F.4 – Talented second place for Joao Vieira at Monza
Sixth round of the Italian F.4 Championship powered by Abarth, in the name of competitiveness for Joao Vieira, who wins an important second place in Race-3, in a weekend consistently in top positions.
Since free practice sessions, the young Brazilian of Antonelli Motorsport shows the good feeling get with the “Temple of Speed”, bringing his Tatuus #28 with constancy in the very first positions, signing the third fastest time with a handful of tenths off the pole, in both free practice sessions. Joao repeats himself, touching the second row in Qualifying with the third time (1’53.926), just 70 thousandths from the pole of the much more experienced Brandon Maisano.
In Race-3, satisfaction is great, with the achievement of the best result of the season with a peremptory second place. From his first passes, the 16-year-old steps heavily, keeping the tread rhythm. Even in the restart after the safety car, which entered the track on the first lap because of a contact at the start, he held his position trying to lunge. Given the expressed potential, reward could certainly be larger, especially for what has been showed during the sprint-race on Sunday morning. Having started from the last row for an accelerator problem in the first manche, the yellow-gold driver recovers in less than 18″ up to the third position, winning the audience’s applause and inflaming the wonderful public setting on the steps of Monza circuit. Only a contact in the last meters before chequered flag denies him the satisfaction of a deserved podium, closing only in seventh place.
“I’m really happy for this second place and for my rhythm, throughout the weekend. Certainly, regret still remains for what happened in Race-2, where I lost a podium in the last few meters to avoid a driver who took me off the track. It’s been exciting to overtake many times in so few laps. After the third place at Mugello, now the second place has arrived. It only remains to win the victory“, Joao Vieira says smiling. “At Imola, in fifteen days, I’ll try to get my revenge“.
Manager Giovanni Minardi, who follows Joao’s development and career, is of the same mind. “I have absolutely to congratulate Joao both for his second place and for the rhythm of the whole weekend, as well as the entire Antonelli Motorsport team. Certainly, there’s regret for having seen fade, not our fault, a podium in Race-2 and a great comeback. Passing from 20P to 3P in less than 18″ is not bad for a beginner. It’s a pity, because we could make a bigger jump in overall standings. We still lack 2-3 tenths that we’ll try to erode in view of Imola“, the manager of Minardi Management analyzes.
Joao Vieira greets the penultimate race on the calendar with the sixth place in overall standings, waiting for the last round at Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit, on 12th October.
