- Fortec Motorsport make second and final ROKiT British F4 Championship outing of 2022
- James Higgins scores best result for the team in Kent after strong qualifying
- Marcos Flack unlucky in three races for Daventry squad
Fortec Motorsport were back in action at Brands Hatch GP circuit last weekend (8/9 October) as they battled for points in the ROKiT British Formula 4 Championship season finale.
The Daventry team made their second outing in the FIA-certified British F4 Championship after returning to the series in the penultimate event at Silverstone two weeks’ prior as they looked to gain knowledge in the bank for a full-time campaign next season.
Armed with a pair of Tatuus machines for the championship’s final three races at the full GP layout of the famous Brands Hatch circuit in Kent, single-seater rookie James Higgins again headed the team’s charge along with experienced GB3 and British F4 youngster Marcos Flack, who scored a top-10 finish last time out at Silverstone.
Forming part of a 19-car field for the weekend, the pair showed promising pace in testing and free practice to challenge the regular frontrunners making up the top 10, turning their attentions to qualifying. In another close session – as was the case at Silverstone – the pair were within 0.8s of the fastest times as Higgins sat in 10th for much of the session with race two pole looking in his sights.
A late shuffle meant Higgins would start 13th on the grid with Flack in 17th ahead of the first race of the weekend later that Saturday afternoon, and it would be Australian teenager Flack starting strongly to gain four spots on the opening lap, only for Higgins to retaliate and move back ahead of his team-mate before gaining a further spot to clinch 12th at the chequered flag, Flack two spots adrift.
Both started the second race on Sunday morning from the same qualifying positions, and would be victim to a scrappy opening lap as both were affected by incident. Flack would be forced to the pits while Higgins fell to 16th, only to begin a spirited charge back through the field. Battling back two spots, he soon found his way by Jack Sherwood to confirm 13th place by the flag. From the same starting spots for race three, Higgins brought the car home once more in a consistent 14th place, Flack again left out of luck as he failed to finish.
Oliver Dutton, Team Manager said:
“We were out of luck in the races unfortunately it seemed, but once more our pace in qualifying was not far off those with more mileage under their belts in the new chassis, so to be close to that race two pole was encouraging for James. We can now use this extra knowledge for the winter to ready a big push ahead of next year where we want to come out fighting and show everyone that we’re back and won’t be just making up numbers. We’re winners, and it’s what we’re aiming for.”
#9 Marcos Flack
“It didn’t play out how we would have wanted unfortunately and we were a bit unlucky in the pack. It was unrepresentative of what we could do for sure, but that’s just racing and the team will come back stronger next year.”
#18 James Higgins
“Lots of positives shown over the weekend from us and the team. A few mistakes on my behalf, however good pace and race craft was shown through the races. We now focus on getting best prepared for next year”
