Formula 4 Spanish Championship season began this weekend at Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. It was a complicated start for GRS Team as the team did not score points. Despite the results, the team is satisfied with the progression made and everything learnt.
The first Formula 4 year with the new Tatuus T-021 has already begun. It was not an easy weekend for GRS in Portimao. Qualifying sessions compromised drivers’ chances. However, the three of them had good race performances, improving and gaining positions in most races.
On the first race, Vladislav Ryabov made contact with another driver at the start. The incident made him pit to fix the damage, thus losing his opportunity to gain places. Both Lukáš Málek and Ricardo Gracia improved their starting positions and finished on 21st and 22nd, respectively.
Race 3 took place before the second one. The best result of the team was obtained there. Ryabov was 14th after a great performance, where he made up numerous positions, was involved in several fights and had solid pace. Gracia also reached the Top 20 as he finished on P18, his best position of the weekend. Málek gained spots to end the race in P22.
The final race, the shortest one, started on the same fashion until a contact sent Ryabov into a spin. Another driver collected him, forcing to retire. Gracia was also involved on the incident and his race ended there as well. Málek finished the race in a good 17th position.
Those results were not the desired ones. Nevertheless, the team leaves Portimao having learnt a lot ahead of the upcoming events. The new single-seater is proving to be a challenge for the drivers, but we face the season with full confidence on them and on the team staff.
Formula 4 Spanish Championship will be back on May 28-29. Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto will host the second round of the season. It is the track where GRS obtained its best results in 2021, so the weekend is faced with lots of motivation and will to keep improving.
