Great racing marked the third race of the F4 CEZ Championship at Autodrom Most. Kirill Kutskov from Maffi Racing held the lead for most of the race, but Max Karhan from Jenzer Motorsport managed to bounce back from fourth place to the lead and won his second race in Formula 4.
Phillipe Armand Karras and Kirill Kutskov started from the front row, with Oscar Wurz and Max Karhan behind them. The third row belonged to Miroslav Mikeš and Michalina Sabaj.
Kutskov took the lead as pole-sitter Karras dropped to fourth. Wurz immediately moved up to second place and Karhan was third. Those four drivers followed each other closely, creating an intense fight for the win. Kutskov had his mirrors full of blue because Wurz had changed cars after crashing in the second race with his white one.
Karhan went wide at the exit of the last corner and lost his position to Karras. Mikeš soon joined the top four drivers, preparing for an attack. Meanwhile, Karhan retook third place from Karras and then began to chase leaders Kutskov and Wurz, who were able to create a one-second gap. Karhan set the fastest lap of the race and soon was right behind Wurz. But passing on the circuit is not easy, and as Karhan tried hard to find a gap, Karras and Mikeš caught up, making the battle among the top five drivers again.
Max Karhan took second with four minutes to go, putting more pressure on Wurz. Mikeš passed Karras and prepared to attack Wurz but ran wide and lost the position to Karras.
Karhan didn’t wait for an invitation and passed Kutskov as soon as possible, taking the lead on his home track. With Kutskov defending his position from Wurz, Karhan was able to create a comfortable lead for his second win of the season. Kutskov eventually held onto second place, with Wurz finishing third. Karras finished fourth and Mikeš fifth. Michalina Sabaj crossed the finish line in sixth, Marek Mičík seventh, Michelle Jandová eighth, and Kornelia Olkucka finished ninth.
Starting in the second half of the season, a new team named F4 CEZ Academy Club in AČR will join the F4 CEZ championship. As the name suggests, the team will primarily focus on newcomers and academy members.
The project is led by Lukáš Karhan from Lukamotorsport and Tomáš Mičík, both experienced in motorsport. Their sons are already competing in the F4 CEZ series. Max Karhan race for the Swiss team Jenzer Motorsport and recently secured his first victory at the last event in Slovakia. Marek Mičík is a member of the F4 CEZ Academy and has already competed in two F4 events in Hungary and Austria this year.
The goal of the new Czech team is to provide F4 CEZ Academy members the opportunity to race in a certified Formula 4 championship and create professional conditions for the next stage of their careers.
„We are excited to introduce the F4 CEZ Academy Club in AČR, which will provide young talents with the necessary support and opportunities to enter professional motorsport,“ said team leader Lukáš Karhan and his partner Tomáš Mičík.
The F4 CEZ Academy Club in AČR will be seen at the upcoming event in Most. Michelle Jandová and Marek Mičík will drive the two Tatuus F4-T421 cars. Both have already raced for the SAPE Motorsport team this year.
„Creating our own team is a logical step for the F4 CEZ Academy, as well as involving parents as coaches, mechanics, or sponsors in this new but already strong platform for emerging talents. Michelle Jandová and Marek Mičík are academy members and juniors supported by the Czech Automobile Club,“ said academy co-founder Josef Křenek.
Partners of the F4 CEZ Academy team include Lukamotorsport Czech and the current sponsors of drivers Michelle Jandová and Marek Mičík.
Max Karhan fought hard for his debut victory in the F4 Central European Zone. Throughout the weekend at the Slovakia Ring, he consistently ranked among the top five, but he saved his best performance for the final race.
The Czech driver Max Karhan made his debut in the F4 CEZ in the second half of last season. He joined the Swiss team Jenzer Motorsport, gaining his first experiences on major circuits with a Formula 4 car. Gradually, he picked up speed, and this year, he had his sights set on the podium.
When he arrived at the Slovakia Ring for the third event of the season, he impressed with the fourth-best qualifying time. In the first race on Saturday, he was just a step away from his dream podium, missing third place by only 0.1 seconds.
