Archiv rubriky: F4 CEZ Championship

Michelle Jandová experienced her first race weekend in Formula 4 at Balaton Park with the SAPE Motorsport team. This young lady from the Czech Republic is a member of the F4 CEZ Academy, which facilitated her transition from karting to the intensity of Formula 4 racing.

Michelle began the weekend in Hungary with enthusiasm. Speaking about her initial experience, she noted, „Well, certainly compared to the simulator, which I used a lot, this track is completely different.“ The first training session presented a particularly tough set of conditions. „Certainly, the track was very dusty. After the first training, people were spinning off the track, as it was really slippery. But as more sessions came, the grip improved significantly.”

Michelle qualified 13th, but she knew there was room for improvement: “For me, the qualification could definitely have been better, but I took my best time so far and it was the first time I was on new tires.“

The anticipation of the first race brought a mix of nerves and excitement. Michelle described her pre-race nervousness vividly, „I’m very nervous, but I know exactly what to do. The plan is definitely the simplest: go forward, get another position, take what we can, improve and fight,” said Michelle before Race 1, which was also her most successful. She finished tenth, behind her teammate from SAPE Motorsport, Marek Mičík. She not only scored her first points but was also the best among the other two young ladies on the grid, Kornelia Olkucka and Michalina Sabaj.

Michelle did not finish the second race after running off in the opening lap, and in the third race of the weekend, she encountered technical difficulties just before the finish. However, her impression of F4 CEZ was overwhelmingly positive. With her sights set on the rest of the season, Michelle is optimistic about her journey in Formula 4. „The rest of the season is still in its infancy, but I definitely want to continue in F4. I really like the concept of these races; it’s professional,“ she explained.

Max Karhan has kicked off the F4 CEZ Championship season with a strong performance at the Balaton Park circuit, securing an impressive fourth place in the second race and finishing as the fifth-ranked driver in the standings.

„My biggest expectation was to have clean and beautiful fights on the track, and that was certainly fulfilled. I really enjoyed all three races,” said Karhan, who is racing for the Jenzer Motorsport team, with whom he debuted in the last three events of the previous F4 CEZ season.

Karhan identified Miroslav Mikeš as his toughest opponent throughout the races. „Racing against Míra Mikeš was a challenge in every session, and winning the battles on the track was the most satisfying part for me,“ Karhan continued.

Discussing the overall race progression and the safety car periods, Karhan expressed satisfaction with his performance. „I managed to keep up with the faster drivers and even made some great overtakes. Maintaining tire temperature behind the safety car really helped during the restarts,“ Karhan added.

Karhan was one of the five drivers from the blue and black Jenzer Motorsport team. The Swiss team entered Tatuus Formula 4 cars for Ethan Ischer, Oscar Wurz, Shim Zhang, and Andrija Kostić, ending the weekend with Karhan as the third highest driver in the standings behind Wurz and Zhang. Although Ischer won two races, he cannot score points as last year’s champion in this F4 CEZ season.

Max Karhan announced that he will continue his journey with Jenzer Motorsport for the entire 2024 F4 CEZ season. After competing in the last three races of the previous season with the team, Max has rejoined Jenzer Motorsport, signaling a strengthening partnership and shared ambitions for the upcoming season.

Max Karhan’s return to Jenzer Motorsport marks a significant step in his racing career, as he aims to build on his experiences and successes from the last year. The 2024 F4 CEZ calendar promises an exciting challenge, which Max is eager to tackle with his proven dedication and evolving skills.

„Thanks to my team, family, all sponsors, and the people who support me, I have managed to secure a spot for the entire 2024 F4 CEZ calendar with Jenzer Motorsport. It was with them that I first experienced racing in Formula 4 on the big circuits. The functionality and operation of the team left me impressed and completely satisfied, making it my biggest goal to continue this journey with the same team.

Over the winter, I collaborated in creating a new F4 Academy where I had the opportunity to coach drivers both on simulators and during real F4 testing at the Most circuit, where I served as a test driver. My winter preparation included not only simulator testing and physical training but also a visit to the headquarters of Jenzer Motorsport. There, I familiarized myself further with the team, discussed and arranged the upcoming season.

