A gutsy first-ever F4 victory had Beauly race ace Oliver Stewart almost lost for words at the weekend.
Hot on the heels of breaking into top 10 in the F4 British Championship standings, the 15-year-old Highlander claimed a maiden win in the ROKiT F4 British Championship at Thruxton on Saturday.
After making what seems like a seamless transition from kart-racing, the hard-working teenager is causing a stir by being one of the youngest competing F4 drivers in this year’s Championship.
It was a show of talent and nerves combined as he held off his hard-chasing rivals to score his first F4 victory.
Hitech GP racer Stewart is in his Rookie year and has won several rookie podiums but this was his first victory in the Championship.
He led from the start, but was tracked closely by his team-mate Eduardo Coseteng, Mercedes F1 junior Daniel Guinchard (Argenti) and JHR Developments’ Joseph Loake.
Hard work led to first F4 triumph
The foursome were neck and neck all the way around the 2.4-mile Hampshire track, but Stewart kept his advantage under immense pressure to maintain his 0.190-second lead despite several lockups into the Club chicane.
Speaking just after his triumph, the Charleston Academy pupil said: “I’m lost for words. It’s absolutely amazing to get a result like this, a result that everyone dreams of.
“To finally get it, it’s pretty amazing.
“It’s our first year in the championship, I think it’s only ‘day 37’ or something like that in the car now for us, so to be able to get wins that early, I’m really happy.
“I think it goes to show the hard work that we as a team and my family, and everyone else, has put in to get me to where I am.”
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