Italian Formula 4: mid-point of the season for Ferrari Driver Academy trio

The Italian Formula 4 championship races at Monza this weekend in the fourth of this season’s seven rounds. James Wharton and Tuukka Taponen are aiming high, while Aurelia Nobels is back on track.

This weekend at Monza marks the halfway point of the Italian Formula 4 season. James Wharton and Tuukka Taponen are aiming to show what they can really do after the first half did not always deliver the hoped-for results. Having said that, Wharton performed strongly last time out in Spa-Francorchamps, taking two wins and a third place, moving up to fourth in the championship on 95.5 points. 

Test. Taponen was a front runner throughout the two test sessions held in the month-long break leading up to this round. They were an opportunity for the 16 year old Finn to improve his feeling with the car prior to going on the hunt for wins in the second part of the championship. Aurelia Nobels had to miss the last two rounds after she broke a thumb at the Misano event. The 16 year old Brazilian returns to the track, fully fit and ready to go racing again. 

Results and continuity. “Monza will be the time to take stock before moving on to the second part of the 2023 season,” commented Marco Matassa, the head of the FDA. “In Belgium, James was clearly on top form and now his goal is continuity, something which is indispensable if he is to try for the lead in the standings. Tukka’s Spa performance did not live up to expectations, but since the weekend in Belgium, he has had two good tests at Paul Ricard and Monza and I think the strong results have helped him regain his confidence. Aurelia was back behind the wheel for those two tests and she is fully recovered from the injury sustained in Misano. She will have to get back in the swing of a race weekend, but I think she is fully motivated to get up to speed quickly.”

Programme.

Friday

16.45 and 17.10: qualifying

Saturday

13.20: Race-1

Sunday

08.40: Race-2

14.20: Race-3