The ROKiT British F4 Championship certified by FIA made history this past weekend (July 13/14) as the single-seater series staged its first-ever overseas event at Zandvoort; with Deagen Fairclough and Alex Ninovic claiming the all-important race wins. 

On what was a milestone outing in the Netherlands, a record-breaking grid of 27 cars showcased their talents on European soil – just a few weeks before the venue stages the coveted Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix. 

Hitch Pulse-Eight’s Fairclough was the driver to beat in qualifying on Friday afternoon as he mastered the wet conditions to clinch yet another pole position, beating team-mate Reza Seewooruthun to top spot by more than three tenths of a second. 

Fairclough – who has been the driver to chase since the 2024 blasted into life at Donington Park in April – maintained his front-running form in the weekend’s opening contest as he went on to claim a commanding lights-to-flag victory.

In challenging conditions, Fairclough blasted away from the front row of the grid and ultimately never looked back as he built up a comfortable lead over the subsequent laps, taking the chequered flag by over eight seconds in the end. 

Behind, Rodin Motorsport’s Ninovic extended his sensational run of successive podiums to eight as he got the better of Martin Molner in the early exchanges to net second place, with Molnar completing the rostrum in third. 

Unfortunately, the weekend’s second bout would take two attempts to run after a technical issue with the start lights caused a mass pile-up and damage to a number of cars.

When the action did resume on Sunday morning, Ninovic underlined his credentials as a championship contender by making a lightening start from the second row of the grid to take the lead from team-mate Abbi Pulling.

Once out front, the Rodin ace controlled proceedings while Pulling – who is one of the leading lights of the F1 Academy this year – held off the charging Fairclough to secure second, with the race one winner settling for third.

Fairclough returned to the top step of the podium in the weekend’s final bout as he once again didn’t put a wheel wrong after starting from pole position. Like he had done earlier in the weekend, the second-year racer quickly broke free of the chasing pack to comfortably triumph.

Seewooruthun added to his silverware collection by scooping runners-up laurels while Jack Sherwood emerged unscathed from contact with Ninovic – which cost the latter a trip to the pit lane – to finish in third. 

The ROKiT British F4 Championship certified by FIA continues its 2024 season back on home soil as the series ventures to Knockhill on August 10/11.