Used by Formula 1 for decades, the Belgian circuit of Spa Francorchamps has always showcased the best drivers in motorsport. The FIA-certified French F4 Championship had the chance to perform there from 2nd to 4th June, and Hiyu Yamakoshi didn’t miss the opportunity to add another podium finish to his tally and move closer to the top three in the provisional standings.
16 points at Nogaro, 26 at Magny-Cours, 28 at the famous Grand Prix de Pau in the centre of town and 31 at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit. Hiyu Yamakoshi is going from strength to strength with each new event! He is proving to be a regular front-runner and, above all, increasingly competitive. With the exception of one retirement, the young Japanese hopeful has finished all his races in the top eight, i.e. in the points, with a total of three podium finishes and two fastest race laps. With 107 points already collected in the provisional overall standings, compared with 114 in 3rd and 109 in 4th, Hiyu is determined to aim even higher.
Before rejoining the FFSA Academy at Spa for the fourth round of the 2023 season, Hiyu Yamakoshi had the opportunity to enjoy a new experience as part of the Spanish F4 Championship at the end of May on the Motorland circuit in Aragon, where his performance did not go unnoticed. A week later in Belgium, he quickly found himself on the right pace, setting the 2nd fastest time in Free Practice, but above all the 3rd fastest time in the official Qualifying session.
In Race 1, the two safety car periods prevented him from recovering the position he had lost at the start of the race, and he crossed the chequered flag in 4th place. After starting 8th in Race 2, following the principle of a reverse grid for the top 10 finishers in Qualifying, the 16-year-old Japanese driver once again demonstrated his attacking qualities by moving up to 5th with the fastest lap. In Race 3, he put in his most impressive performance of the season, finishing 2nd after battling tirelessly from start to finish. These promising results are encouraging, with three races still to go this season.
Info Kartcom / Photo © KSP – Guillaume Veuve