer in the remaining races.
Caldwell become leading Challenge Cup runner, after rival Hampus Ericsson came off worse in an overtaking attempt on Karl Massaad. Caldwell moved into 9th position, which he held into the line - taking his fourth win in the Class this season.
Race two saw Piastri make a good start and maintain 4th position, just ahead of teammate Simmons. Caldwell made a good start as well to hold his 9th place position, whilst Quinn began to make progress from his back of the grid, 19th place start after his race one non-finish.
A red flag was shown on lap two after a crash involving three drivers – requiring a race stoppage, re-grid and restart. On the second start, Piastri and Simmons were vaulted by the quick starting
Caroline. The two TRS Arden teammates held formation for the majority of the race in 5th and 6th respectively.
As the race wore on, JHR Developments Manuel Sulaiman was doggedly holding onto 3rd position – with Logan Sargeant, Piastri and Simmons in hot pursuit, looking for a way past.
Caldwell had moved himself into this train of cars as well, showing a great turn of speed to move himself up into 7th position – whilst teammate Quinn was making progress through the field to move himself into the top ten with some textbook overtaking.
Sulaiman just held the podium finish to the end of the race - Piastri crossed the line 5th ahead of his two teammates Simmons and Caldwell. The latter took his second Ford F4 Challenge Cup win in
succession after one of his strongest races of the season.
Quinn recovered to 9th at the flag, making up 10 positions on where he started the race from to complete a quartet of TRS Arden’s scoring points in race two of the weekend.
Olli Caldwell “Being able to hold Lundqvist back, a driver who has fought at the front all year is a great result for me. It felt like we were slightly quicker too so that makes me really happy.
I would love to make it a hat-trick of Challenge Cup wins this weekend. We’ve done it twice today so hopefully it can be third time lucky tomorrow.”
The final race of the 2017 British F4 Season takes place at 15:02 tomorrow, the 1 October. Quinn will start the final race of the year from Pole Position, with teammates Simmons, Piastri and Caldwell starting from 5th, 6th and 10th respectively.
Tune in live on ITV4 for to see the TRS Arden drivers put on one final show in the British F4 Championship this year.