Additionally, I had the chance to try out their simulator and compare it to what we have at Lukamotorsport. The entire environment, mechanics, and other team members at Jenzer Motorsport operate very professionally. Lastly, I would like to say that I would be delighted if you could come and watch one of the F4 CEZ events.

The biggest supporters who make it possible for me to race this season again include Lukáš Karhan, Pavel Sovička, Josef Křenek and of course Andreas Jenzer and Ester Jenzer. Thank you very much.”

The F4 CEZ Academy, dedicated to scouting and training the upcoming generation of male and female racers for the 2025 F4 CEZ season, has successfully completed its inaugural edition. The top-rated newcomer in a series of intensive preparatory training sessions was seventeen-year-old Martin Knápek.

Rallycross racer Martin Knápek participated in the F4 CEZ Academy alongside with other young drivers. They underwent a demanding program that combined physical training, media appearances, testing and and races on simulators, theory including a racing circuit school exam, and finally driving a real Formula 4 car from SAPE Motorsport team on the Most circuit.

Based on the assessment across all disciplines, Knápek emerged as the overall winner with a score of 1.4. Marek Mičík finished second (1.8) and Michelle Jandová third (2.0). Their outstanding performances highlighted level of their talent. Other successful academy graduates included Kristýna Kalistová, František Němec, Eric Boels, and Marc Erweth (2.2). Other participants like Natálie Jakuševová, Jan Dvořák, Matyáš Sovička, and Eliška Pytlounová only completed part of the academy for various reasons but still have the chance to finish it successfully during the year.

Martin Knápek has now the opportunity to participate in the F4 CEZ championship under favourable conditions. Among other achievements, he was also the fastest driver in the final race on simulators, earning a chance to test a Renault Twingo during a free practice session before the Twingo Cup race weekend.

„I really liked the whole academy concept from the start, and as soon as I learned about it, I wanted to be part of it. Every Saturday, we met and improved everything that a racing driver should manage. I think we got along well with the other drivers and formed a good team. Initially, the most challenging part for me was the physical preparation with coach Jindřiška. Although I was used to exercising from rallycross, the g-forces in formula are much greater, and the training was adjusted accordingly. However, I improved over time. Another activity was driving on simulators, which, I must admit, surprised me with how much they could help with real driving. Max Karhan helped us a lot with the simulators, progressively speeding us up. Last but not least, we also worked on social networks and practiced interviews on camera, which we then reviewed with Tomáš Vacín, who gave us tips on how to appear as natural as possible in front of the camera. The media preparation was one of my favourite parts of the academy, but none of it compares to the test with the F4, which I will never forget. Driving a formula car is incomparable to anything I’ve experienced before. I’m already looking forward to the new opportunities that winning the F4 academy opens up for me,“ evaluated Martin Knápek his participation in the academy.

„First of all, I would like to thank all the participants. They were excellent, and I could imagine working with each of them in a racing team,“ commented academy founder Josef Křenek. „They worked very actively and well in the team, always sticking together. Of course, a big thank you also goes to the parents and all the partners, especially Lukamotorsport, SAPE Motorsport, Autodrom Most and the Autoclub of the Czech Republic. There can only be one winner, but all of them have the door open at our academy, and it would be an honor to cooperate with any of the graduates in the future,“ added Křenek.

„After Max Karhan got into the Jenzer Motorsport Formula 4 team and participated in three races of the 2023 season, there was a surge of questions,“ described Lukáš Karhan the academy’s inception. „A lot of people from the world of karting became interested in the F4 CEZ series, which was an impulse for me to fully open the doors and show everything behind Max’s debut in formula 4. Thanks to a team of enthusiastic people led by Mr. Křenek, the founder of F4 CEZ, the idea of the academy was born. No one expected it to generate such a huge response. The fact that many enthusiastic people came together to form a great team that works in unison pleasantly surprised me, and I’m happy about it. I would like to thank everyone for making this idea a reality, and I look forward to opening the doors to more talents in the next edition,“ added Lukáš Karhan from Lukamotorsport.

The F4 CEZ Academy doesn’t end here. Collaboration with the current team of graduates will continue, and they have open doors to participate in race weekends (F4 CEZ, ESET CUP, Twingo Cup, Clio Cup and others) as assistants or racers.

The academy will be open all year round, and other interested parties can apply at any time. Through its unique program, they can gain invaluable skills and experiences that may aid in their career development.