In the second race, he started again from fourth place and remained in the leading group of drivers, where no one gave an inch of asphalt for free. Tight battles, occasional minor contacts, and frequent overtaking maneuvers characterized the second sprint at the Slovakia Ring. Max was racing on older tires and finished fourth again, saving a fresh set of Pirelli tires for the final sprint.
For the final race, Max started from the front row and immediately took the lead. Although he was briefly overtaken by Oscar Wurz, who had started from fifth, he didn’t let his teammate from Jenzer Motorsport get away. On the contrary, he attacked Wurz and looked for any opportunity to overtake. Their battle was joined by Jonathan Correrella, turning their race to the finish into a spectacular show.
In the final phase of the race, Max made a winning maneuver and left Wurz behind for good. He crossed the finish line with a lead of 0.8 seconds and celebrated his first victory emotionally.
„This is a huge success for me and my career, and I hope more will follow. I’m already looking forward to more great battles on the track,“ said Max, who is the first Czech to win a Formula 4 race certified by the International Automobile Federation in five years. The last time this happened was in 2019, thanks to Roman Staněk in ADAC F4.
Max is part of the F4 Academy team, where he coaches and mentors the new generation of racing drivers. He is also an official representative of the Czech Auto Club and is among the entrants for the FIA Motorsport Games, held every two years. This year’s event will take place in October at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, Spain, where Karhan will compete in the Formula 4 races.
A spectacular fight for the win marked the third and final race of the F4 CEZ weekend at Slovakia Ring. Max Karhan from Jenzer Motorsport beat his teammate, race favorite Oscar Wurz, to score his first-ever victory in the championship.
Michalina Sabaj from AS Motorsport started from pole position alongside Max Karhan. In the second row were Jonathan Correrella from the Gender Racing team and Kirill Kutskov from Maffi Racing.
Karhan had the best start, taking the lead in the first corner ahead of Oscar Wurz, who started from fifth place. However, the yellow flag soon waved around the circuit due to an accident between Teodor Borenstein and Gabriel Holguin. Meanwhile, Correrella was spun around by Michelle Jandová, leading to a safety car deployment and then a red flag.
The order was Karhan, Wurz, Kutskov, Mikeš, Jandová, Olkucka, Sabaj, Correrella, and Halatnik.
After the race restart, Wurz took the lead in the first turn, with Karhan dropping to second. Mikeš also passed Kutskov, but in the next lap, he lost control and went off the track. Kutskov then came under pressure from Correrella, who passed him on the sixth lap.
Meanwhile, Karhan was pushing leader Wurz. The two were battling for the lead. They drove side by side in several turns and were soon joined by Correrella. The three fought fairly for the rest of the race. Although Wurz managed to keep his position for most of that time, Karhan made a winning move in the closing stage of the race, took first place and then effectively defended his position. Karhan eventually built a small gap, as Wurz was busy defending his second place from Correrella.
The final F4 CEZ race at Slovakia Ring belonged to Max Karhan, with Wurz finishing second and Correrella third. Kirill Kutskov finished fourth, and Michalina Sabaj, who started from pole position, came in fifth. Miroslav Mikeš from JMT Engineering finished sixth after his trip to the gravel, Franciszek Halatnik from Orlen Janík Motorsport was seventh, Kornelia Olkucka from Maffi Racing was eighth and Michelle Jandová was classified ninth, two laps down due to a spin in the last turn with two laps to go.
The challenging outcome of the first race at Red Bull Ring turned into a major passing challenge for young driver Max Karhan from Jenzer Motorsport. This is the story about his weekend in Austria, where he competed against 23 other Formula 4 cars.
Max Karhan began his journey in the F4 CEZ series last season with Jenzer Motorsport. Now, he is committed to a full season with the Swiss team and his Tatuus T421 Formula 4 car. The Red Bull Ring was a new track for him, one where he had never competed before.
Karhan scored 25 points in the opening round at Balaton Park. However, the Red Bull Ring posed a greater challenge due to the large field, which included drivers and teams from other championships using the F4 CEZ round as an opportunity to gain more race experience.
