Will Palmer returns to the pits in BRDC F4 at Donington

BRDC F4 2015 at Donington

Mark

This weekend saw the BRDC F4 2015 at Donington Park as the Formula Four series supported the British GT decider round.  Although this was the final race meeting for the GT series, the BRDC F4 teams have another outing in two weeks at Brands Hatch.  Last year saw a series of six drivers who could win the championship going in to the last weekend at Snetterton, this year was very different.  Will Palmer has been leading the championship for most of the season, with eight wins from the eighteen races before Donington, and there was a possibility he could take the title at the Leicestershire circuit.

BRDC F4 at Donington Park, September 2015  Saturday was a day of mixed weather, from sunshine to hailstones, and left the championship open with Harri Newey, one of Will Palmer’s remaining rivals for the title, on pole. BRDC F4 at Donington Park, September 2015

 

The first race on Saturday saw Newey continue to lead from pole as Palmer ran wide and dropped to sixth, before starting to make his way back through the field.  Newey took the win, leaving the title open for Sunday’s race.

BRDC F4 at Donington Park, September 2015  Sunday morning saw a brighter, sunnier day, and saw Jordan Albert on pole with title rivals Palmer on seventh, one ahead of Newey, and Tom Jackson in tenth.  Albert started well, as did Palmer, who started to move forward through the pack.  Albert’s start turned out to be too good, with a ten second penalty being awarded for a false start.  Palmer was soon second on track, meaning effectively first, then passed Albert for good measure.  He pulled out a lead on Albert, as the rest of the pack struggled to pass the now second place driver. Palmer pulled out an increasing lead before crossing the line to take his ninth win of the season and another step closer to the championship. BRDC F4 Race Two at Donington Park, September 2015

BRDC F4 Race Two at Donington Park, September 2015BRDC F4 Race Two at Donington Park, September 2015

 

BRDC F4 at Donington Park, September 2015The last race of the weekend for the drivers was later in the afternoon, with Palmer on pole.  He started to pull out a lead, but that was lost when the safety car was deployed to allow a stricken car to be recovered.  Palmer started to build his lead again, with Newey third, before a spin for Sisa Ngebulana brought the safety car out again. The race got underway again, and Palmer lead to the finish, with Newey third. That was enough to give Palmer not just his tenth win of the season, but the title too. Will Palmer celebrates winning the championship after BRDC F4 Race 3 at Donington Park, September 2015

BRDC F4 Race Two at Donington Park, September 2015

Will Palmer wins the 2015 BRDC F4 championship after another win this afternoon at Donington

A photo posted by Mark Haggan (@markhaggan) on

BRDC F4 Race 3 at Donington Park, September 2015We watched him being interviewed both on the podium and afterwards, and he had plenty of family support, with his father Jonathan, and brother Jolyon both in attendance too. Champion Will Palmer is interviewed after BRDC F4 Race 3 at Donington Park, September 2015

It was another great weekend of racing for the BRDC F4 teams, with one more to go.

Meanwhile, here are some of my photos from the weekend…

 

Saturday

 

 

Sunday