Tom Chiappe led Rudolf Mihaldinecz and Wu Bingchen into the 22-lap race from lights out and the triple World Champion’s son began to pull away from his rivals and built up a useful lead as Mihaldinecz gave chase. Louise Vella began to slip down the running order as the processional race progressed and Al-Mansoori consolidated fourth position from Wu Bingchen.

The leading duo began to pull away and Chiappe reached the chequered flag 3.36 seconds second clear of the veteran Hungarian to claim a first ever F4-S Trophy win. Wu Bingchen finished third, Al-Mansoori claimed vital points for fourth and Team Abu Dhabi’s Mohammed Al-Mehairbi kept his slim title hopes alive with fifth place. Vella finished seventh and Al-Romaithi was ninth.

Jeremy Brisset crashed heavily in Wednesday afternoon’s free practice, suffered a cut to his leg that needed medical treatment and only managed four laps in a session that was won by Vella from Al-Mehairbi and young Tom Chiappe. It meant the Frenchman was forced to miss the rest of the day’s action.

Chiappe dominated the morning’s practice session with a lap of 50.04sec from Al-Mansoori and Rudolf Mihaldinecz, as Vella clipped a turn buoy and finished fourth and Brisset sat out the stint. Al-Mehairbi and Al-Romaithi were sixth and ninth. Chiappe went on to earn pole position in the timed trials with a lap of 49.76sec, as Mihaldinecz and Wu Bingchen completed the top three positions and the Team Abu Dhabi duo of Al-Mehairbi and Al-Romaithi qualified in fifth and ninth.

Photo: Mike Powell

2017 F4-S Trophy – latest positions:

1. Mansoor Al-Mansoori (UAE) Victory Team 104pts

2. Jeremy Brisset (FRA) F1 Atlantic Team 93pts

3. Mohammed Al-Mehairbi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 84pts

4. Louise Vella (AUS) Team Sweden 73pts

5. Wu Bingchen (CHN) CTIC F1 China Team 49pts

6. Corentin Guesnel (FRA) Maverick F1 40pts

7. Rudolf Mihaldinecz (HUN) Mad-Croc Baba Racing 36 pts

8. Kalle Viippo (FIN) Mad Croc Baba Racing Team 29pts

9. Tom Chiappe (FRA) Emirates Racing Team 20pts

10. Mohamed Al-Yamahi (UAE) Victory Team 16pts

11. Sebastien Haugaard (SWE) Team Sweden 15pts

12. Mohamed Al-Matlae (UAE) Victory Team 13pts

13. Damon Cohen (AUS) Blaze Performance 8pts

13. Rashed Al-Romaithi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 8pts