Karhan showed great promise in qualifying, setting the tenth-fastest time. He was just behind his teammates Matus Ryba, Oscar Wurz, and Enea Frey. Unfortunately, before he had a chance to showcase his performance in the first race, he was hit from behind, spun out, and ended up on the kerb with his rear wheels in the air. He had to retire.
This incident put him at a disadvantage for the second and third races, where he had to start from the last position. Although it was a setback, it also became a great challenge, he was determined to demonstrate his speed and overtake as many cars as possible.
Karhan drove exceptionally well, fighting with the competition, staying out of trouble, and maximizing his potential. He crossed the finish line in thirteenth place. In the third race, starting from last again, he improved to finish in twelfth place.
While it would have been preferable to avoid the collision and complete the first race, which would have allowed him better starting positions in the subsequent races, Karhan displayed impressive speed and determination at the Red Bull Ring.
The next round of the F4 CEZ will take place next weekend at the Slovakia Ring. Karhan hopes for a smoother event, aiming to keep his car in the points and achieve the best finish of his career. So far, his best finish has been fourth place.
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.
V letošním roce startuje jedinečná motoristická akademie, která si klade za cíl vybrat nejperspektivnější závodníky nebo závodnice a podpořit tím jejich kariéru.
Otcem myšlenky Akademie F4 CEZ je Josef Křenek, jenž dlouhodobě podporuje mladé jezdce a dává jim šanci prosadit se v automobilových závodech. „Jedná se o akademii, která nepřímo navazuje na projekty FormulaStar a ESET RaceStar. Tentokrát je cílem zprostředkovat možnost startů v sérii F4 CEZ,“ vysvětluje Josef Křenek.
Akademie F4 CEZ má čtyři základní pilíře, kterými si přihlášení jezdci musí projít. Tím prvním je trénink na simulátorech, který je v současné době důležitou součástí tréninků profesionálních závodníků. Jízda na simulátorech se koná v zázemí LUKAmotorsport, jenž je partnerem projektu. Druhým pilířem akademie je fyzická zdatnost a příprava v osobním automobilu.
„Účastníci dostanou školení o tom, jak správně sportovat a udržovat se v kondici. Zároveň k sobě budou mít člověka, který s nimi vyzkouší a probere základní řidičské úkony v osobním automobilu. Všichni účastníci totiž budou mladší osmnácti let, takže nikdo z nich nevlastní řidičský průkaz. Na parkovišti se proto seznámí s automobilem, vyzkouší řízení, rozjezdy, slalom, parkování a podobně,“ popisuje Křenek další disciplínu.
Nezbytnou vlastností závodníka je také umění komunikace s médii a osobní prezentace. Účastníci absolvují rozhovory v češtině i v angličtině, projdou si kurzem, jak by měla vypadat jejich prezentace na sociálních sítích a jaké by mělo být jejich vystupování na veřejnosti.
Čtvrtým bodem v programu akademie je návštěva týmu SAPE Motorsport, který je dalším partnerem akademie. Účastníci si prohlédnou formuli Tatuus T-421, projdou si technickým školením, aby věděli, jak formule 4 funguje a jaké komponenty lze nastavovat, vyzkouší si kokpit, poznají tlačítka na volantu a podobně. Poté bude následovat samotné testování na Autodromu Most.
Jednotlivé disciplíny se budou průběžně hodnotit a nejlepší z kandidátů obdrží možnost startovat v závodech F4 CEZ za poloviční náklady. Oficiální start akademie se uskuteční 3. února v LUKAmotorsport, nicméně jedná se o celoroční program, takže adepti mohou přibývat i v průběhu celé sezony. Cílem je připravit potenciálního závodníka na sezonu 2025.
„První seznámení s formulí 4 u SAPE Motorsport je naplánováno na 1. března. Termín testování je 12. března. Na konci dubna pak startuje sezona F4 CEZ, v jejímž průběhu s námi mohou účastníci akademie jezdit na závody a sledovat, jak týmy pracují. Pokud se v průběhu roku najde skutečný talent a bude vhodná situace, může dotyčný například absolvovat čtvrteční testy během závodního víkendu – tak jak to funguje například ve formuli 1,“ dodává na závěr Josef Křenek.
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